This blog post contribution is courtesy of Tanya Evoy. Tanya is a Broker with Re/Max Affiliates Realty in Carleton Place, Ontario.
Real estate seems like the perfect job. To me it is but I can tell you it has not always been that way. I wish I had more information when I started or at least where to go to get it. Tons of entrepreneurs decide to pursue a career in real estate every year and the Ottawa Real Estate Board alone had 267 new members in 2016. It seems like a dream job where you can make your own hours, take vacations whenever you want, look at beautiful homes, and make lots of money.
Although some of these may be true, many factors affect how this will happen. If you plan on making a solid living, there are a few things to consider when you become newly registered.
1- Make a plan. With all of your newly acquired knowledge, you will surely want to hit the ground running and SELL SELL SELL, but you need a plan. Business plans give you direction and provide you with goals to work towards when things get tough or your focus is lost. The plan should include marketing, lead generation activities, goals, and additional training you may want to take. You can find examples of business plans through some coaching organizations to give you a starting point. I recommend
re-visiting the business plan every year.
- Develop a schedule. In your schedule you will need to time-block your personal time, your lead generation activities, your goals, meetings and appointments, and anything else in your business plan. Taking control of your schedule from early on will provide you with focus, confidence and a sense of accomplishment. It will also give you balance in what can be a very demanding
- Seek out a mentor and/or training program. One of the most amazing things about the real estate industry and working with people is that you never stop learning. Having a solid foundation beyond your registration courses will give you the confidence and knowledge that is lacking in most foundational courses. This will ensure you have some of the necessary skills to deal with your clients and running your business well from the beginning. I have taken some fantastic courses that have become cornerstones in how I operate my business. I highly recommend you do not try to re-invent the wheel. It can be costly for you in so many
- Ask the right questions and LISTEN to the answers. Trust me on this one; it will save you a TON of grief and some potentially dangerous situations. Learning as much as you can about the clients you are working with is critical. It builds trust, shows you care, and ultimately helps you decide how to prioritize your
- Determine your weaknesses and develop a system or systems to overcome them. As an example, I hired a part-time assistant pretty early on in my career and it helped me immensely. I love being organized and having great ideas. I am great at starting things, but I am not so strong at the implementation. An assistant helps me by dealing with the tiny things that help me keep my flow and momentum going which helps me achieve goals that I would normally become overwhelmed with.
- Figure out your WHY. It may sound cheesy but there will be minutes, or days, or even months where you question why you decided to start a career in real estate. If your WHY is clear, then you can re-visit it when you need the extra
- Finally, a solid morning routine is a non-negotiable. I cannot stress how much of a game changer this has been for me. Morning routines are keystone habits of the most highly successful people and for good reason. They can be personalized for you, or you can use templates geared for highest productivity and results. There are many fantastic books on this subject and two that I would recommend for more info are:
The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents by Hal Elrod Five Second Rule by Mel Robbins.
So take you want from this and leave the rest but please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. It is an amazing job and it gets much better as you go! Good luck and congrats on your new venture!
Tanya Evoy- Broker Re/Max Affiliates Realty
Leave a Reply