fbpx

Real estate agents, particularly new ones, can burn out trying to spin too many plates at once and with the focus going everywhere from inspections to Instagram – it can be easy to dissipate energy over all that activity and miss out on real results. 

 

We asked some of our friends and clients what ONE thing they would focus on if they were starting their careers again. Here is what they said.

 

“It is very hard to make money in real estate if you aren’t talking to someone”… This was the best piece of advice I received in my first week. It made me get back on the phone or book an appointment when I wasn’t.

GAVIN CROFT. Auctioneer.

 

“I wish someone had told me that you need to build a structure to create a sustainable business and the structure is made of people who need to be treated well and cared for….always.” 

CHRIS HANLEY, OAM. Director, First National Byron

 

“Just be yourself and stay true to your values. Firstly, you have to have self-awareness and know what your core values are. Integrity with self is a daily commitment that needs lots of self-discipline and good habits.”

MEGAN JAFFE. Director, Megan Jaffe Real Estate Ray White Remuera

 

“For the first two years of my career, I would look at each phone call as a commission cheque. Every potential buyer or seller was potential income. The biggest lesson that turned my career around was to genuinely ask myself, ‘What is this person aiming to achieve and how can I help make that happen for them?’  I put my client’s needs primary in my thinking. Getting paid for it was incidental.  With this mindset, my phone started ringing more and my personal business skyrocketed.” 

NICK PLOUBIDIS. Director, LJ Hooker Kensington Unley

“Stop thinking of yourself and think of others.”

TOM PANOS. Tompanos.com.au

 

“Start every day at zero. Yesterday’s sales and listings don’t guarantee future success.”

DANE ATHERTON. Director, Harcourts Coastal

 

“I wish I had understood real estate is about the process more than transactional. I would have sold more and would have built a bigger database.”

ROBERT GREEN. Director, Ray White Aspley Group

 

“Add value to the customer with a clear plan and consistent system in 4 key areas; self-management, prospecting, listing and selling.”

ALEX OUWENNS. Director, Ouwenns Casserly Real Estate.

 

“None of us are as good as all of us. Leverage relationships internally within your organisation and relationships externally in the industry and with suppliers to gain as much knowledge as you can and build relationships for life. Great operators are always happy to collaborate and don’t be afraid to work for free to be exposed to the best of the best, top performers. After all, they are just normal people with discipline who execute. They also had to start somewhere. Always nurture relationships and treat everyone with respect and dignity, you never know who your next client is or where they will come from. Don’t be afraid to ask for the business. It’s a very small work and you can never get your reputation back, your personal brand is everything.”

KYLIE WALSH. General Manager, DiJONES Real Estate

 

“You can have anything you want in life if you set goals and work hard. There’s no secret recipe and no shortcuts. Know what you want, and then put in the work every day to make it happen. Consistency & clarity is the key to the treasure chest.”

DAN ARGENT. Chief Energy Officer, UrbanX

 

“I wish I had or was told how to set up a database and use Rita on my first day in real estate.”

ROBBIE THORNCROFT. Sales Executive, Ballard Property.

“I would have to say the power of the word sorry but only if you mean it.”

BRENDAN WHIPPS. Director, Harcourts Solutions

 

“I wish someone had told me on day one that consistency was the foundation for success in real estate. Everything ties back to the consistency in your behaviours and actions.”

JUSTIN NICKERSON. Director, Apollo Auctions

 

“I think that too many new agents expect instant success, but as you know, real estate is about building and fostering relationships and playing the long game. So my advice would be to not judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant. The other piece of practical advice, is that relationships are built on information, not promotion.”

DOUG DRISCOLL. CEO, Starr Partners

 

“The piece of advice I wish I had received would be either to target an area that has lots of turnover / high volume of sales OR to simply niche on higher end properties and not sell anything else.”

ADAM NOBEL. Director, Hugo Alexander

“Have a learn it all attitude and don’t change (yourself) when you become successful.”

DARREN HUTCHINS. Director, O’Brien Real Estate