"What Real Estate Taught Me About Patience, Timing, and People"

"What Real Estate Taught Me About Patience, Timing,
and People"

What Real Estate Taught Me About Patience, Timing, and People
By Thomas Santore

When I first got into real estate, I thought it was all about speed.
Find the deal. Lock it in. Close. Repeat.

But the longer I’ve been in this business — especially working with land — the more I’ve realized:
This game isn’t about moving fast.
It’s about moving right.

Patience

You don’t rush land. You don’t push people.
Deals take time. Subdivisions take approvals. Buyers take space to think.

I’ve had projects that sat idle for months, then came back to life in a week. I’ve had buyers walk, only to return two seasons later — clearer, ready, aligned.

Patience isn’t passive. It’s trusting that the work you’re doing now is planting something that’ll grow later.
You don’t force fruit to ripen. You wait for it.

Timing

Real estate rewards those who pay attention.
The shift in buyer habits. The rezoning proposal two towns over. The property that’s been quietly changing hands off-market.

Timing isn’t luck — it’s preparation meeting awareness.

The best opportunities come to those who are looking, listening, and ready to act — not react — when the moment hits. I’ve seen someone sit on a property for 20 years, and then double their value overnight just because the market finally caught up to their vision.

People

Here’s the truth: land doesn’t buy itself, sell itself, or develop itself.
It’s always about people. Always.

Buyers with dreams. Sellers with stories. Town planners with power. Neighbors with concerns. Surveyors, builders, attorneys, partners — every deal is a web of humans, each bringing their own experience, emotion, and energy.

If you don’t know how to listen — really listen — you’ll miss the most important part of the business.

And if you don’t treat people with honesty and respect, the land won’t be the only thing not moving.

What real estate taught me — more than comps, contracts, or closing dates — is that success in this business looks a lot like success in life:
Be patient.
Stay present.
And treat people like people.

Everything else follows.

Curious? Thinking about buying land, or already own some and don’t know what to do next?

Reach out. I’m not here to sell you on anything. I’m here to show you what’s possible.

Call me to get yourself started on your way to either selling or buying your land! 845-590-5488