Congratulations you have just become a licensed REALTOR®. You must be excited to get out there in the real world of buying and selling property, but there are a lot of challenges when first starting into your career as a REALTOR®. It’s important to remember that knowledge is power, so start gaining knowledge right away.
You should start by learning the tools of the trade. Each local board may use a different type of software to access current and historical information, and this is how you will search for potential homes for your clients, do CMA’s, research, etc. Most brokerages will offer training to help get you familiar, and you can check with your local Real Estate Board to see if they offer courses.
It is also important to gain local market knowledge. What is currently for sale in your area? What is selling? What kind of condition are these homes in? Don’t just look on the Internet; get out to agent open houses if you don’t have clients to take out. Does your office have a weekly caravan to see properties? If so, go! If not, gather some other REALTORS® to get out and see properties. You will gain invaluable knowledge that will help with your confidence in the way you speak about real estate. Clients will pick up on this confidence and feel more comfortable using your services if they believe you understand the market.
Ok great, now you have some experience under your belt, a better understanding about the tools you use every day, the local market, and are feeling more confident about your ability as a REALTOR®. It is easy to just slip into the daily hustle and bustle of selling real estate and forget about those three more courses you have to take (if you are still in your first two years.) Get these courses done ASAP. They fill up quickly, are only offered at certain times of the year in each location, and you do not want to wait until the last minute, and you will learn from them!
The learning doesn’t stop there. In this career things change rapidly – the market, technology, access to information, public perception, laws, codes, and on and on the list goes. Take courses, pay attention, attend meetings, learn as much as you possibly can, and that knowledge will help you provide a good service to your clients and in turn help you gain more clients.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss
– Kris Gear, OREA YPN Committee Member & Guest Blogger
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