Today I want to talk about the top five things I look for in an agent that tells me whether they’ll make it or not:

1. They treat it like a job. If they come into this business and take responsibility for every aspect of their career, I know they’re treating real estate like a job. I’ve had appointments at 11 a.m. on a weekday where the other agent had just woken up. The flexibility of real estate is a big draw, but you can’t sleep in every day and expect to make money. If I see someone treating real estate like a serious job, I know they have a great shot at success. 

2. They prospect. Prospecting isn’t just calling people on the phone; it’s also meeting people in person. When I see agents who don’t set aside time for prospecting, I know it will be hard for them to build their pipeline and database. 

3. They have a six-month reserve. I know — six months seems like a lot. However, it’s important to have money in the bank so that you feel secure enough to do your job well. A three-month reserve seems fine until you’re worrying in the middle of a transaction about what you’re going to do if the deal falls apart. 

“If an agent doesn’t love people, they’ll burn out quickly.”

4. They get a deal out of the gate. This is a great indicator of early momentum. Getting that first deal shows you everything great about real estate. It also shows that the agent is probably doing most of the other things on this list, otherwise, they wouldn’t have landed the deal. 

5. They have to enjoy people. An agent can do everything on this list and be competent, but if they don’t love people, they’ll burn out quickly. This career takes time, and most of it involves building relationships with people. If you would rather sit in an office, there are other positions in the real estate business that are great for you, but agent isn’t one of them. 

Hopefully, this list gave you an idea of what makes a successful agent. For one final tip, I recommend you surround yourself with successful and positive people. Real estate can be a lonely business, but it doesn’t have to be.

If you want to talk about today’s topic or anything else, please reach out to me via phone or email. I am always willing to help.