Today Real Estate Agent Job Description: You have the skill set?

Each year many people think of starting a career in real estate sales. Sounds appealing, the freedom to create your own schedule, to be in control of how much you earn, and have my own business. The reality, however, is not a pretty picture, over a third of new real estate agents leave the business in the first three years. Why do so many leave? The most important factor is that they have studied the real estate business to determine if they have the necessary skills set to succeed. Like any career, there are some skills that can help set you on a path to success.

You should know early on that home sales are not a "get rich quick" career. To be a top producer in real estate business requires planning, patience, people skills, and endurance as well as in many other areas of expertise. Many potential new agents are not aware they need a financial reserve to get them through the first six to twelve months in the domestic sector and to pay personal expenses, in addition to start-up and marketing costs related to their new home sales business.

The number one reason why new agents is not their lack of self-motivation, will be an independent contractor and each day will determine what the future will be in real estate. While your broker management and, possibly, a mentor or coach office will offer a framework and advice if you are not a self-starter, conscientious, disciplined and organized hopefully the success will be declined. These skills can be adopted if they do not have them now.

My favorite question to ask a new agent is: "Why did you get into real estate sales?" Over the years I received many answers, but the leader of all time is "I love houses and architecture." While the houses and the architecture might look like the answer, it is not. Real Estate is a commercial vehicle for people and their personalities to interact. Real estate is more about people than houses. People skills are the number one skill for you to succeed. People skills include relationship building, problem solving, active listening, assimilating needs and desires, and emotional resistance. Real estate is a business, not a hobby or interest. Consumers expect and deserve a real estate professional and ethical real estate experience.

Your personality will also play an important role in real estate sales. You should like it or meet all kinds of people, personalities, ethnicities, and lifestyles. If not you could find yourself in violation of federal, state and local Fair Housing laws. Your ability to manage the sales process from first contact with customers in an efficient real estate closing will help kick start your career by providing you with referrals from satisfied customers.

Real estate is a business increasingly driven by technology. You will need to have or at least learn to use a personal computer, digital camera and e-mail and software programs to create effective marketing pieces and efficiently manage your time. Most consumers today expect real estate real estate agents to email lists, organize virtual tours, and have a presence on the Internet ....