Many real estate agents fail, quit, or get fired every year because they don’t possess the necessary traits to become a successful real estate agent. These traits are not something you’re necessarily born with and some can be developed. Here’s a look at the ten most common traits of a successful real estate agent.
Honesty / Integrity
Yes, there are dishonest real estate agents out there, but there’s no such thing as a dishonest successful real estate agent. Dishonest agents don’t stick around for very long before they ruin their reputation or, even worse, get arrested for a crime.
As a real estate professional, one of the most important traits you must bring to the table is honesty. If you’re not honest, your career in real estate won’t last long.
One of the best ways to prove your honesty and integrity is to join the National Association of REALTORS. You will need to agree to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice to become a member.
Attention to Detail
While honesty and integrity are real estate agent traits you should already possess, attention to detail is one you can develop over time. It does help if you already love to pay attention to details, but if you’re not very detail-oriented right now, you can develop this trait to become a more successful real estate agent.
Not only do you need to pay attention to details in contracts and paperwork, but you will also need to pay close attention to the needs of each client. If you’re well-organized and you communicate well, you’ll close more deals.
Incredible Determination
For many real estate agents, getting their license is the first step in starting their new real estate business. Even though you’ll be working for a broker, you must have incredible determination, much like an entrepreneur. You’ll likely be responsible for finding your own clients and closing your own deals.
You must have an incredible determination to become a successful real estate agent. This is one of those real estate agent traits that can’t really be taught. However, you can get better at becoming determined every single time you feel defeated, something doesn’t go as planned, or you’re faced with a situation requiring you to be relentless.
Personal Grooming Dedication
This real estate agent trait falls under the attention to detail category, and it’s very important. Not many industries require you to dedicate regular time to personal grooming. You must be well-groomed and well-dressed if you want clients to trust you with the largest transaction of their lifetime.
While it’s not always a good idea to focus on image, your image is your brand when you’re a real estate agent. Clients will buy your image before your sales pitch, so make sure you develop a dedication for impeccable personal grooming.
Incredible Communication Skills
Successful real estate agents know how to communicate. They ask the right questions, listen at least half the time, and make the right amount of eye contact. Communication skills come naturally to some, but they can certainly be taught.
If you want to become a successful real estate agent, you need to develop amazing communication skills. The better you become at communicating with clients, other agents, and those involved in the transaction, the more successful you will become as a real estate agent.
An Interest in Housing and Architecture
While some real estate agents are in it for the money, to truly become successful as a real estate agent, you have to love what you do. Usually, this means, you need to have an interest in housing and architecture.
It’s not necessary to become an expert in construction, but all successful real estate agents have to have enough interest in housing to continually be learning about real estate. Whether you find different home styles fascinating or you love the interior features of homes, this real estate trait is one most successful agents possess.
The Ability to Negotiate
A huge reason why home buyers and sellers hire real estate agents is their ability to negotiate. Your job is to get your clients the best possible deal when they purchase or sell their home. If you cannot negotiate, it’s going to be difficult to become a successful real estate agent.
However, as one of the real estate agent traits you can learn, negotiating is a skill taught by other master negotiators. Working with the right real estate broker may provide the perfect mentor or training when it comes to negotiating.
Strong Multitasking Ability
You’ll likely have what feels like a million things going on at one time. Successful real estate agents know how to multitask well.
You may need to answer phone calls, hold meetings, schedule showings, schedule closings, and handle all the backend tasks of your real estate business all at once. It’s necessary to develop an ability to multitask if you want to become a successful real estate agent.
Problem-Solving Mindset
The best real estate agents are problem-solvers. Many of the deals you will put together will encounter issues from a stubborn seller to something showing up on the home inspection.
Coming up with creative solutions to issues encountered during a real estate transaction is a part of your job. If you want to become a successful real estate agent, develop a problem-solving mindset.
Sense of Humor
Unless you’re okay with feeling beaten down from time to time, developing a sense of humor is a necessary real estate agent trait. The industry is very fast-paced and changes often. Successful real estate agents know how to take things in stride and laugh about things when they don’t go exactly as planned. Learn to roll with the punches and keep smiling and you’ll find more success in real estate.
Flexibility
Your schedule will be unique and it won’t be an ordinary 9 to 5 if you want to become a successful real estate agent. You need to be the flexible one as your clients cannot just take off from work or their duties as parents to meet with you or see houses.
Expect to schedule showings, closings, and other meetings on nights, weekends, and at odd hours of the day. Most real estate agents don’t work a typical 9 to 5 schedule.
If you want to become a successful real estate agent, you need to possess or develop these ten common real estate agent traits. You must learn to negotiate and communicate well or you’ll struggle to find the success you desire within the industry.
