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Stuck and frustrated!

By
Real Estate Agent with Re/Max Advantage Realty

So I have now had my Real Estate license for 7 years.  Yes, I got into this business at the wrong time I know but after spending years in the pharmaceutical industry I wanted a career that allowed me more flexibility with my schedule so that I had more time with my kids.  Well I have A LOT of time now!  I have never been so frustrated in my life as I am now.  I have always thought of myself as a go-getter.  I am definitely driven and never take short cuts.  I like to work and actually thrive off of it......so why can't I seem to get going in this industry?

I started off on a team with a team leader who for the most part, gets clients by being a social butterfly.  That's great and it works but I have 3 kids ages 2-10, so being out is not an option.  I coach local lacrosse and field hockey teams, volunteer at church, my children's school, local sports boards etc.... so I figured that amount of socialization along with my wide group of friends would more than make up for my inability to be out every night.  After becoming frustrated at the lack of progress I switched teams.  I love my new team and have nothing but respect for the two ladies that run it, but don't seem to be getting anywhere again!  Our region is experiencing a listing shortage, so there is no place to put buyers and sellers don't want to list because there is no place to go.

I had a great year last year.  I was busy for the first time since I started in this business from the beggining of the year till September and then it went downhill.  I had two contracts fall through, one for a home inspection and one for a title issue where the seller did not actually own the land the home was located on.  Totally not in my control.  Things shut down after that.  So what do you do?  I have reached out to all of my sphere, talked to friends, friends of friends and have even been going neighborhood to neighborhood delivering CMA's and letting people know that now is the time to list.  I am getting nowhere fast.  To say I am frustrated is actually an understatement.  I talk to other agents at other brokerages and of course they are all so busy, but my own team leaders tell me this isn't so even for them who are both super successful.  Today I am going to be totally taken out of my comfort zone by trying their approach and calling people in a search for listings.  For whatever reason this scares the beJesus out of me!!!   I like to see people face to face when I talk to them and this fear is apparently genetic since my mom and kids hate the phone as well!.....but what else can I do?  I have a family to feed, and more bills than I know what to do with.  My husband is an appraiser but after the industry made changes to how appraisers work, he does his job for half the money as the managment companies typically pay an appraiser only $200 or less of the $450 they are collecting from the clients. 

I have had a lot of people tell me to get out of this business.  Go back to pharma, but I don't want to.  I want to be a success and dammit know I am an excellent agent.  Do I need to become more aggressive?  I guess so.  I hate high pressured sales people but don't know what else to do.  I even considered becoming an REO agent as I am already a CDPE but as with everything else, including my CDPE I feel like everything is a scam.  Pay for this and we gurantee this etc... etc.. etc...  I have fallen for it many times and am still here, in the same place, wondering what to do next. 

I hope this new approach works and this blog will for the most part be dedicated to me documenting my struggle to conquer a fear I have and see if this is truely the way to be successful.  I will occasionally digress as I have been told over and over again that my life could be a sit com! 

So stay tuned.......and of course if you have any advice, please feel free!!!

Show All Comments Sort:
Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

Good morning Lisa,

The first thing is to become more positive; second have a work plan that you and your family agree to and thirdly work the sphere of influence you have.

Make yourself a great day.

Feb 06, 2013 10:34 PM
Lisa Dickey
Re/Max Advantage Realty - Catonsville, MD
Realtor Momwifefriendcoachvolunteeretcetc.

Thanks Raymond!  I am a very positive person really!  I am sarcastic and although frustrated won't give up!  Detailing my struggles is a release for me and to be honest, since I am stepping waaaaaay out of my comfort zone, this gives me a place to talk about it!  I like the family plan.  It is a huge challenge since my husband is an appraiser.  We don't have a normal day to day schedule and our life schedules, other than kid activities can change hourly!  Once my 2 year old is in school next year this will become a little easier so for now I have to work with what I have and make it work!

Feb 06, 2013 10:44 PM
Scott Larson
BHHS/Utah Properties - Park City, UT
Park City, Utah Real Estate News

Lisa, I am new to the business so I have no great success story for you.  But all you have to do is add the positive to the attitude you have and go out and get them.  I for one, will support you every step of the way however I can.

Feb 06, 2013 10:44 PM
Dr. Paula McDonald
Beam & Branch Realty - Granbury, TX
Granbury, TX 936-203-0279
I hope that you will hang in there. This business is such an ebb and flow business. I began when I was a newly single Mom of 2. It was a challenge. I am glad that I have stayed with it. Aligning yourself with a great Broker is very important.
Feb 06, 2013 10:45 PM
Robert Smith
Preview Properties, PC - http://www.RealEstateMich.com - Brighton, MI
SRES, Search for Homes Brighton-Howell-SE Michigan

Lisa, Raymond is correct. In the beginning, we all rely on our SOI and family to get leads and biz.  Sounds like you have an extensive set of circles.  Work them.

And more importantly, get positive. 

A couple of suggestions that may or may not help.  People will do business with people that they know, like and trust.  Make a list of who that might be and, well, work it.  Without being overbearing of course.

Does your brokerage have a coach/mentor or new agent trianing program?  If not, maybe moving to one that does makes sense.

Last, forget about excuses.  We're all in the same boat. There are agents in your market making a lot of money and you can, too.  Make calls.  Call expireds and fsbos.  Adopt a neighborhood and send them cards every month.  You can think about joining a networking group, the local Chamber of Commerce, start meeting new people. Work out the options according to your budget and remember it won't all happen at once.  You need a plan. You may be able to do it yourself, but a reliable coach or mentor can help a great deal.  Good luck!  I know you can do it.

Feb 06, 2013 10:49 PM
Malcolm Johnston
Century 21 Lanthorn Real Estate LTD., Trenton, Ontario - Trenton, ON
Trenton Real Estate

Lisa, I'm in my fifth year in the business, and last year was by far my worst. I have tried to analyze and pick apart what went wrong, and I can't really come up with very many answers. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don't. I had 16 deals fall apart in 2012, and I did realize that I could probably have saved a couple of them, but at the time I was just taking it for granted that deals would be plentiful, and probably wasn't as diligent as I could have been. Other failures were beyond my control, but "could haves" and "should haves" are pointless now.

I do get most of my business through my blogging and social media presence, so maybe you are on the right track. A word of caution though, blogging won't make things happen right away, you have to stick with it. I recently signed up a buyer's client who read a blog post that I wrote three years ago, so when you start writing good blog posts they are on the internet forever. Blogging does require a bit of faith (unless you are spectacular - which most of us aren't).

Continue to work your sphere of influence, I'm sure you will find your blogging voice, and pretty soon things will fall into place.

 

Feb 06, 2013 10:51 PM
Fred Podris
Podris Tax Service - Mount Pleasant, SC
Fred Podris, EA

Hang in there Lisa! As a small business owner, I know it's tough to find your own clients. The great thing is that you sound very creative. Keep trying different marketing ideas until you find something that works. I don't think you need to become pushy, the soft sell works extremely well if you can perfect it! 

Anyways, hang in there! I'm hoping for a great 1st quarter for you!

Feb 06, 2013 10:56 PM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

This is your BEST therapy - work on your profile, outside blog and social networking through ActiveRain

Feb 06, 2013 11:11 PM
Kelly McGovern
Realty Concierge International - Bellingham, MA
Working with Kelly is a good move

You don't have to be an agressive agent to be successful!  I don't respond well to hard sales so I'm sure not to do it in my business.  People appreciate that and I have gotten more referrals from being upfront, honest and non-pushy.  It takes time to get going but listings and referrals are the way to the top.  Keep going - 2013 is looking to be a great year.  You can do it!

Feb 06, 2013 11:21 PM
Bill Gustafson
Tallahassee, FL

Lisa,

I also started in this industry at about the same time as you after having other careers and businesses, and have felt the same. At the time, everyone in the office told me I couldn't have picked a worse time to get started, as the bubble had just burst, prices were falling faster than a speeding bullet, and the majority of the market was in a state of shock and denial, "but I could have gotten $XXX,XXX last year". Even though I have not set the world on fire, I cannot disagree more. I was afforded the time to learn the market, and the business, with no pre-conceived notions of "how it used to be" and "how bad it is now". 

After reaing your post, and the comments to this time, I have to say there is a lot of good advice.   

The most important things I have found to keep me going are:

  1. Attitude - it doesn't matter what else is going on, Today is a wonderful day and the next person you talk to is going to want to buy or sell a property. "Never let them see you sweat", nor frown for that matter. Every day you are presented with another opportunity to succeed.
  2. Knowledge of your market and inventory - I had the "luxury" of studying my market as it was in free-fall so I knew what properties were available, and did the background digging to be able to determine the "deals and steals" and the diamonds in the rough.
  3. Support and training from your broker - I am fortunate enough to work with a non-competing broker and I have  the  invaluable luxury of being able to talk over situations with my broker. Often I have gotten that 1 piece of advise or insight that can only be given from someone who has an interest, but  is not involved so deeply that they can't see the forest for the trees.
  4. Be ready, willing and able to talk to anyone at anytime, anywhere. Promote yourself as a Realtor® by doing something as simple as wearing your Realtor pin, or your name tag. This is a numbers game and the more folks you interact with, the better chance you have of allowing something to happen. The greatest sales people do not  make a sale every time, they just talk to more people so they have a better chance of finding the people who are ready now. 
  5. Don't beat yourself up for what you haven't done, focus on what you have accomplished. And then work on the points that you are not happy with. 
  6. Be yourself. What works for one person might not be right for another. Everyone has a different idea of what success is, and how to obtain it.  
I don't know if this will do you any good, just wanted to share my outlook with you. Hope it helps. 
 
Best of luck in 2013 and for many years to come.
Feb 06, 2013 11:58 PM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

Welcome to Activerain and I hope you are learning a lot and if you ever need any assistance, don't hesitate to check out my blog, email me, call me, I will be glad to help you in any way possible. Also, check out the main page of Activerain and look for the Activerain University tab, there are lots of educational webinars to help you build your business.

Feb 07, 2013 02:42 PM
Michael J. Perry
Fathom Realty - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

Read the first 150 pages of "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent" by Keller !!!

Pls. view our Re/Max RELO message -  http://actvra.in/4jHG

Aug 11, 2014 10:37 PM