Five years ago, I made a strategic decision to grow my business by affiliating with Sotheby’s International Realty. After 25 years in real estate and being part of thousands of transactions, I didn’t pretend to know everything about the industry, but I knew more than most. I’ve learned five amazing lessons in the past five years that have made me a better mentor, leader, and real estate professional.
- Consistency is key. You don’t build off of your highs. It’s a nice feather in the cap when you can help your client sell a home like Belle Terre that set a new record for a new single-family home sale in the region at $8.9 million. But that is not something that happens every day. You get to that by being consistent and making sure you are always taking the right steps and giving excellent service every time.
- Step back before reacting. It’s wiser to take the long view. I love my work, but it can be very frustrating at times. That’s true of any career, really. The key is to have a plan that helps you shoulder the aggravations that come up from time to time. One listing does a greater brokerage make.
- If your gut says no, listen to it.
- Sink or swim situations aren’t that hard if you take the time to learn how to swim. This is big. Planning and being prepared will always make a stressful situation easier. Whether an associate is making their first listing or their thousandth, there are a lot of things they can do before each meeting, each day, and each week to get them in the right place to face challenges.
- I would have been a great soccer goalie.
Ok, kidding about that last one. That is a joke that started after we did a large company photoshoot to celebrate our partnership with the Greenville Triumph. Some of our soccer-loving associates convinced me to get in goal for some shots. And, I’m not talking about photos.