Words of wisdom from 7 star agents
While not all agents can sell $50 million worth of real estate in 19 days or hit $1 billion in settled sales during their career, we can learn from the superstar agents that do achieve such impressive feats.
With the hectic spring selling season in full swing, it can be easy for agents to lose sight of their professional goals, their sales strategy and to get burnt out.
So, we thought it’d be worthwhile to share some words of wisdom from the best of the best to get inspired and keep motivated this selling season.
On success
‘When everyone asks me why I’m successful and I have no database, it’s great to email and text people, but you know what? There’s nothing better than picking up the phone and talking to someone, because usually in real estate we’re either talking to people who are struggling financially or going through separation. Sometimes people just need to hear your voice, that it’s going to be okay. That we can get the house sold and they can move on to the next stage of life.’
– Melita Bell, RE/MAX (Source: Elite Agent)
‘Be authentic, build relationships in every part of your community and never stop learning. Find yourself a good mentor or coach who can help you achieve your potential and who makes you accountable. We all have the ability to succeed, but it comes back to how much we want it (the work ethic) and controlling the mind (do you have a positive attitude or one of fear or excuses?)’
– Leanne Druery, Gardian Real Estate (Source: Elite Agent)
‘I think understanding that when someone entrusts to you with their most valued possession, that you’ve got to provide them with guidance, persistence, strategic mobility and negotiation skills that they can’t get anywhere else. A lot of my clients are discerning business people who recognise what quality service involves, which sets a high benchmark for me and my team.
You must be highly adaptive, and if you don’t have the time to upgrade your skills, you need people around you that can address that shortfall. I invest heavily in digital initiatives and making sure I use people with astute knowledge of the sector, making sure the content and strategies are cutting edge and have strong ROI.’
– Vivien Yap LJ Hooker (Source: The Real Estate Conversation)
‘You need to give your clients some real reasons why they want to come to you not someone else. What’s your point of difference?
You need to know your market, and be a trusted advisor. You need to have the capability to give them the right advice in advance on how to sell their property successfully, not just put it on the market and try your luck.
With your professional knowledge you should be able to tell them what’s the best approach to attract the most buyers, what sort of marketing you should use, how to make your clients’ property standout from so many properties on the market.
Then last but not the least, I think you should really care about your clients and their properties, and they can feel that you care. The business is all about your clients, your buyers, your vendors, and the properties. Not about you, not about how much money you can make.’
– Nancy Hu, Fletchers Real Estate (Source: REB podcast)
On prospecting
‘Communication for me is really important. That’s with the vendors and also the buyers. I’m meeting vendors throughout the campaign two or three times face-to-face, communicating to them where we are in the campaign. When the auction day comes, there’s no surprises. Everyone, the buyers and the vendors are all under one page. We are selling everything, so it’s working.’
– Marnie Seinor, McGrath (Source: REB podcast)
‘Frequency builds trust. I made sure I had such regular contact with the people in my area that by the time they were ready to sell I had a foot in the door. The vendor could feel a strong sense of commitment, energy and enthusiasm which even today still puts me ahead of my competitors.
If you asked me what the best form of prospecting is in the beginning, the answer is simple: it was cold calls. I built this business on cold calling. It doesn’t work for everybody, but it worked for me; I had an angle and it worked.’
– Gavin Rubinstein, Ray White Group (Source: Elite Agent)
On productivity
‘I figure if I cannot have a good income producing business on 50 hours a week after this many years I am doing something wrong. But then I realised I spent 15 hours of those 50 hours in my car, driving from home to the office…Honestly, getting a driver changed my life.
People rob themselves of so many hours a week they would be unaware of. There’s at least a few hours a week for lunch and coffee breaks. I reckon there’s at least 25 hours a week that are unproductive. I don’t think you can have a productive business and work part-time. I needed those 20-25 hours back. So I got the driver and the efficiencies in my week have been huge.’
– Michael Willems, Ray White Group (Source: Elite Agent)
On work-life balance
‘All my work is finished by 5pm or 6pm. All my phone calls are finished. The minute I get home, I put the phone on to charge and turn it on silent and no-one has ever complained that I don’t call them back until the next morning.’
– Michael Willems, Ray White Group (Source: Elite Agent)
‘I work 80 hours a week on average. The reality is I’m always on and contactable. I find balance by taking four breaks throughout the year, during school holidays as this is when there’s a downturn in my markets cycle; it’s on these breaks where I recharge, to ensure that during the high cycle I’m always performing at my peak.’
– Gavin Rubinstein, Ray White Group (Source: Elite Agent)
‘It’s important not to let real estate control you, because if you let it, it can be all-consuming. Make sure you continue to invest in your health and your personal relationships – because a million bucks can’t buy this back.’
– Leanne Druery, Gardian Real Estate (Source: Elite Agent)
We hope you have gleaned some useful knowledge from these pearls of wisdom. For more tips to achieve success in real estate take a look at what is involved in a star agent’s weekly routine and four things successful agents do every morning.