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Is it really the "joy of helping people" that motivates a person to want to sell real estate?

Reblogger
Education & Training with Ludwig & Associates

Lenn Harley shares some powerful words of  wisdom and asks the question did we really go into real estate to help people? The answers are in Lenn's post.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

 

Original content by Lenn Harley 303829;0225082372

Is it really the "joy of helping people"??? 

Does anyone seriously believe that a real estate agent went into the real estate business because they wanted to "help people"??  I don't believe it and if that's an agent's motivation to become a real estate agent, I don't believe that they are someone I'd want to hire.

Inspired by Ira Muskin with a thought provoking post wherein he wrote that when agents are asked why they entered the real estate business:  "Most often I hear it is the 'joy of helping people.'  Sounds corny, but it is a prevailing attitude."

"PREVAILING ATTITUDE"??

WHAT MOTIVATES A PERSON TO ENTER REAL ESTATE??  If an agent is practicing real estate sales to help people, did they undertand the risks and costs involved when they decided to make this their primary source of income??  Of course there are many agents who have spousal income and/or retirement income.  This doesn't apply to them.  However, there are many young, educated and ambitious people entering the real estate business. 

What is their motivation motivation to invest the money, time and energy to succeed??  If helping people is the agent's goal, there are hundreds of outlets for folks to volunteer, contribute time, money or resources without first making the significant investment to become a licensed reHead in Sandal estate sales person, beginning with:

1.  Investing in the pre-licensing course of instruction to prepare for the real estate test for license.

2.  Investing in the study required to learn the principals and practices to obtain a license to practice.

3.  Investing the money required to join a real estate company including the cost of business cards, association memberships (required by most employing brokers), membership in the local MLS, signs, tools of the trade (flashlight, key boxes, camera, etc.) estimated to be about $1,000.

4.  Personal marketing through web sites, postal cards, flyers, time in personal promotion, desk duty for the broker, time spreading the word that you are now in the real estate business.

All of the above which is required before a dime of income is realized. 

All of that and much more because that person "WANTS TO HELP PEOPLE"??  I suggest that these new agents may be surprised that there is a lot more to real estate practice than most understand before they make the commitment to become a real estate agent.

The desire to help people isn't going to make the phone ring.

WHERE DO THE CLIENTS COME FROM??   It's often a surprise for new agents when they have obtained a license and joined a brokerage to find that, unless they come to the business with a strong sphere of influence of friends, relatives and neighbors, they begin their real estate experience LITTLE TO NO BUSINESS, NO INCOME and sadly OFTEN NO HELP WITH BUSINESS DEVELOPENT.

FIRST THE EASY PART.  THEN THE HARD PART.Looking for a home

THE EASY PART OF BUYING A HOME.  Home buyers often believe that because they can view homes for sale on the Internet that, if they find the home they wish to buy, the hard part is over.  HA!  Finding home to buy is the easiest part of buying a home.  Getting that home under contract, managing the inspections, title and settlement is the hard part and that's primarily where agents EARN their fee.

THE EASY PART OF ENTERING THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS.  Obtaining a real estate license is the easiest part of entering the real estate business.  Simply having a license to sell real estate doesn't produce any business for a new agent to manage.  Business development is how an agent EARNS a living. 

I'm wary when a licensee says that they are motivated by a desire to help people. 
I'm more confident when a licensee says that they are motivated to build a successful business.

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.

 


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Comments (1)

Jeff Jensen
The Federal Savings Bank/Lending in 50 states - Greenwich, CT

Kindness and good listening go a long way toward improving client relations.

Oct 14, 2011 09:29 AM