A real estate agent is an important resource to both buyers and sellers. Licensed agents have knowledge, skills, and resources that can facilitate the exchange of properties quickly and efficiently while following necessary rules and regulations.
Real estate agents work independently, doing a wide array of work by themselves to promote, sell, and gain their commissions. The list of real estate agents’ required skills is extensive since they need to handle many responsibilities. The best real estate agents are able to leverage their skills and lead them to lots of career success.
Check out these twelve real estate agent required skills:
Skill #1: Selling Skills
The ability to sell and persuade. This is key in real estate and perhaps the most important skill. Your commission relies on your ability to sell, communicate, gain trust, and ultimately build a relationship with your client and on their behalf.
Many selling techniques can be learned and applied to real estate sales, from using a sense of urgency to fear of missing out.
Skill #2: Multitasking skills
A real estate agent does lots and lots day-in and day-out. One moment, they’re hosting an open house, and the next, they’re updating social media accounts and doing lead generation.
An agent may have a dozen things on their mind at any given moment and must be able to multi-task, prioritizing different things they’re doing in a day.
Skill #3: Tech-savvy skills
You don’t need to be an expert in computers and technology, but how to run a website, do social media, and launch a marketing campaign are all key skills. These days, most leads in real estate come from online as opposed to offline, when they aren’t word-of-mouth.
Learning to cultivate leads online is integral to your long-term real estate success. Being tech-savvy also allows you to use sophisticated tools, such as the CRM for real estate agents. The CRM is a database and management platform designed specifically for real estate agents.
Skill #4: Problem solving skills
You may encounter issues while selling real estate. Certain challenges creep up. Discoveries with properties you’re selling. Properties that have been on the market for a long time. Clients who have unrealistic expectations. There are all sorts of problems that can come up. As a real estate agent, adopt a problem-solving mentality in your best interest.
Skill #5: Marketing skills
Real estate agent is constantly promoting themselves. They’re always marketing, and that’s a skill. From understanding how to present to potential leads to being able to navigate different marketing channels, one has to learn how to make business cards, how to talk to potential leads in-person but also by text, email, and phone, how to create flyers, and how to manage social media.
Skill #6: Hardworking skills
A real estate agent has to be a hard, committed worker. This isn’t a learned skill. This is a skill somebody either has or doesn’t. There are only so many properties and so many buyers and sellers. A real estate agent has to be determined to succeed and be willing to work for success.
Skill #7: Desire to learn
Mindset is a skill. It’s something to be practiced every day. A student mentality is helpful to a real estate agent as conditions in the market are always changing. A thirst for knowledge is a good thing and will help an agent gain the background they need to promote the properties they’re handling.
Skill #8: Communication skills
Real estate is not your game if you aren’t a people person. Being approachable and capable of translating the complexities of real estate to other parties is an asset. You’re building a network of people who know you. Unfortunately, if you’re not kind or are awkward, an agent will face much more difficulty creating that network of buyers, sellers, and leads.
Skill #9: Negotiation skills
A real estate agent will sometimes engage in negotiation. As they submit or receive an offer, adjusting the terms and amounts is normality in buying and selling. As a skilled negotiator, you can advise your clients on what to ask for and how to respond. It is your job to get your client’s best conditions, prices, and terms.
Skill #10: Research skills
Knowledge is vital in buying or selling real estate. Knowledge isn’t something you can fake for a prospect. You may have current knowledge of what you’re handling and research a wide variety of things, from the neighbourhood to specific aspects of the property. The more knowledge an agent has, the more prepared they will be to maximize a sale favouring their client.
Skill #11: Patience
It takes time to learn what you don’t know, and success doesn’t always come every day. There are many weeks when you will go home not having sold a home in real estate. You’ve got to exhibit patience in your hard work and bet on yourself that it will lead to success. A skilled real estate agent will eventually see a sale come through and collect their commission.
Skill #12: Time management skills
Every agent has a schedule. They have appointments, showings, open houses, meetings, listings to manage, and client databases to update every day. With only so many hours, time management skills are a must. Time management will allow an agent to move forward effectively without being overwhelmed.