Real estate is one of the most high-yield industries to work in. But for that very reason, it’s also atop the list of the most unforgiving. Since the field bears such promise fruits, there is a lot of competition among real estate agents all striving to reach the nectar of success.
The competition in the industry makes it inadequate to only be adequate. It’s not good enough to be good enough—to succeed as a real estate agent, you have to do marginally better than most others.
The best way to do that is by learning skills that your competitors have likely overlooked on top of the fundamentals. Here are 5 advanced skills you need to succeed as a real estate agent.
Emotional Intelligence
Over the last decades, academics have come to realize that emotional intelligence is far more critical a factor in determining real-life success than academic ability and IQ. And there are few industries where this statement is more applicable than the real estate agency.
Emotional intelligence is a collective term for the ability to read one’s own emotions, regulate those emotions, read emotions in others, and use that awareness to build better relationships. These abilities are known in the literature as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.
As a real estate agent, most of what you do stems from these skills. Self-awareness and self-management allow you to keep yourself motivated even in the face of letdowns, while social awareness and relationship management help you build productive relationships with clients.
The owner of Park Place Properties, Nate Yoder, is a perfect example of what a real estate agent with high emotional intelligence looks like. As you can tell from his Instagram (@thenateyoder), Nate is adept at keeping himself motivated and managing his personal/professional relationships.
Confidence
Confidence is vital to selling anything, but when you’re selling something as big as a real estate asset, you absolutely can’t do without it. Confidence allows you to assertively reassure your clients that buying a particular property is a good decision. In most cases, you’ll know more about the market than your client, and you have to use that knowledge to build trust. You have to show them that you know what you’re doing and you do what you’re saying.
Understanding of Architectural Engineering
One way to get ahead of your competition, especially if you’re not an emotional intelligence guru, is to take a more technical approach. You don’t have to obtain a bachelor’s in architectural engineering, but having a layperson-level understanding of different elements of architectural design can allow you to set yourself apart from most other agents in the market. Good knowledge of architecture can also make you more confident while you’re explaining the different architectural features of a property to your client.
