You need a mix of personal qualities, skills, and education to become a real estate agent. These 20 tips will help you understand the important steps to excel as a real estate agent and succeed in the competitive real estate industry, whether starting your career or aiming to grow your own business. Showami, your on-demand showing service, supports you every step of the way!
20 Tips to Become a Great Real Estate Agent
Get our license and begin learning.
1. Get your license and begin learning.
Getting a real estate license opens the door to a bright future in this field. Look up what your state needs and sign up for real estate schools that meet those requirements. Some states might ask for a high school diploma or GED to take the education course and sit for the real estate license test. Typically, you don’t need a college degree to sell real estate. After you pass your state’s real estate exam and become a licensed real estate agent, keeping up with what’s new and what works well in your local market is a good idea.
2. Pick the right brokerage.
Choosing the right real estate brokerage can make a big difference for new agents. Search for a company with a holistic approach, new training programs, chances to learn from more experienced real estate agents, and a culture where you feel supported. A good brokerage firm provides the tools and knowledge to start your real estate career in your first year. At the end of the day, your brokerage plays a crucial role in setting you up to become a successful real estate agent.
3. Build a strong work ethic.
Building a real estate business requires dedication and hard work. Being self-employed means you create your own schedule and take responsibility for how you use your time. Throughout your real estate career, you should focus on tasks that grow your business, such as building relationships and promoting yourself.
Top real estate professionals often work extra evenings and weekends to satisfy customers and close transactions. Centering on these key ideas and always aiming to enhance your talents are great ways for young agents to earn an excellent reputation. Successful REALTORS® create a lucrative career and consistently attract return and referral clients.
Become a local market expert
4. Learn your local real estate market inside out.
To become a good real estate agent, you need to know your local area. Looking into home sales, who lives in the area, how good the schools are, and what’s happening in the market helps you accurately price homes and spot good deals for your clients. Houses that sell have asking prices that match the neighborhood – not too high, not too low.
When you get into your area and have lots of contacts, you can help prospective buyers looking for the best deal on a great place and prospective sellers looking to work with the right agent and get the best price for their home. Your aim should be to become someone the community trusts. You can do this by being open about selling and listing properties and explaining what makes a good deal at the right price.
5. Make sure you have a good online presence.
In today’s world, the best real estate agents need a strong online presence. Create a user-friendly, attractive website. You might also consider starting a blog to showcase your local market knowledge.
Your online presence can help you attract potential buyers and showcase your listings. It also allows customers to get to know you and understand your work. Make sure to keep your social media accounts up to date.
6. Build good relationships by connecting with others in the real estate industry.
Networking plays a key role in any real estate business. Go to local events, sign up for professional groups, and get to know other service providers like home inspectors, mortgage brokers, lawyers, and local bankers who sell financial products. Also, form strong bonds with other real estate professionals – helping them can result in referrals, meeting new people, and a wider circle of contacts.
7. Give top-notch customer service.
Being a good real estate agent means putting your client’s best interests first and giving great service. Always act in your client’s best interest, respond, and do more than expected to ensure a smooth real estate transaction. To build trust and make connections, listen and try to grasp your client’s specific needs and wants with understanding.
Using good communication skills during real estate transactions impacts customer satisfaction. This helps your clients be more inclined to suggest your real estate services to others. Your standing will pave the way for you to become the go-to real estate agent, helping buyers and sellers find the best place to live.
Host an open house
8. Host lively open houses.
Open houses give you a chance to showcase properties and meet potential buyers. To run effective open houses, create a welcoming vibe, prepare helpful information, and show genuine interest when talking with visitors.
These events let you show your know-how, highlight a great home, and grow your potential client base by finding new clients.
9. Improve your negotiation skills.
Your negotiation skills significantly impact how well you do when acting as a buyer’s agent or seller’s agent. Getting better at negotiating will help you get better prices and deals. This makes you stand out as a great real estate agent.
10. Get used to new technology.
Using the latest tech in real estate can give you an edge over average real estate agents. Virtual tours and CRM systems can make you more productive and serve clients better. Simple tech tools help you send meeting invites, set calendar reminders, and set alarms to make sure you’re on time – showing you value your client’s time is always essential. Old tech, like phone calls and texts, are still the best ways to keep in touch with your clients.
11. Make a marketing plan.
Create a complete marketing plan to boost your real estate agent services as a listing agent and sell single-family homes. Make sure you include old-school methods like business cards, yard signs, and mail to possible customers. Online marketing tactics such as social media ads, email updates, and current trends are important, too. A well-rounded marketing approach will help you connect with more potential clients and generate new leads.
Join the National Association of REALTORS®
12. Sign up with the National Association of REALTORS®.
Becoming a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) gives you access to useful tools and chances to network in the real estate industry. Being a member makes you look more trustworthy as a real estate professional because you follow a strict code of ethics. You also get a designation to put on your business cards, website, and ads.
13. Set specific and measurable goals.
As a real estate professional, you’re your own boss. Nobody tells you what to aim for; you set your own goals. Create measurable goals for your own business. This could include a specific number of houses to sell, an income target, or ideas to grow into adjacent real estate markets. Keeping these set goals in mind helps you maintain focus and drive to become a good REALTOR®.
14. Be smart with your money.
As an independent contractor, you need to keep an eye on your finances. Real estate agents don’t get regular paychecks like employees, so you must plan. Keep track of your spending, save money for taxes, and think about working with a financial advisor to set long-term goals. Smart money habits have a significant impact on lasting success in the property business.
15. Pick your niche.
Think about focusing on one area of real estate, like high-end properties, commercial real estate, first-time homebuyers, or single-family homes. Choosing a specialty can help you stand out in a busy market and become the right real estate agent for specific deals.
Build a helpful team to scale
16. Create a team.
As your real estate success grows, you’ll notice you’re generating leads and gathering reviews from previous clients. Think about creating a team to handle your growing workload. Hiring an assistant, teaming up with good agents, or bringing in specialists like a real estate transaction coordinator can help you keep giving great service to your current and potential clients. A well-organized team can assist you in serving clients better and helping them find their perfect home.
17. Get organized.
The best real estate agents develop strong organizational skills to manage multiple clients, their listing services, and deals simultaneously. They use tools like digital calendars, task management apps, and CRM systems to track their daily schedules, client communications, and deal deadlines.
18. Show a professional presence.
Present a professional image in all parts of your business. Great agents focus on their attire, tidy work areas, and top-notch marketing materials.
19. Take care of yourself.
Real estate work can drain and stress you out. Build a routine that allows time to look after yourself, work on creating a good work-life balance, and avoid exhaustion. Regular workouts, a healthy diet, and ways to unwind at day’s end can keep you lively and at your peak.
20. Keep learning.
Local housing markets constantly change, and the best agents stay informed. Go to the real estate industry events, check out real estate magazines, and ask for tips from seasoned agents.
Your job involves helping and teaching clients. To assist clients with tricky deals, you need to learn more about credit scores and home loan choices. As a real estate agent, you show first-time homebuyers houses they adore and support sellers in maximizing their property values. Staying dedicated to learning through new training programs will help you stay ahead in the world of real estate.
Apply these 20 tips in your business plan, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a respected and experienced real estate agent. Every top-performing real estate agent will tell you that success in this field doesn’t happen overnight. Building a thriving real estate business takes effort, persistence, and time. If you remain dedicated and adopt the right strategy, you can create a successful career as a new real estate agent.
At Showami, our on-demand showing agents help real estate agents succeed and stay safe while working. We constantly improve our platform to protect you when showing houses. We also provide numerous free training sessions to sharpen your skills.
Ready to take control of your real estate career? You can apply these tips and let Showami help you with your showings.