Top 3 Traits of Successful Real Estate Agents

By Jacqueline Smith

Jacqueline Smith started in real estate in 2015 and sold 52 homes her first year in the business as a solo agent. After considering growing her own team, and exploring different team models, she decided to partner with Place in 2017. The partnership allowed her to fast track her growth, and provide better systems and models to her agent partners. Her and her team in Vancouver Washington now close over $165M in annual sales volume, while keeping the quality of the agent and client experience at the forefront.

What’s it really like to work in real estate? Spoiler: it’s nothing like “Selling Sunset”. Forget the flashy cars and glam outfits you see on TV; the reality is that it’s hard work but also very rewarding. If you’re considering a career in this field, here are three traits you need to have to succeed in the real estate industry:

1. Are you a self-starter? First, ask yourself if you’re a self-starter. Do you often try different things in search of something easy? If so, real estate might not be for you. With an 85% failure rate, you’ll need to be in the top 15% to succeed.

Success in real estate requires grit, motivation, and discipline. If you have trouble staying motivated or positive, this field could be tough for you.

If you’re struggling to find the motivation to move forward in your business, you can check my previous video: Discover Your ‘Why’: A Key To Sustaining Motivation in Real Estate.

2. Realistic expectations about time. Many people enter real estate thinking they’ll have tons of free time. While there’s some flexibility in our schedules, you still need to put in the hours. I always say, if you want to earn more than you’ve ever made, you’re probably not able to do that working less than you’ve ever worked.

You need to treat real estate like a full-time job. If you don’t, you might end up needing a full-time job elsewhere. So, roll up your sleeves and be prepared to work. Real estate isn’t easy, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

3. Emotional intelligence matters. Having strong emotional intelligence is crucial for success in real estate. This means being self-aware and managing your emotions, especially under stress. You’ll be working with clients during some of the most significant transactions of their lives, whether they’re buying or selling a home, which can be really stressful.

Think of weddings and the term “bridezilla.” You might encounter “buyerzilla” or “sellerzilla” too. They’re usually great people, but their stress can be high since they don’t do this every day. If you can’t stay calm, you’ll struggle to connect with clients and be their trusted advisor. A strong sense of emotional awareness and social skills will take you far in this business.

If you’re a self-starter who’s disciplined, driven and has emotional intelligence, you can definitely thrive in real estate. The sky’s the limit, especially if you join a top team like ours. We specialize in helping agents launch their businesses quickly and with less stress. With our proven path to success, if you follow it, you will succeed.

If you have any questions about real estate or our team, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can call me at (360) 560-1156 or send a message to jacqueline@evergreenrealestatepartners.com. I’m happy to help and set up a call to chat more.