Considering a career in real estate Have you told your friends and family that you are considering a career in real estate? With the current economy chances are that they will respond, "Are you crazy?" Well, that is how a few of my friends responded in the mid-80's when I announced my decision to take real estate classes. Maybe you remember or heard that interest rates were 16% - 18% and Nobody could afford to buy a home! My mother told me, "Why do you want to do that? You only need a Realtor once in your life." At 86 she is still in the home she bought with my father in 1950 and she has no intention of selling any time soon.
A good friend's advice (She was a very successful agent)
You will hear a lot of negativity in real estate both in the community and within your own office from other agents. Wear earplugs and put blinders on and forge full speed ahead. Avoid the negative chit chat in the office and in the community including the news media. If you have a really bad day, be human and allow yourself one day for self pity. Then start the next day with a positive attitude. I am so glad that I followed her advice or I wouldn't be here today.
Opportunity lurks Despite the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression opportunity lurks everywhere. Are you kidding? Some may ask, of course, it is only human to doubt. Remember the bible story about Thomas, the apostle, who did not believe Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday until he personally saw Jesus and put his fingers in the nail holes.
Once in a lifetime opportunity is knocking on the doors of every real estate community
Now before you move onto next post saying this blogger is off her rocker (a childhood description of people with way out ideas aka a little crazy!) you don't know what is happening in my market, I want to remind you of two sayings I have heard over & over again from economists since the economy nosedived last fall. Buy low -- sell high and the 'the time to buy is when there's blood in the streets' Melody Hobson, from Chicago who is often on Good Morning America has offered this advice often. Many real estate markets are very bloody and the Realtors practicing in those areas are covered with blood.
BUT, open the door AND take advantage of the opportunities.
Yes, opportunity in real estate My wise friend, who was a single parent of five children during the height of the 1980's recession, also said that no matter what is economy or time of year there are people who need to sell and people who want to buy. People are getting married, families are growing or leaving home, job transfers, divorce, sickness, death all these feed the need for the services of a Realtor.
Hungry Realtor Hungry agents sell more real estate . . . Just joking! Whether you are a seasoned agent who someone considering real estate a new career the opportunity exists in every community today as it has in every recession. Stories abound of successful business that started in the ashes of the Great Depression.
Personally, I can verify that my personal real estate sales and later as manager, the office production, increased every year from 1986 thru my 'retirement' from active sales and mananagement at end of 2007. Once again my wise friend said that hard times mean we have to work smarter not harder. How true of any market, but especially during a downturn.
What's the difference? Today my role in real estate is education & training. As I talk with local Realtors, I find that some are busy and some are not. Two agents with less than two years experience are very busy and a twenty year agent had no transactions on the books for 2009. What the difference? The newer agents kept busy last fall through early winter prospecting, building their sphere of influence, hosting open houses, attending networking events and even making cold calls. They were both Top Producers in their respective office in March and off to a good start in April. The 20 year veteran said that never in his career did he have to search for business and now nothing is working for him. In the past he had other agents do his open houses, he never attended call night, he never sent follow up letters to past clients yet the sellers & buyers called him because they knew him. In others words he didn't work very hard because the business found him. Who do you think will still be in real estate next year?
Huge potential Wear earplugs & blinders, avoid the negativity whatever the source and take advantage of the every opportunity to build a successful real estate career.
Say, "Yes, I Can Be Successful!"
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