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Lets get professional

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams 916 730-4404 Elk Grove, Wilton, Folsom, Sacramento lic# 01846115

 

 

 OK, lets get Professional REAL .

 

Before I fell in love with real estate, I was in the corporate world. (Commercial insurance to be exact) There was an unwritten set of expectations and I assumed that those expectations would translate to the business world of real estate.  I was mistaken, and that is my pet peeve.

 

 

1.  It is not OK to show up 20 minutes late.  If your car gets struck by lightning, or an alligator eats your leg, you must call to say that you will be 20 minutes late.  If you know ahead that you can't make it, common courtesy means you must call. (or have the ER staff call)

 

2.  It is not OK to start the __ (meeting, class, lunch) 20 minutes late because of “real estate time” 

What even is that?!  If you start late, you train people to come late and that perpetuates late.  Start right on time, hand out awesome information in the first two minutes and tell the stragglers sorry. Next time they will be on time.

 

3.  Turn your phone off.  When you are face to face with someone or in a meeting, be present.  It is reasonable to not answer for an hour.  We can hear it vibrating, and why are you looking at your lap?

 

4.  It is reasonable to not answer for an hour, but It is not OK to never answer.  When I have to call (text, email) everyday for a week to get a response, I already don’t like you when we finally connect.

 

5.  Dress like somebody is watching. You wouldn’t show up at a board meeting wearing a tube top and flip flops so don’t take the professionalism out of my industry by showing up at the office like that. Dressing appropriately gives respect to you clients and your peers. It proves you are showing up as your best self inside and out.

 

Richard Steele said that "Etiquete is the invention of wise men to keep fools at a distance".   Basic business etiquette is not only important it is noticed.   Step up to the plate

 

 

 "Manners are a sensitive awareness of others,

If you have that awareness,

you have good manners no matter what fork you use." '

Emily Post

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Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Kathleen, great list of pet peeves, and many are mine as well.  Being late is so disrespectful!   

Apr 07, 2017 01:15 PM
Kathleen Frawley

I agree! The golden rule should rule.

Apr 08, 2017 10:17 AM
Kasey & John Boles
Jon Gosche Real Estate, LLC - BoiseMeridianRealEstate.com - Boise, ID
Boise & Meridian, ID Ada/Canyon/Gem/Boise Counties

I am constantly surprised that being on time isn't important to people and that there is a lack of courtesy in calling or texting when people are running late. I just don't understand it.-Kasey

Apr 07, 2017 01:26 PM
Kathleen Frawley

I am with you.  Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

Apr 08, 2017 10:18 AM
Michelle Edwards
Realty One Group Trilogy - San Bernardino, CA
Licensed Realtor® in California and Nevada

Being on time, no... early.... is important to me.  I absolutely LOVE tip number 2.  

Apr 07, 2017 02:03 PM
Kathleen Frawley

Exactly.  I had an economics professor that handed out the assignment in the first minute of class if you weren't there to sign for it you lost out. Bottom line, we were ALL early.


Thank you for stopping by.

Apr 08, 2017 10:21 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Kathleen, We not only share the same name, everything you mention rubs me too. Like you, I falsely believed that I would experience the same professionalism that I did in my corporate life.  WRONG!!  I have often said ... many of the clowns and jokers in real estate would never get hired for a corporate America job ... and if they did they would not last long if they treated their "job" like they do real estate. 

Thank you for participating in the contest. 

Apr 07, 2017 02:06 PM
Kathleen Frawley

I agree.  I have noticed the ones who probably should be fired don't have great longevity in our business.  Consumers are pretty savvy. 


Delighted you ran this contest!  It made me blog again.  


Thank You.

Apr 08, 2017 10:25 AM
Mel Ahrens, MBA, Kelly Right Real Estate
Kelly Right Real Estate - Hood River, OR
Customized Choices for your Real Estate Needs

Hi Kathleen,

Nice list.  For my location, I would change number 5 to dress for the area.  Being a recreational/resort area, it is not unusual for shorts and hiking boots to be appropriate.

Apr 07, 2017 02:38 PM
Kathleen Frawley

Thank you for comenting. Being professional is showing up as your best self.  If that is hiking boots, well then you nailed it.  


I keep chore boots in my car. Often I slip them on to show land. It is WAY more professional to show a farm in mud boots than high heals! (and a tube top)


Thank you for coming

Apr 08, 2017 10:36 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

All good points!  I will say however, in my first 10 years in this profession, I was spending a great deal of time around a local swim and tennis club.  It was almost inevitable that someone would want to view a home, while talking tennis, etc.  I often wore warm-up suits back then, and would find myself showing property without driving home to change.  It was simply accepted by those I worked with.  I must admit however, some of those warm-up suits cost more than many business suits of the day.  But that was then, and this is now! I've been a Realtor the past 35 years.  And, these past couple of decades, I've cleaned up my act, and dress more "professionally."

Apr 08, 2017 05:48 AM
Kathleen Frawley

Delighted you stopped by!


Myrl, I have never seen you show up in anything less than your best self.  I imagine your warm up suits were very professional. It showed respect to your clients and that is what I'm talking about.


Thank You again for stopping by.

Apr 08, 2017 10:36 AM
Brenda Mayette
Miranda Real Estate Group, Inc. - Glenville, NY
Getting results w/ knowledge & know-how!

Makes me crazy when we start things late to accommodate those who show up late...!  Great blog!

Apr 10, 2017 04:57 AM
Jon Kolsky
Kolsky Realty & Management - Long Beach, CA
Licensed California Real Estate Broker

Kathleen Frawley ~ I love it... Way to get very real! Perfect entry and post

Apr 10, 2017 09:36 AM
Hella M. Rothwell, Broker/Realtor®
Carmel by the Sea, CA
Rothwell Realty Inc. CA#01968433 Carmel-by-the-Sea

I actually train my clients, I think. I ALWAYS show up either a few minutes early or right on the dot. Makes some of them crazy. But it sets a bar right at the start.

Apr 10, 2017 08:13 PM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Great point for punctuality. BUT my pet peeve (not for my article) is people who start the meeting 5-10 minutes EARLY. I know one person who does exactly that. Drives me bonkers. :)

Apr 12, 2017 04:49 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Kathleen what an awesome post and all these points are my pet peeves too...keep in mind to go six to nine miles in my market could take 45 min to an hour so I plan ahead for worse case scenarios and magically I am not late...Endre

Aug 13, 2017 09:04 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is excellent advice to share.

I hope you are enjoying a most productive summer.

Aug 16, 2017 03:27 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Kathleen, all of these should be a given, they are courtesies that we would appreciate as well were we on the receiving end. 

Oct 27, 2017 06:50 AM