The real estate industry is undoubtedly one of the best for people who are independent, dedicated, persistent, and more than just a little extroverted. That being said, it's also challenging, competitive, and has its fair share of frustration too. Dealing with the public has its positives and negatives, and a real estate agent must be able to handle them both with grace and aplomb at all times.
The truth is, there are a lot of real estate agents in the field. Some do OK, some... not so much. Occasionally, however, you find a real estate agent that stands out above the rest. Someone who shines bright and sells real estate as easily as the rest of us breathe. These top real estate agents all have certain qualities in common. This article, The 10 Essential Personality Traits, Qualities, and Skills of Top Real Estate Agents, will detail what those qualities are so that you, as one of their peers, can make your way to the top of the real estate game as well. Enjoy.
1 - Be Open to New Ideas
While this may sound a bit esoteric, being open simply means seeing the world as it really is, and also how it could be. Being open means that you seek out new experiences and conversations with people, even strangers. It means having a diverse set of friends and being open to thoughts that challenge your own. Yes, your life can have some patterns and predictability (they all do), but being open means exploring different ways of doing things rather than sticking with the "same old thing".
Being open means that you stop seeing things through a fixed lens and instead realize that the world is alive, dynamic, and so full of opportunity that it's like shooting fish in a barrel. For a top real estate agent, being open means realizing that there are many different ways to sell real estate, advertise and market real estate and connect with people who want to buy real estate.
At eCampaignPro, we offer a wide variety of methods and services that can help you connect, convince, and convert. We can help open your eyes to all the possibilities you've been missing and take your real estate game to the next level.
Being open means that you stop seeing things through a fixed lens and instead realize that the world is alive, dynamic, and so full of opportunity...
2 - Emotional Stability
As we mentioned in the introduction to this article, dealing with the public has its positives and negatives, its highs and lows. When people, whether single, families, or an organization, are involved in the process of purchasing or selling a new home or property, their emotions can run the full gamut. From happiness to joy, fear, anger, sadness, and even resentment depending on the situation.
Newly married couples, for example, will likely be joyous and happy if they're buying a new home. Couples getting a divorce will likely be the complete opposite, especially if their divorce is causing them to sell their home. Some might be selling the family home after a loved one has passed and be deep in the throes of sadness.
Whatever the situation, however, as a real estate agent you need to be emotionally stable in every one of these different situations. You need to be their rock, so to speak, and the person that, good or bad, high or low, remains emotionally steady. You can never let your personal life, problems, or challenges interfere because, as you can see, your clients have enough of their own.
When people, whether single, families, or an organization, are involved in the process of purchasing or selling a new home or property, their emotions can run the full gamut.
3 - A Conscientious Work Ethic
We've mentioned how competitive the real estate business can be. Getting to the top means having one personality trait above almost all others; conscientiousness. Yes, that's a $10.00 word, but the meaning behind it is simple, straightforward, and vitally important to your success. A conscientious person is reliable, punctual, and pays attention to even the smallest details. They are highly organized, sticking to their plans like glue, and always meet any deadlines they might have.
Being conscientious means that you follow the rules and, more or less, stick to established social norms. It means that as far as dealing with clients, you're predictable in the best of ways. Clients will realize right away that when you say you will be somewhere at a specific time, that's exactly when you'll be there. When you promise them a specific result, that's the result that they'll get.
Brent Roberts, a psychologist at the University of Illinois, says that "being conscientious is like brushing your teeth; it stops problems from occurring." The good thing about conscientious people is that they are resilient, overcome failures more easily, and succeed where others fail. More than that, when faced with adversity conscientious people fight to meet their goals with accuracy and quality. $10.00 word indeed, that conscientious.
When you promise them a specific result, that's the result that they'll get.
4 - Being Confident
There's a difference between being confident and being cocky. Confident people enjoy the occasional bit of praise but, even without it, they realize that they are good enough and can handle any situation that comes their way. They also take full responsibility and ownership of their personal opinions as well as their word choices and emotions. Confident people never "pass the buck" and rarely compare themselves to others.
More than that, a confident person knows the value of what they do and believes in that value. They are sure that the time, money, and energy they put into an endeavor are worth being paid for. In the real estate industry, you can tell a confident person because they engage completely in the present moment when they are with clients. They are comfortable in any situation and, despite what others might be thinking or saying, stay true to themselves.
As for being cocky, that is definitely not a trait that confident people have. They realize that arrogance is detrimental to interpersonal relationships. Rather than constantly looking for praise, a confident person lifts the people around them and is encouraging, complimentary, and sincere.
One last thing that a confident person does is take action. Yes, they might have some fear (like the rest of us), but they put that fear aside and do what it takes to succeed.
5 - Being Risk-Averse
Risk-averse is usually a term you hear in the investment industry. In basic terms, it means to prefer taking a loss in place of making a gain if that gain comes with too high a risk. Another way of explaining risk aversion is to say that a risk-averse person prefers getting something definite but of lower value to something that might be of higher value but isn't definite. Professional gamblers, for example, are definitely not risk-averse type people.
In the real estate industry, being risk-averse means going with tried and true methods of marketing, selling, and engaging with clients rather than methods that are untried and risky. That isn't to say that you never try anything new but just that, when you do, you do it in smaller increments until that new method has proven that it works. At eCampaignPro, we offer a variety of tried-and-true marketing methods that real estate agents use in their marketing campaigns. In short, methods that work, delivering new leads and new opportunities with low risk.
That isn't to say that you never try anything new but just that, when you do, you do it in smaller increments until that new method has proven that it works.
6 - Having Courage
While you might not think of the real estate industry as one where a person needs to be courageous, exactly the opposite is true. Real estate agents go out on a limb every day, spending their time and energy in a pursuit that ultimately might not pay off. A busy real estate agent meets a wide variety of new and different people all the time, and in wildly different situations, which can be unnerving at times, to say the least.
As a real estate agent, you have to have the courage to disagree with your clients when you think they're making a bad decision. You also have to make decisions that you believe are right even if there's a danger that someone will disapprove of them. Being courageous means being able to go out into your community every day and keep pressing on, even if things haven't been going as well as you'd like. It also means trying new ways of doing things even if they put you outside of your comfort zone.
7 - Continued Self-Improvement/Development
One of the most vital traits of a top real estate agent is self-improvement and development. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but, the fact is, you can. The reason most people don't is that they're too lazy or too self-involved. Things change quickly in the real estate industry and the agent who doesn't keep up with them is the one who's going to fall behind the rest.
Learning new skills, listening to different opinions, and engaging with experts and mentors is the mark of a top real estate agent. The top agents are never content to sit on their laurels but instead are always seeking new information, advice, and most importantly, new methods of selling. At eCampaigPro we offer many of the newest methods in the industry to attract, engage, and keep in touch with potential buyers and sellers. It's our way of helping real estate agents to continually develop and improve.
Things change quickly in the real estate industry and the agent who doesn't keep up with them is the one who's going to fall behind the rest.
8 - Detail Oriented
In the real estate biz, there are so many details that they can sometimes seem insurmountable. The top real estate agents, however, have learned to be extremely detail-oriented because, at the end of the day, it's the small details that are sometimes the most important.
The fact is, your clients count on you to know everything about the real estate process and, even more importantly, guide them through it successfully. If you miss something, make an error or lose paperwork, an entire deal could be lost. In-depth research and the details that come with it are also vital for your clients because, without it, they could potentially lose thousands of dollars.
If being detail-oriented isn't one of your strong suits, it's something you need to work on if you want to become a top real estate agent. The truth is, being detail-oriented might be the dullest aspect of selling homes but, by carefully guiding your clients through the entire process, and doing it successfully time-after-time, you'll become an agent that everyone refers to, respects, and trusts.
9 - Excellent Listening Skills
One thing that all top real estate agents know is that listening intently to their clients is vitally important. Having excellent listening skills doesn't just mean being able to listen to what people are saying but to actually hear what they're saying and understand the meaning behind their words. That's a subtle, but important difference that the best listeners have, and it helps them to become the best real estate agents.
10 - Excellent Negotiating Skills
This last trait is one of the most important for a real estate agent, and for their clients also. Being able to negotiate is a very large part of your job. Not only will you need to negotiate the listing price of any homes that you list but also the selling price and, most importantly, your commission.
The good news is that becoming a better negotiator will happen over time. The even better news is that, once you're an excellent negotiator, not only will you be able to make more money for your clients, but also convince them to pay you more money to do that.
Being an excellent negotiator means having several different traits. They include;
- Being extremely clear in what you say
- Knowing what your 'bottom line' is before you begin
- Always have a 'Plan B'
- Establishing a habit of negotiating that you use every in every situation
- Being able to play the reluctant party
- Use your body language correctly
- Being able to read the body language of others
Once you're an excellent negotiator, not only will you be able to make more money for your clients, but also convince them to pay you more money to do that.
Do You Have These Personality Traits?
Here's the thing; anyone can get a real estate license and "try" to sell homes, but the most successful real estate agents are the ones that work hard to foster the 10 traits that we've talked about. The good news is that, if you don't have these traits already, they are all certainly attainable with time, patience, and persistence.
Maybe there are some personality traits that you think are just as important and, if you do, let us know in the comments below. Also, if you are interested in hearing about the many different marketing and advertising methods that we offer, use the form below to contact eCampaignPro today and one of our service representatives will get back to you ASAP.