As you look around surveying the other agents, ever notice how some people it seems are just naturals. They come out of the gate swinging and never look back. Then there are some people who make up that group or the 80% failure rate in the first 2 years. Oops! Did no one ever tell you that? Yikes sorry about that, but it’s true.

In fact I would be willing to bet that if you take into consideration all of the people who attempt to get there licence but never go through with it the failure rate is probably up around 95%. So how can we keep you out of it?

Probably the greatest thing that any one can do is to sit down and write out a business plan and goal. This also works well for the agent who is not happy with their production, or is doing okay but just wants to take it up another notch.

But before you can start to do the business plan there is something more important than that. Something that is so key to this entire problem that if you don’t get this you really have no chance at success. What is it?

It is simply understanding what this business is. What are the primary elements and how must they be implemented.

• First and Foremost Real Estate is a People business. It is built on the relationships that we establish through the Sale, Purchase, Rental or Lease of Real Property. We are not only Real Estate Sales People, rather we are relationship developing people whose product is Real Property.

When First licensed I have seen this played out over and over again. The new agent comes into the office asking how do they get to work with the buyers. There are as many different policies as there are different answers to this question. I submit to you though what I would consider to be the best approach for not only the company but also the agents longevity.

• NO AGENT should be allowed to work with any Buyer until they have a listing for sale. Unless you work for a company that only represents Buyers. Most of us do not. The reasoning behind this is that the office telephone rings because of listings. We do not live in a Country where the listings are a secret. Buyer’s do not have to call up and ask if we know of any house’s for sale. They can see them by the signs in front of them.
• By allowing an agent to share in the incoming telephone calls without themselves contributing any thing to make the phone ring, it is a slap in the face to those who have worked so hard. Now if an agent is to busy to work the leads and chooses to refer or higher an agent as a buyers agent then that is a different matter.
• By Forcing the No Buyers till you have a Listing rule, you create more product. Agents understand what the true nature of the business is like and every one wins.

I have worked pretty much the same way for most of my career. I have always tried to be the Agent that I would want to work with.

No high pressure sales techniques. You call we discuss. If we can’t do business we will part friends.

    Herb Hamilton is a Real Estate Broker with RE/MAX Preferred Inc. Realtors working in Portland Oregon

                              ” A Real Estate Transaction with Herb is one YOU will Profit from “

Herb Hamilton is a Real Estate Broker with RE/MAX Preferred Inc. Realtors working in Portland Oregon