12 Real Estate Agent Skills Needed to be a Successful Agent

The real estate market is a very lucrative but competitive one. It houses different professionals trying to stay top in the real estate world.

One of such professionals is a real estate agent.

Being a real estate agent in the 21st century goes beyond having the license to arrange real estate transactions and join buyers and sellers while acting as their middleman. You also need to have some crucial skills to back it up.

Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced real estate agent, there are some core skills every real estate agent should have to be successful in the business.

In this article, we shall be explaining those skills in detail. Some of the skills discussed in this article aren't just important for real estate agents alone. Other professionals, who deal with people daily, need these skills to stay at the top of the game.

Once you can implement the skills below, you will easily gain more clientele, get bigger deals, and more referrals, eventually generating more income for you.

 

Skills Needed to be a Successful Real Estate Agent

1. Honesty and integrity

Apart from real estate, all other businesses require this skill set to succeed. It's foremost in any business dealing and can elevate you to the highest level if mastered effectively.

Being honest shows that you're a trustworthy person deserving to partner with. In addition, your integrity helps to build a positive impression about you in the minds of the people you interact or transact with.

It will enable you to have a good reputation and testimonial, which will equally build your reputation. As a result, people will effortlessly refer you to other clients, helping you grow rapidly as a real estate agent. On the other hand, agents known for fraudulent practices will have a bad reputation, which will result in a lack of growth in the business.

 

2. Good communication skills

There is no gainsaying that an individual who interacts with people must have good communication skills. It is a crucial skill that you must have as a real estate agent since you regularly interact with buyers and sellers.

Knowing how to communicate with your clients effectively will enhance your relationship with them and equally show your level of professionalism.

You must ensure that you’re always available to receive your clients' messages, irrespective of the channel they use in communicating with you. It could be via email, Skype, WhatsApp, or text message. You should be prompt at replying to your client's messages and give room for effective communication between you two.

You don’t only communicate with the buyer but also the seller during negotiation.  In some cases, you'll need to communicate with your colleagues for adequate advice or guidance as you grow in the business.

 

3. Ability to read body language

Communication goes beyond words; it equally has a lot to do with individuals’ body language, which gives even more information. As a real estate agent, you need to learn this skill to understand your client better.

Often, body language speaks more volume than words. If you can read your client's body language and maintain eye contact with them as you discuss, it gives them a sense of security and makes them trust you more.

 

4. Problem-solving skills

Often, some clients go overboard with their expectations or needs. For example, they might want you to get them a rare property in your locality. Also, some clients will require you to sell their property fast within a specific duration.

These, among other unrealistic expectations, are inevitable in the real estate business. However, your ability to solve these problems will make you unique and better than other real estate agents.

Once you persevere and give your clients what they want at the right time, they tend to label you as one of the best real estate agents. Solving clients' problems will eventually generate more clients for you in the long run.

 

5. Excellent and active listening skills

It is sacrosanct to be an active listener. To succeed on this course of being a real estate agent, you need to listen to your clients and know what they want, understand their frustrations and pain points, no matter how insignificant you think they are.

Give your clients ample time to express their thoughts and doubt to you without being impatient or dismissive with them.

Ask them questions as a follow-up to their statement to confirm their wants and needs. By so doing, you build a great level of trust with your clients. It equally helps you develop better ideas or solutions for your client's needs or problems.

 

6. Technological skills

Technology advances rapidly every day. Just like scientists make new discoveries, developers create new real estate applications to assist real estate agents and realtors. Therefore, you need to leverage technology to your advantage by being technologically savvy.

Try out new technologies and adapt to them. Download beneficial apps that will help you save time and money as a real estate agent. Some apps are great at managing a real estate agent's activities like organizing meeting schedules with buyers and sellers, calculating real estate commissions, among others.

In addition, ensure that you have an online presence by creating various social media accounts to advertise your business.

You can take things to the next level by having a website. These strategies will go a long way in helping you generate leads that will earn you more clients.

 

7. Great marketing skills

Being a real estate agent shows you offer a particular service. Therefore, you need to be able to efficiently market your business to those around you, especially if you work independently.

With the right marketing strategy, you can get more clients and referrals that will help you grow your business. There are many ways to market what you do.

For example, you can use the digital marketing method or traditional method by sharing your business card, flyers, or posters with those interested in real estate.

 

8. Great negotiating skill

Once you start marketing your business and begin to get clients, you also need to have good negotiating skills to complete the job successfully. Negotiation is a must in the real estate business. There is always the need to strike a balance and the best deal possible for buyers and sellers of real estate.

Therefore, you need to be able to educate your client on the importance of negotiation and how to identify a good deal and go for it.

In the same vein, negotiation is knowing when to disapprove of a deal and go for a better one to prevent you and your client from running at a loss.

Another importance of having this skill is that it will help you determine the real estate's listing and selling price. It equally helps you determine your commission from a deal once successful.

 

9. Good teaching skills

A good real estate agent must be well-educated about real estate and be able to teach others. There are times that you will have to deal with clients who know nothing about the real estate business but are willing to invest in it.

Such clients need to be adequately enlightened about real estate, alongside the pros and cons of the type of real estate they want to invest in.

In this case, your clients did not just choose you to buy houses for them; they also need you to be their teacher and support system.

Be attentive to their questions and patiently provide them with practical answers to the best of your knowledge. Explain to your clients what you think they misunderstood or do not properly comprehend. Clarify vague terms to be sure they understand what you’re talking about. It will go a long way in strengthening the bond between the two of you.

 

10. Great time management skills

Time management is a must-have core skill for anyone who works with people. You need to know how to manage your time effectively as an agent. You must always meet deadlines, provide your clients with adequate information in due time, and make it a point of duty to arrive on time for appointments and meetings with the buyer or seller, or both of them.

Time management is an essential and critical skill in the real estate business, as all the skills aforementioned in this article might be useless without proper time management. This skill shows how self-disciplined and dedicated you are; hence, you shouldn't take it for granted.

 

11. Local area knowledge

A good real estate agent should have adequate knowledge of the locality they conduct business. Knowing the real estate regulations of such an area, including the facility and infrastructure, will go a long way in showing your clients your level of professionalism. 

 

12. Architectural skills

Learning some basic things about architecture, especially when it comes to structure and design, will help in giving you a rewarding real estate career. This knowledge can put you ahead of your peers in the real estate business.

As a result, you'll be able to have practical and engaging conversations with your clientele that yields positive results in closing real estate deals on time.

 

Improve Your Skills

As a real estate agent who wants to go far or become successful in your career, you must possess some core skills. These skills will help you build a remarkable portfolio for yourself and become one of the best in your chosen niche in the real estate market.

There are many skills a real estate agent should have; the above skills are the core skills that will make a successful real estate agent. The effective implementation of these skills will help you have a great and rewarding real estate career, regardless of whether you’re just starting out or already a professional.