ADVICE FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

Being a successful real estate agent requires effort, commitment, and mastery of the fundamentals. For individuals with the drive to succeed, a career in real estate can be among the most profitable. But with so many individuals entering the real estate business, you have to go the extra mile.

We’ve compiled some advice below that will help make your climb to the top a little easier. We even got some insightful expert tips from three of the top 10 earners on the RE/MAX SA January to June Top 100 Report, who are, Christo Slabbert (RE/MAX Independent Properties), Tanya Sakota (RE/MAX One), and Deanne Hamilton (RE/MAX Panache).

Ensure constant communication

The only way to make sure customers are aware of your existence is by constant interaction, communication, and brand advertising. Advice from Christo Slabbert is that you don’t have to be the best or know everything. “Just be there and be available to serve buyers and sellers. That includes answering your phone and calling clients back,” he notes.

Utilize your circle

In general, real estate professionals that focus on a narrow geographic region and are very familiar with their neighborhoods tend to earn more sales. It's a widespread misconception that expanding your portfolio over a wide region would increase your chances of closing more sales. “One of the biggest mistakes some agents make is to try sell everywhere. To become a true specialist in your area, you need to focus your energies in that area and not hop around between too large an area looking for success, as your efforts will become diluted,” advises Tanya Sakota.

Back-to-basic strategies

The Covid pandemic hindered all of us from having face-to-face interactions, but now that the world has returned to somewhat normalcy, a face-to-face appointment with clients can go a long way. You can share some of your expertise and determine whether the customer is interested in buying or selling during the appointment. Christo Slabbert’s top tip is to, “go back to basics, have patience and persevere; this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Do the stuff no one else does. It will pay off in the end.”

Love, not like

One top earner provided us with this wonderful insight. Tanya Sakota says: “If you’re not prepared to fall in love with real estate, this career is not for you. You have to love and live real estate and your eyes and ears must be open at all times because there is an opportunity on every corner.” Real estate is not a club you join and occasionally decide to attend meetings. It requires a full-time commitment. But, it’s like they say —if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.

Find someone to mentor you

Look to your network for guidance and support, especially if you’re new to the game. Build and develop relationships with other top brokers and agents who may provide you with sound advice. Top earner Deanne Hamilton recommends joining a real estate team where the team leader can feed you buyers and properties. You’ll not only strengthen the network of contacts you need to be an effective salesperson, but you’ll also have access to their hard-earned wisdom.

Celebrate the small victories

Set realistic interim goals and celebrate the smaller milestones along the way. This provides much-needed “proof” that you're on the right path and gives you a much higher chance that you'll stick with it and succeed. As Christo Slabbert suggests, “don’t just focus on the big deals and neglect the small deals. Work with any and all people, no matter the size of the transaction.”

Hard work pays off

Work hard and be trustworthy — that's the simple formula for success. Don't pretend to know all the answers when you don't, because, in real estate, your best asset is your reputation. Deanne Hamilton provides some excellent guidance in this respect: “The harder you work, the ‘luckier’ you get. Get systems in place early and stick to them. Once you are busy enough, hire a PA so you can focus on your clients. Use your Listing Management Systems extensively so that you can remain in constant contact with your database with monthly newsletters and other useful resources.”

Choose to partner with the best

Even with all the right tools and the best advice, it could still be a struggle to become a successful real estate agent on your own. That’s why Tanya Sakota from RE/MAX One recommends you join forces with the best real estate company in South Africa – RE/MAX! Because nobody in the world sells more real estate than us. Contact your local RE/MAX office to find out how to join the team.