If I Had to Start Over in Real Estate
Oh my gosh I've been in real estate for eight years and it has been quite an adventure. I look back at when I started and I literally can't believe how far I have come. If I had to start over knowing what I know today, here are the SIX things that would have improved my success earlier on.
1. Understand What a Realtor Actually Does
Most people get into real estate because they want to make their own schedule. What a joke. What you actually realize very quickly is you have no schedule. You are literally at the mercy of your clients and their needs. There's SO MUCH MORE than just showing houses or putting a sign in the yard — that's probably about 5% of what a realtor actually does. The other 95% is branding, marketing, prospecting, and creating awareness.
2. Build Your Brand From Day One
Brand is everything in a business. It's great that you have your real estate license! BUT if no one knows who you are or that you're even a realtor in the first place — what's it good for? Most people expect their phone to ring the minute they get their license. We call that being a "secret agent."
3. It's About YOU, Not the Brokerage
A lot of people talk about which brokerage is better, which CRM is better — but ultimately it comes down to YOU, the Realtor. It's got to come from a burning passion inside you that is willing to lay everything on the line and get out of your comfort zone.
4. Understand the Financial Commitment
When you get your license, no one really talks about the financial side. Every transaction comes with a split from your brokerage — you're not getting 100% of a commission. EVER. If you are a solo agent, you ARE running a business with all of its departments.
5. Join a Strong Team
With the presence of social media and its impact on a career, I probably would have found a really strong team to join and learn from someone already successful. I could've shaved five years off my struggles and self-taught practices.
6. Master Time Management
Time management and discipline are probably the hardest parts of being a realtor. I call it "squirreling" — you wake up with a plan, then your phone starts ringing, emails pile up, and at the end of the day you don't know where it went. I would be time blocking and being very intentional with my schedule RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
REAL ESTATE HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE HARD THINGS. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE LESSONS. MY LIFE IS SO FULL. THANK YOU.