Do your clothes matter?

You mean some people actually wear jeans to real estate closings???

Dang, I thought my new Wall-Mart sweat britches and tee shirt was dressing up-town.

Don't tell me they also wear socks!

-Chris

Good post Matt....... I agree with you Laura, Dress for Success! but yes sometimes it is ok to dress down in certain situations like showing farm property or vacant land etc.

I think appearance is a major deal. Especially for a young guy like me at 22 yrs. old. But overall the major and the bottom line is how you approach your clients and preparation. Clients can sniff out people who aren't prepared and don't know their "stuff". In conclusion, dressing well is important, but the key is approach and preparation. Much continued success to you!

Kevin Raymund Lao Jacinto

Coldwell Banker  

Wow, awesome discussion!  Karla is right...first impressions cannot be redeemed.  If you are meeting ANYONE for the first time you should always present your best...STAGE YOURSELF!  

HHMMM, I'm feeling a BLOG opportunity coming on......

I disagree with a few of the comments on here about the need to dress professionally at all times. But I am also in an area where walking farmland or woods is far more likely than showing country-club homes. I do wear jeans, most of the time. Sneakers or hiking boots, too.  I do dress business casual for closings. Usually. I sell mostly foreclosures so many of the properties I enter are filthy at best, so I keep an extra set of clothes in my trunk, just in case. I am not aware of losing any deals or clients because of my casual attire, but I am aware of gaining a client who left his former agent because she wouldn't even walk property with him (high heels and a skirt w/nylons are not conducive to walking woodland). Heck, I even splurge and bring the bug-spray with! If people cannot see more to me than the clothes I happen to be in at the time, sorry- I would rather not do business with them, anyway!

I have tried suits and I have tried Khaki's with a button down shirt. I was equally successful either way. I think it is most important to meet or exceed your clients expectations. If the people they see all day in business are wearing suits and ties, the clients would expect me to be in a suit and tie. If they do most of their business in Khakis and oxford shirts then I would wear that. I had an interview for a subdivision where the developer showed up in shorts and a t-shirt. He is a Multi-deca-millionaire. So I think...it depends...that is my final answer, Regis.

-Ken

Professional dress depends on your market, your clients and your activity that day. I prefer to be in  a suit, or dress, but not for a home inspection or if my clients are more casual.  I am in Vienna this week for my CIPS class.  Every man, young and old, wears a suit to work EVERY day and they wore suits to class every day.  What a change from the US!  Something has changed, for the worse, since "dressing down" has become so acceptable. They also have very little crime...think about that...how many criminals do you see committing crimes in a suit and tie?

 Jackie Colson-Miller of The Real Estate Sizzle.

Closings & first few meetings with clients = business suit

Next few meetings w/clients & open house (unless it's a $1M+ home) = business casual

If I ever have to run out of the house looking like a slob, it's only for a quick errand. 

I will NEVAH EVAH understand the jammies & slippers thing in public!!!

One more thing...our office has a dress code policy for desk time and caravan.  Desk time requires business attire; caravan, no less than business casual.  If you're in the office working on a mailing or whatever, not a problem, dress as you please.

Clothes?

you guys get dressed?

man - you must not be busy enough!

I'm lucky to make it to the bathroom in the mornings!

hahaha

in South Florida things are more relaxed... too hot to dress up all the time... I believe down here it is important to dress "to the level"... the level of the clients you are seeing... if you know they're shorts and tee shirt types - then a tie might be intimidating... if they're tie people, then you HAVE to wear a tie. 

Chris - I always heard of Muffin Tops as wearing shoes that were way to small and spilling out the top! and whaling?? haha...

I think that mirroring your client is a good initial rule of thumb.

I usually dress up for initial meetings with our clients.  I also wear pressed jeans, but always with button down shirts. 

I'd probably classify my dress as the business casual version of the geek dress code in Silicon Valley.

Inside staff i dont think matter, they can dress down-to an extent....................they should dress up when impt guests are coming thought.

Outside sales yes you have tro dress the part. You look like a player and people will want to deal with you. I always dress in suits when i meet clients. Always clean shaven as well.

lets be honest do you want to deal with someone who looks like a mtg professional or a guy who looks like hes on the way to a ball game?

If you show you look sucessful then people will associate that with you and feel more confident with you at 1st.......after that you are on your own to deliver

to a certain extent it is the same with the car you drive........you want to deal with guy driving a mercedes or a yugo?

Image is everything to gain business. Then you have to deliver.

DOMINICK GACCINO

Fisrt Suffolk Mortgage Corp