There's no denying that real estate is a people game. Yes, it's also about property and sales and competition but essentially when you're dealing with property, people are intrinsically linked to that. Actually, even if you look at it from a sales perspective, you can't separate people from that process either. So it never ceases to amaze me in real estate when you come across an agent who doesn't seem to be a people person. I don't see how you can succeed if your focus isn't on the people you do your business with.
In this vein, it's very easy to see that when it comes to buyers and sellers, chances are when they speak to a real estate agent, one of the things they're going to talk about, without fail, is their experiences with another realtor. And chances are, the stories aren't positive. Sadly as I have mentioned before, some real estate agents bring home the negative stereotypes and as a result a lot of buyers and sellers are suspicious of the rest of us. And I think it's down to the fact that the agent who left them with their suspicions wasn't a people person at heart.
Although I believe that no-one in the Century 21 network is not a people person, there are agents out there who are motivated by money and not by what real estate is actually about – and that's satisfying a customer's real estate needs. A realtor who is driven by greed is not going to have the best interests of their customers at heart. In fact, only their own interests drive them and although this may have short term gains, ultimately a real estate agent who is not a people person can't expect to enjoy long term success.
Century 21 prides itself on being accessible, expert and clear – all traits that make us people persons. And as a local real estate expert, we know it pays to really listen to what our customers want to ensure they get what they're after when it comes to their property and real estate decisions.
I've said before that as real estate agents we are here to assist people with what is likely to be their biggest financial decision. That's a fairly hefty responsibility, and if you're not in the business for the right reasons – the people reasons – the number of people you get to help with the decision may soon dwindle.