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Getting Rid of "Full Time/Part Time" Labels....

By William James Walton Sr.

Real Estate Agent with WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Briotti Group CT RES.0785956

January 11, 2009 08:57 AM

It was something that our coach Ralph said to me yesterday that I have had flipping in my mind ever since he said it.

I have been a real estate agent now for a year and a half, and I had always figured that beacuse I wasn't a "full time" agent, that it meant that I could not achieve the level of success at real estate that "full time" agents did. After all, with a regular salaried job that consumed my time even after I left the building (I am a high school history teacher in an urban district, btw), I was convinced that what time I did put into real estate - between prospecting on my own time, asking for floor time, etc. - just wasn't good enough.

What did Ralph say? He said..."Will, you're not a full time teacher".

I laughed at what was an absurdity to me at first, and tried to justify why I was, and beyond. As I said before, as a teacher, I spend many hours outside of the classroom doing things for my students, for my classroom, beyond what I am actually paid for. Yet, even then, Ralph countered, I was still not a "full time" teacher. He went on to explain that none of us spend twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week doing anything that we do. What we value the most, what we feel is the most important, those things we spend a great deal of our time on, but nothing ever to deserve the designation of "full time".

As I mulled over what Ralph had said, it dawned on me that I had been handicapping my efforts to be successful in real estate because of my own mindset.

I am no longer a "part-time" real estate agent. I am no longer a "full time" teacher. I am a real estate agent, period. I am a teacher, period. And what detremines my success in both areas is the time, committment, and dedication that I put into being the best real estate agent and teacher that I want to be.

This is MY year, this is MY time, and the only person who can stop me from achieving my goals as a realtor is me, and I have learned too much to let me stop me now.

I am definitely looking forward to the rest of 2009, because both as a teacher and as a realtor, this is gonna be the best year of my life to date, and it will only get better!

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Michelle Roethle

Windermere Peninsula Properties - Belfair, WA

Your NorthWest "Real Estate Solution"

I like what you have said. It is tough to be labled one or the other. We have a guy in or office who is many things. Substitute Teacher,Realtor,Landlord, ski instructor, Alaskan Fisherman and a single father. I think that he is just a full time worker LOL!

Jan 11, 2009 09:02 AM

David Wang

Prudential California Realty - Millbrae, CA

Prudential | 650.504.8190

William, I am a full time realtor and I won't judge on the title. I will judge on the performance, it is just more common for part time agents (any agent who has a job other than real estate) to not always be on top of things.

Other side of the coin, there are more than a few full time agents that I would chose never to have contact again, and I hope they get a job any job other than real estate.

good luck 2009 should be your year

Jan 11, 2009 09:03 AM

Betty Knowles

Southwest Missouri Realty - Springfield, MO

Ready to sell? Call Betty!

Good for you Williiam. You make some very good points..

Jan 11, 2009 09:07 AM

Joan Whitebook

BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH

Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Bravo -- with this market no one is "full time" (lol)! I think some of the so-called full-time agents give their clients only "part-time" service -- so what do those labels really mean? I agree with getting rid of the labels -- by the way I am a "full time" realtor! I never sleep!

Jan 11, 2009 09:07 AM

Barbara Delaney

Park Place REALTORS, Inc. - Roanoke, VA

Dear William,

I am with you! Performance is the key to the success of an agent no matter how many hats they wear.

Your background gives you a great opportunity to educate buyers and sellers on the process. So many agents just show houses and don't take the time to educate their clients.

I am a full time agent, but I have back up in my company to cover for me when I have a conflict.

Go get 'em, William!

Barbara

Jan 11, 2009 09:12 AM

Peter Testa

Nationwide Homes - Danbury, CT

PETER TESTA

I have heard others in the business scoff at part time agents & I think its silly because it's all about the effort you put forth & your willingness to commit to both jobs. Anyone who has the toughness to perform 2 jobs, full time & do both well (perfectly possible in real estate) would overexceed my expectations for a quality agent.

Jan 11, 2009 09:26 AM

Alan Langstone

Mount Pleasant, SC

Hi William,

Firstly, success is dedication, hard work, organisation and a "mind set". So I would conseed that you could be a full time agent and not be full time.

I can't speak for all, but the "part time" label is normally aimed at persons who participate in the real estate world but deliver poor service to their clients and to others who they deal with while holding down another job.

It is not uncommon, in my experience, to have to wait 24 hours for a reply to a voice mail and only get a "return your call message" and then wait another 24 hours. This often makes us look like we are not performing.

Wishing you success in 2009

Jan 11, 2009 09:27 AM

Diane Daley

Caron's Gateway Real Estate - Northumberland, NH

Very well stated, You are a teacher and a Real Estate Professional and at times they will overlap... My best to your success in 09

Jan 11, 2009 09:29 AM

Robert Havana

Park and Protect- Alberta Real Estate License Parking - Calgary, AB

Alberta Real Estate License Parking

great post William. I know lots of people who have real estate licenses and sit in the office at least 40 hours a week and there is no correlation between that and their abilities or success at the job. Real estate is a great supplement to teaching and many of your skills will transition well into it I am sure.

Jan 11, 2009 09:57 AM

TIM MONCRIEF

Tim Monciref - Austin, TX

Over 2,000 homes sold…..

No need to worry. There is no way to succeed as a part time agent....very long. Either you are in the biz or not. People make a decision and roll.........

Jan 11, 2009 10:41 AM

Patricia Aulson

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate - Exeter, NH

Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes

Whatever.....it's what you make in $ at the end. What's your performance # ?

Patricia AUlson Portsmouth NH Real Estate

Jan 11, 2009 11:11 AM

William James Walton Sr.

WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Briotti Group - Waterbury, CT

Greater Waterbury Real Estate

It was interesting to see all of the positive comments. They were very encouraging.

BTW, I had 4 very positive cold calls this evening alone which I will translate into 4 listings b4 the end of the month, if not by the end of this week, and I anticipate multiplying that 7fold by the end of the week.

As for the one nay-sayer, the whole point of my blog was not to play a "numbers game". While many people consider success to be nothing more than a mathematical formula with a $ at the end of the equation, I do not; that is another blog subject all its own. It was about the power of a paradigm shift, one that I am seeing already, and will continue to see.

As a word of encouragement to all, even if we didn't achieve what we wanted to in 2008, it is behind us now, and we can look forward to 2009 with great enthusiasm if we have the right attitude and focus - not on the numbers game, but on the satifaction that comes from doing our jobs and doing them very well. That's what makes a really successful real estate agent! The money is just an incentive and a bonus that comes with it!

Jan 11, 2009 12:23 PM

Brian Brumpton

Keller Williams Boise - Boise, ID

Boise Idaho Real Estate

If you can be at the top of your game doing both more power to you. I know for a fact there are part time agents that do way more business than so called "full time" agents. Granted it may not be the standard but why not be the exception.

Jan 16, 2009 01:58 AM

David Width Jr.

Little Egg Harbor, NJ

What a postitive and optimistic outlook. Good luck to you. With an attitude like that I do not know how you could fail.

Jan 16, 2009 02:07 AM

Joseph Abreu

Abreu - Waterbury, CT

Hi William,

I read your e-mail and decided to visit the blog. You do have very interesting points. From a broker point of view, we use the terminology full and part time to differentiate those that check their voice mail once a week and those that handle business daily.

To reinforce your point, I have an agent that I only see at the office when he closes a sale. His closing ratio is high. We have a great relationship.

Our office has been tailoring to the agents with other professions for years.

AbreuRealty.com

Jan 30, 2009 01:37 PM

William James Walton Sr.

WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Briotti Group - Waterbury, CT

Greater Waterbury Real Estate

Thanks Joe for the feedback.

I never thought of it quite that way, as I have checked my voicemail from my cell almost every day since I started in real estate. And your example jsut illustrates my point: thsoe labels don't really "mean" anything, not really. If you have an agent who is never in the office but has more closings that the ones who are, then you have a goodf agent - not a part time agent that's good, but an agent who is doing the work, period!

Jan 30, 2009 02:12 PM

Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh

Century 21 New Millennium - Upper Marlboro, MD

A doctor who makes house calls.

I am experiencing quite a solidarity with your views. I always feel offended by the automatic part-time bashing that occurs in this industry. I think if I am doing my job then does it matter whether I work elsewhere? I think, not. Thanks. I've greatly enjoyed reading your blogs this morning.

May 31, 2009 02:54 AM

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