I am sure if you were in a room full of Realtors and you asked them "What is in the mind of a Realtor?" you would probably get a lot of laughs, people making crazy signs towards their heads and maybe a few saying that there is TOO MUCH in their minds. However, all jokes aside, there are three things that when done consistently, give a Realtor a good strong base from which most other things stem.
Must Think Ahead - When you are a Realtor, you have to be prepared for any and all obstacles that might come your way concerning any given client or situation in real estate. The only way to prepare for all of those situations as best as you can is to anticipate all the "what ifs" that could happen. If that is the case, how does a new Realtor do this if they don't have the experience yet? By putting themselves in a place to learn from those who have faced much more than them, they ask for help and advice from experts on any given problem they haven't dealt with and then, they use that knowledge not just to fix a situation but to avoid one. They need to know what is coming down the road in a transaction so they can prepare their clients so that they have the smoothest experience possible. During some situations, a Realtor may be just as new as the client is facing something that hasn't been faced yet, however, it's the Realtor's JOB to get the answers and help for the client regardless of how new a problem may be. It's staying one step ahead as much as you can all the time. This takes a lot of time, patience and self awareness to the extent you are confident in what you know and confident if you don't know something you can find the answer because you know where to go to get it.
Must Consider All Involved - During any given situation or transaction, there are a lot of people involved. First and foremost a Realtor has an obligation to his/her client to get them the proper facts and assistance during the course of their relationship. This care goes on even when a transaction is done. Secondly, a Realtor works with a lot of people during the course of a transaction and he/she must maintain a professional relationship with all of those involved. Good communication is a must between different services a Realtor will be working with. There are lenders, title companies, government agencies, other Realtors, tradesmen and local business owners just to name a few. A lot of these people you will work with again and again, so paying attention to deadlines everyone has, responding to questions properly and in a timely manner and being forgiving and cordial when mistakes are made (because that will happen when you work with people in general!) are all very important. The Realtor isn't on an island with just their client, so there needs to be a balance between the care of the client and the feelings of others.
Must Be Creative - A Realtor must not only be creative when marketing a home or their self, he/she needs to be creative in problem solving. They need to be creative when confronting a situation where there is no end or resolution in sight. This is the "thinking on your feet" sort of creativity that makes or breaks a deal or transaction at times. They need to be creative with their time and energy. What does that mean?! Well, there are just not enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done and also have a private life, so, you find moments here and there that work to meet with clients, family members and attend functions. Doing all of this can be draining physically, so a Realtor must find ways to stay strong and healthy. To not only get up early and work hard all day, but, knowing when to rest and feed their bodies and minds as well. They also need to be creative in how they help others share their talents. A creative Realtor will share their knowledge and experience down the line to others, so that there will be a legacy of respect, good ethics and proper training in our profession for more of us to be the best Realtors and people we can be.
Whether you are a Realtor or not, applying these three characteristics in your life will not only help strengthen your mind, but it will also help strengthen your relationships with others and help you be more successful in life as well. Like I said before, there is a lot more that makes up a mind of Realtor, but just like every person out there, sometimes, it's better to leave some things unsaid!
Until Next Time!
Jen Lush--Associate Broker and Mother of Managing Broker
Photo Credit: Vinicius Amano
