Have you thought about your vision for your real estate career?
- What was your vision when you decided to go for a real estate license?
- Has that vision changed since you got “into the trenches” and learned what a real estate career really entails?
Now that you know what a real estate career entails, what do you want?
- Do you want to become the top selling / top earning agent in your community?
- Do you simply want to earn a comfortable living for yourself and your loved ones – but without
becoming a superstar?
- Do you want to be known as the agent who helps people who need a bit of extra guidance – like first time buyers, relocating seniors, multi-generational households, divorcing couples, or estate executors.
- Would you be content with helping family and friends rather than reaching out to the entire community?
- Do you want to only work enough to bring in a little extra, perhaps for vacations, for special treats for your loved ones, or for a retirement account? If you have a spouse who earns a comfortable living, you might enjoy this path.
Your vision for your real estate career must dictate your activities.
If “Top Dog” is your goal…
If you aspire to becoming the top selling agent in your marketplace, you’ll need to invest both time and money in marketing yourself, gaining more and more education, and keeping up with technology – in addition to serving your clients.
You’ll need to prospect consistently, network, advertise in publications, and perhaps even purchase leads. You’ll also need to nurture your past clients and sphere, so they’ll remember to send you referrals and call you when they want to buy or sell.
If you want others in the industry to recognize you, you may need to serve on committees, do volunteer activities, and perhaps even sit on the ethics board or teach classes.
To reach the top, you may need to hire some help. You know that agents who are closing 50 or more transactions each year aren’t doing it alone, simply because there aren’t enough hours in the day.
- Will you be happy working with an assistant?
- Would you choose to have a virtual assistant?
- How about a transaction coordinator?
Are you willing to invest 60, 70, or more hours each week to become the leader in your real estate marketplace?
If your vision for your real estate career is simply a comfortable living…
If you simply want to earn a comfortable living, you’ll still need to market yourself consistently and you’ll still need to put in a full work-week, but perhaps not with the same intensity.
Choose a territory or niche to prospect consistently, then add one or two more marketing activities and work them diligently. After a few years, if you stay in touch with past clients and your sphere, you might have enough referrals and repeat business to cut back a bit on prospecting.
If you want to serve only a specialized segment of the population, you’ll still have to market yourself well and invest in specialized education. However, you might have fewer clients, so perhaps won’t need to spend quite so many hours on the job. On the other hand – if you turn into the most trusted name in real estate when it comes to your niche – you might have more business than you can handle alone!
Perhaps your vision is just to earn enough for “extras.”
If the vision for your real estate career is to serve only a few clients each year, you won’t need to invest much time or money on marketing, because your friends and family might bring you enough business to satisfy your wants. Meanwhile, you’ll have more of that free time that you may have believed all agents enjoy.
Your vision for your real estate career is yours alone…
It should not be dictated by what any other agent does, wants, or believes.
However, no matter what level of success you aspire to or achieve, there is one thing you MUST do.
No matter which vision you follow, you must keep on adding to your knowledge.
The market changes, financing changes, technology changes, and regulations change. Unless you keep up to date with those things, you’ll do a disservice to your clients.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“Live the Life of Your Dreams: Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams
according to your vision and purpose instead of the
expectations and opinions of others.”
― Roy T. Bennett
~~
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”
The right vision for your real estate career depends upon what success means to you.
It might mean making plenty of money – but it might mean earning “enough” while having time to spend with your children and other loved ones; time to spend on hobbies or charitable work; or time to simply be.
The best part? You can change you mind and create a new vision any time you like… It’s all up to you.
Top agent Image courtesy of supakitmod at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Thumbs up Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net