The real estate world would like to think that it is reinventing itself right now. There is an endless cycle of chatter, criticism, condemnation and chest-pounding. It's pretty clear to me that no one has more contempt for the real estate business more than some of the people who work in the business.

Some people believe that technology (much of it still to be invented) can and should replace the real estate agent. They argue that the brokerage model as we know it today is fundamentally broken. Quite an idea, isn't it?

There's universal agreement that there are too many poorly trained and supervised agents. The laments are universal: "it takes 1,500 hours of education to get a license to cut hair and only 100 hours to get a license to sell a house". But as soon as anyone asks "so, what next?" the arguments start: what's training, what's education? What's the role of the state vs. the associations vs. the brokerages? And who decides?

I recently put up a post called "Who's Your Ideal?" here on ActiveRain that asked some of these questions. I had expected that the brokers who responded would  give laundry lists of skills like technology acumen, prospecting, or proficiency with social media.  I was surprised at the answers because there was more emphasis on personal characteristics like integrity and ethics.  

Richard Weisser here "At some point, the personality and style either meshes or clashes with the potential client...Oddly enough, proficiency, competence and skill rank lower in the 'success' equation."

Bill Spear here "The ability (for the most part) to remove their own ego from the equation when dealing with clients and the other side of a deal. Big picture is paramount."

Chris Ann Cleland here "communicative, informed and knowledgeable about their local contract & market.....we have to realize that the commissions are secondary to putting the clients needs first"

Karen Fiddler here (1) Honesty (2) Diligence (3) Open Mindedness (4) Humility (5) Honesty (6) Intelligence (7) Follow Through (8) Poise (9) Honesty (10) Honesty

(I honestly love Karen Fiddler's comment).

Since real estate agents probably aren't going away anytime soon, the revolution must focus on the personal characteristics of agents...values and character and ethics. 

Sounds a lot like the original Code of Ethics, doesn't it? Maybe the more things change, the more they remain the same. 

More to come.....


Originally published at FoxValleyLiving

This post was written by Leslie Ebersole of Baird & Warner Real Estate.
Use or reproduction of the material published on this site is expressly prohibited
without the express written permission of the author.

This post was written by Leslie Ebersole of Baird & Warner Real Estate.
Use or reproduction of the material published on this site is expressly prohibited
without the express written permission of the author.

 

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My Email leslie.ebersole@bairdwarner.com

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5 Comments on Who's Your Ideal? Maybe The More Things Change...

OCT
28
1,527,141 Points 164 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
The underlying fundamentals of real estate haven't changed even with all of the technology. If you don't understand the basics of a contract and how to manage the transaction it doesn't matter how tech savvy you are.
7:38am • #1
226,484 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Technology is important but it's the personal nature of our business that builds client relationships and referrals. Regards Dave
7:48am • #2
4 Featured Posts

My husband is just finishing his Pre-License course. He takes his final on Monday.  As I watched him plow through the study and struggle through poorly written material, it is easy to see where the begining of the problem is.  If 100 hours of education is sufficient or not is another argument altogether.  At the very least, the material given in these pre-license courses need to be addressed.
7:51am • #3
1,519,648 Points 112 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I loved that post about what is the ideal.  Sounds like it got a good discussion going.
12:58pm • #4
498,310 Points 150 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

Leslie:  JMO, but all the technology ... the "serve yourself" sites that we're now seeing in my arms of the industry and more and more frequently in the sales side ... well, they work for some.  In very small numbers and if you have no questions or no special needs.  Have questions?  Or if you're a round peg buyer or seller trying to fit into a square hole type of transaction?  You need a real human agent, broker, or lender to assist and guide you.  And that's where all those personality and ethics traits come into place that you talked about from your previous post.  Take the human, caring, and knowledgable agent or lender out of the transaction .. and we'll really have trouble ...

Gene
4:37pm • #5


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