I'm a psychological counselor and a matchmaker that just so happens to hold a real estate license.......
I was thinking about this the other day, and it seems to me that I spend at least 75% of my time these days being a matchmaker and psychological counselor rather than just a Realtor.
I mean, the key to working with buyers, anyway, is finding the right home that basically turns them on and gives them warm fuzzies. Listening to what is on their wish list, being attentive to their life styles, and becoming familiar enough with their finances and personal style so that you know what properties to put in front of them is a skill that only comes with being a seasoned agent. That is the first biggest accomplishment towards a successful transaction. Being a highly intuitive MatchMaker is the first part of being a successful buyer's agent.
Secondly, I find myself spending at least 50% of my time being a psychological counselor. Honestly, I really do.
Becoming attuned to knowing when to talk technical/contractual details and when to talk your buyers off the ledge is a skill that I have really honed.
How to navigate through the contractual maze of an escrow transaction is one thing, but how to keep your clients emotions in tact and focused on their goals in the bigger picture is a skill that definitely does not come overnight.
Purchasing or selling a home is one of the biggest and most emotionally taxing endeavors someone will do in their lives. And many times they are doing it because there are personal and/or demographic issues in their lives that are requiring it. Sometimes these issues need to be talked through with your clients, and as a result emotions may come pouring out. Empathy and sensitivity is critical in keeping your relationship intact with your clients.
And sellers, of course, are another ballpark. Keeping sellers focused on their goals in what is still perceived to be a buyers market is not always easy. Emotionally dis-attaching a seller from their home in order to make the sale happen and help them move on is a very sensitive subject matter. And if you add into the mix the property being sold is a short sale, then that is an entirely additional set of hoops to jump through and counseling therapy you will be engaged in. So you might as well throw in Real Estate Attorney into the circle of hats you'll be wearing too.
The ability to wear many hats is a skill that I have found necessary for success in the customer-service driven world of real estate.
ESPECIALLY these days...........
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