A: The best part about the real estate business is the same thing that is the worst part about the real estate business ~ It's different every day.
I can vouch for that fact as today marks the 12th anniversary of the day I started as a real estate agent. April 15th, 1998 I entered the Fast Start class on Frantz Road in Dublin, Ohio excited about my new opportunity to launch a new career. I didn't have all the answers because I knew none of the questions.
It's 12 years later and I still don't have all of the answers but I can certainly feel more comfortable with the questions being asked. For a creature of habit, this is a tough industry because you have to adapt to the business as it comes but for someone who loves a new challenge and the adventure of uncharted waters, it can be a dream lifestyle. I quickly realized in 1998 that the key to success in this business was to keep it simple and that three step process is something that has served me well as a sales associate, a branch manager and now in my role as the Director of Agent Development and a national speaker.
Sean's Simple Philosophy of Success
#1 - Build Relationships - Each day, seek out people and identify things we might have in common, learn new concepts, see things from a different point of view and create rapport.
#2 - Solve Problems - If you have built a relationship with people, they will usually feel comfortable asking you to help them with their problems. It was ideal if their problem was real estate related (needing to sell, wanting to buy, etc.) but I was always okay if it had to do with some other "problem" area. I always said - "If they are calling me, that means they are not calling someone else." Seek to be the "source" of information that they may need to make good decisions.
#3 - Have Fun - This is one that I don't think enough people place a high enough priority on. I really need to enjoy what I do every day. If I do, it will show in my enthusiasm and that will be visible to those around me - clients, co-workers, customers, students and anyone else I come into contact with. When you do something you really enjoy, the rest of life's details seem to have a way of working out for themselves.
Here Come the Teenage Years
As I begin my 13th year in the real estate industry I look back on the many people I have encountered in the first 12 years. I certainly have built some great relationships, had the opportunities to solve a lot of problems and had a lot of fun...probably more than should be allowed (and might even be illegal in some jurisdictions). I also look forward to tomorrow and the next day, the next weeks, months and however many years that I may be lucky enough to be engaged in this unpredictable career.One thing I know, it's going to be different every day.
