Not hearing the phrase “I wish I was a real estate agent” anymore

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Not hearing the phrase “I wish I was a real estate agent” anymore

Three years ago, I heard the phrase, “I wish I was a real estate agent” at almost every close. Clients thought real estate agents lived the charmed life. They didn’t see what went on behind the scenes.

But, more and more of my present and past clients are now saying, “I don’t know how you can stand being an agent, sales are so tough now.” I’m not going to argue with them, they are tough, but the tough deal with it and thrive!

I certainly never did live the charmed life like many of them thought at the time, I have worked hard for every sale and I’ve been lucky worked hard and every year has been better than the previous one.

I think a lot has come from my blogging and my clients are now getting to see more of the internal workings of our business and now know we do a lot more than just put a sign in the yard and wait for a commission check. Maybe for some it was that way in 2005-2006, but I wasn’t one of those agents and I promise those agents are no longer in the business, they didn’t know what to do when the market changed.

I’m glad my clients see the value of my services now, but what could I have done before blogging to show my value? I can see now that if I have clients that find me in any other way, other than through the web, I will need to show that value.

Todd Clark and the Friendly Home Team
Knipe Realty
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

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I am a licensed Realtor who specializes in Washington County, Oregon and also work in both Clackamas and Multnomah Counties including the cities of Aloha, Beaverton, Canby, Clackamas, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Sherwood and Tigard.
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Posted by Todd Clark (Broker) (503)524-9494 (Beaverton, Oregon Real Estate Expert) on 09/20/2009 12:40 PM

Comments (70)

I Want to Be a Real Estate Agent in the Training Channel

i wish i was a real estate agent, real estate school, sales, marketing, hard work, todd clark, realtor, beaverton, oregon

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70 Comments on Not hearing the phrase “I wish I was a real estate agent” anymore

SEP

2009

I have a theory... the more the consumer is educated and understands real estate, the more they're going to want and need a great realtor, and because of mediums like blogging, you've proved it...

The best thing to do is drop slogans. People who know what they do don't really need artificial inspirational speeches. So I am a real estate agent, but who cares if I am proud or not. That's not the point.

Hi Todd. Alot of people have asked me how I'm doing because they know it's a tough time in real estate.

LOL...Todd, when I purchased my first house in 1977, I thought to myself, "wow, that agent got to drive around all day and look at cool houses. i wanna be a real estate agent" HA! I got my license about 9 months later and boy did I find out how I had misjudged her job. I'm not saying i don't love the biz, but it is not the glamourous life everyone thinks.

Todd --- you are right ---our profession doesn't look so glamorous these days -- this type of economy are for the really serious professionals.

Mama Liz

I LOVE being a Realtor right now. The public is seeing that we really are professionals. We have to work harder than ever before. It's also weeding out the folks who should have never gotten into the business because they only thought about "easy money"! What a misconception!

I agree with Rene...the blog is a great tool to establish ourselves as true experts and educational resources. It will provide great dividends in the future for those who can tough it out.

Todd, I wish they respected our profession more. You never hear the thousands of successful transactions completed daily, just a random scam.
What a great day to be alive!
Paul

When I cme back to real estate two years ago, some thought I was nuts.

My response: Interest rates were never this low when I sold real estate before.

Still true.

Hi Todd - The pendulum has definitely swung to the other extreme. Now we're more likely to hear (in an apologetic tone), "Oh, you're a real estate agent." The value you bring for your clients today is a track record of continual success in some very challenging markets.

Todd - John beat me to it. The phrase I hear more often sounds sympathetic and a little sad. Keep up the good work, my friend!

Todd, Lately I have been given a lot more credit for what I do than in the past. I think it is because of what we have to go through on each and every deal. The buyers and sellers I have had have been wonderful this year, thanking me for all I do for them and at the same time saying they don't know how I do it. I think the blogs have gone a long way in educating the consumers about what we do.

This is very true. I have had a lot of friends tell me that they had always thought they wanted to go in real estate but now see it is way too much work.

Todd: The general public thought that we had a million dollar salary, rode around in nice cars, wore pretty clothes and showed beautiful houses all day ~ wow how things have changed.

Todd -- my clients say the same thing about staging ... "oh that must be so much fun -- You get to go shopping and make homes look so beautiful..." They have NO idea of the hard physical work of lugging furniture around in all types of weather, working in homes that are sometimes too cold or too hot, meeting tight deadlines, taking care of all the marketing and accounting functions, etc. It is what I love to do, but it's not easy!

It may be that it is the blogs that are educating people, perhaps also in a way the media who once in awhile mention the difficulty in holding sales together. Plus I agree that clients are paying attention more too.

Todd - Truer words couldn't have been said.... I do get a lot more people asking me how it's going these days. More than I had in past years... I wonder why?

Good post Todd Thanks for letting other people know it as well. It isnt as glamorous anymore to the general public...

Todd - Times are tough but there is plenty of business out there for people who are willing to work hard for it. Again, it comes down to hard work. Anything worth having is worth working hard for.

Great post. I am a newbie to blogging on AR and I am enjoying reading all the posts full of insight for me to look for and most of all set a goal for. Thanks for the insight.

you're not even hearing it that much from Realtors anymore.

Hi again Todd. Just noticed that this post of yours received a star. Congratulations.

I have heard the same phrase a good bit myself. From friends and family as well. You know they are right. Doing the job right has great rewards!

I still get a lot of question about becoming a real estagent. A lot of those realize there's is actual work involved and clientl won't just magicky appear once you have a license.

Todd, you are so right. I don't hear it either. I agree that blogging/web/social media create that inside view of what we do on a regular basis. People used to think it was so easy because they couldn't view the inner workings of what we were doing. Now that they can see -- from us, our mortgage partners, and title partners, just what we have to do to make dreams come true for our clients!

True, true. I too hear "how are you doing??" I don't lie, I tell them it's hard work. But when working with good clients, it's totally worth it.

I have to admit, there are days when I dream of a different career, but overall I do like what I do.

Thanks for the good post!

Julie in sunny AZ

I think real estate agents are worth far more now than they ever have been. Buyers and sellers now see that we are strong negotiators on their behalf and work through numerous obsticles to get deals to settlement. Sure the internet can give you a lot of information but knowing how to make it work for you is a totally different proposition.

I remember taking a College level Spanish and mentioning that I was a full-time Realtor. The teacher just said "Mucho dinero". That was 10 years ago.

Todd - As many have discussed here on AR, Realtor blogging helps consumers get a much better picture of potential agents; and the more they know, the better decisions they'll make.

Todd, people look at us with almost pity knowing that we are real estate agents. They wonder how we are making it and are surprised when we tell them how busy we are. But we earn every dollar. It takes 3-4 times as much work to put anything together these days - you know that, too!

Yes, it's funny how people used to be jealous of what they felt were the "big bucks" and now it's not quite that way. I'm still glad to be in real estate, however. This "new" market in San Diego County has polished my approach, my zest, and my knowledge of contracts. That should bode well as we move forward.

People always ask, how are you doing? I tell them I'm working hard. They ask how is the maket? I tell them that depends on where you live and then I offer to send them market stats of their area.

Hi Todd -- I agree that blogging opens up a big opportunity for consumers to see the complexity of this business, which can be vastly understated.

Todd - I have noticed the same change, I rarely hear anyone "wanting" to be a Realtor these days.

New agents think that it is a walk in the park. they come, they go....the cream will rise to the top!

As a former broker manager, I have to admit it was a little amusing to watch so many people get their license, start as a new agent and very quickly get a reality check that it's not all a bed of roses. In fact, it's a lot more like a thorn patch. I try to keep people in perspective by reminding them that it's a SALES position. Once they get that association, some of the scales fall from their eyes.

I currently work mostly with buyers. Our first order of business is an intial buyer consultation. By the time it's over, most buyers understand that current market conditions add to the complexity of a successful transaction. It's not easy...but I love being a real estate professional.

You have put our Profession into perspective with this post and I thank you for that. I no longer hear the phrase ' How do I get into Real Estate' as now as Jason stated it's a more apologetic statement when folks find out what I do for a living. They seem to value the value more so these days.

When I got my license some years ago it was a crush to get a seat, I'm talking 30-40 people per class...now, maybe three!

Now they say "You're STILL in real estate, lol. I like people respecting what we do 'cause it's not that easy anymore, for sure! It takes a real professional to navigate the muddy waters now.

It's funny David just said that. I think the number one question I get when someone from my sphere of influence calls me is, "Are you still a realtor?" I just laugh. Being able to say "yes" is definately a statement of accomplishment these days. I'm also enjoying the challenge, and feel that people respect our knowledge and rely on our advice more so now than in the past. Great post!

I never hear anyone saying that they are "getting into the business" anymore. I used to hear that all the time.

I don't think ANYONE thinks that realtors are living a charmed existence right now!!!

Todd: I too mave noticed the decline of hearing about people who want to jump into the Real Estate business.

With some of the sales and heart aches that I endure, I also ask, "Why am I a real estate agent?" at times.

For a while there some agents could sell a few homes and make a living. We are back to working hard to make a decent living

Nailed this one Tom - I used to have a different response and out look. When we had clients and friends that wanted to jump into the business I always did my best to encourage. Maybe 1 our of 100 actually went all of the way with it - but we are not about training anymore. It takes a very special person.

Sounds like you are a Great Representative of your Clients - They are Blessed to have you!

They like to see that check Todd, but don't want to put in the work to get it done.

Todd, in tougher times it is not so glamorous...

SEP

2009

Todd,

I actually just heard that comment last week. My client while signing the offer said that he wishes to become an agent. Reason? The pay check. He ignored the fact that the fat paycheck was earned after 4 months of tireless work. I drew the attention to tha fact that this fat check he is assuming would have been a fat zero had he changed his mind and not bought anything. Besides, the fat check is already discounted by the brokerage and CRA (our equivalent of IRA).

Nonetheless, I love doing what I do...and I am good at it!!

I totally agree that blogging has helped educate our consumers. I too get consumers telling me that I have a tough job and we earn our pay!

How do I stand being a real estate agent in this market? Easy, I have SKILL!. The only difference in this market and the last one is that in the last market, if an agent didn't have good skills the market frenzy made that hard to see. In this market it is critical to have the needed skills; no skill and you cannot survive.

LOL. I never really thought about this until I saw your post. You are right. I remember back in 2004 and 2005 when everyone wanted to be a Realtor. Why not? It was easy money for awhile.

Todd, Exactly these are the best of times being a Realtor. . we are working with survivors and professionals that are enduring many challenger. The fact that we are still Realtors right now is a testament of our professional position. We lost over one third of our market in our area. . .

Realtors and Sales

This is so true! The perception from many people is that we have it easy and money just flows in. "How hard can it be to sell a house? You put a sign up and wait for the commission cheque". I am sure that some do that but most agents will be working around the clock to make things happen. We just need to educate them and show them what we are doing.

Todd, you're not gonna believe this, but we actually have a pretty strong recruiting blitz in our area that is happening. My company is holding once a month sessions for prospective Realtors and the classes are typically pretty full. Doesn't negate how tough it is to be in this business, but folks here see it as an alternative to the other jobs that are going away...

I am glad that I do not hear that phrase anymore I wish more would leave so many bad apples got in this business and screwed it up as well as the mortgage business it was and still is too damn easy to get a license and call yourself a professional now we pay for all the mistakes of those with bad intentions.

People who know me, ask me "why you came to RE now ?" and the others ask me " How are you doing in your RE business these tough times ?" . Excellent post.

Todd, I entered into real estate in 1989 Oklahoma, that had a recession on equal or worse to what we are seeing now. I started in a market that was hard work, so what is happening now kind of makes me happy in a gallows humor sort of way. I would love to see NAR shrink, and not becasue I am anri NAR, it is just that we have spent years dlluting the real estate gen pool. Yes, sometimes the frustrations can go over the top, but can we get back to Realtor being a term of honor rather than one of convenience.

Even though times are difficult, I think success is still there for real estate agents that effectively communicate their value while educating the consumer.

Actually, this may be a great time to get in the business. Prepare and learn, and if you can handle working in a market as this one is, you'll be fine in the long run. Those that started in 2004 and we're out by 2006 more than likely never had a true grasp of what it is really like as veterans who have been at for years and years could tell them.

WOW, I take Sunday off and come back to this... Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments. I agree, that many people got in to real estate during the boom, including myself. Now, I was a little different, I have owned my own business since 1989 and my business complimented real estate nicely and I decided that I should take my clients from my first business and put them in to homes.

Now everyone that I went to school with are all out of the business, but one and his dad is the #3 agent in Oregon. Even when I started I could tell who had been in business for years and which ones who had been in for months. (Their really is an art to the sale and negotiations and the new agents didn't understand sales)

Todd Clark - www.LivingBeaverton.com

Some of my clients think I must be nut to hang in ther in this economy, however, I think they DO appreciate me a lot more... they can really see all the work that goes into being a good agent.

I believe blogs definitely tell the consumer that you are serious about your business.

Todd,

If you want to know how few people want to become an agent today, look at how badly enrollment in real estate classes have dropped and how many fewer members each area's Realtor association has. It is dropping so fast you can almost chart it.

P.S. I got in to real estate in March 07, so I missed the "good times".

Todd,

Many of the folks with whom I'm working know/had a former real estate agent who couldn't survive the slowdown. They're quite impressed that I managed to get through difficult times!

Working twice as hard to keep up. I teach real estate licensing at Penn State, and I'm hoping that we get a minimum requirement so we can even run the class this fall!

We just have to keep educating buyers and sellers about what we do. AR is doing a good job of helping us do that.

Todd- Now we hear- Oh my, having a real estate company in this market must be so hard! Yes, the tide has changed. The X agents abound here- it was not as easy as they had hoped. Katerina

It is really great when your client appreciates the work you do. I hear it a lot more in this market for sure. ~jen

I think the internet and blogging probably both help the consumer to understand more of what we do.

Also, I think they understand this is not the kind of market where you just put a sign in the yard, put the house on the MLS, and it sells.

SEP

2009

When its easy, everybody wants to sell real estate. When its not so easy, only the disciplined, committed Realtor remain.

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Todd Clark (Broker) (503)524-9494 (Beaverton, Oregon Real Estate Expert)

Beaverton, OR

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Knipe Realty

Address: Office Address: 7420 SW Bridgeport Road #210 Portland, OR 97224 Serving: Beaverton, Tigard, Aloha, Hillsboro, Tualatin, Portla, Serving: Beaverton, Tigard, Aloha, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Sherwood, Tualatin, Wilsonville, West Linn, OR

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