Successful people are proficient in their field. For instance, the Real Estate agents thoroughly understand the complications of project financing, estimate construction costs with precision, effective contract writing and a lot more. For how to become a real estate agent, the knowledge is absolutely diverse and subsequently soft skills play a crucial role to stand out among the crowd. They are as important as hard skills and undeniably defines your success. While it’s imperative to be well aware of the market, but remember that no successful deal occurs without effective communication and negotiation.
Active Listening
In addition to being a great communicator, a real estate professional should listen actively. Active listening requires complete attention to comprehend what client is exactly looking for. Also, it helps in resolving conflicts and inspire new ideas. Selling or purchasing a home is both a demanding and emotional experience and therefore it’s essential to understand what is important to your client. One effective way to gain this information is by listening actively.
Social Cues
Social cues significantly help across various cultural backgrounds. For instance, when meeting an international client for a deal, a real estate professional must be aware of social cues that seems impolite and those that would be valued.
Negotiation
Although it’s important, only some of us are born with extraordinary negotiation skills. It’s more of a work in progress that gets better with time through deliberate and intensive efforts to improve. Real Estate negotiations are assisted through effective communication considering the current market situation. While most negotiation skills primarily focus on money and prices, there are certain areas that are equally crucial such as time-frame and terms and conditions emphasizing on minute details. It means a professional real estate agent should know when to stand your ground and where it requires a compromise. The competence to be persuasive is critical since you know where to put a little pressure with well-placed silences. Certainly, it’s a must-have skill for any real estate agent.
Patience
Patience is essential in real estate since many deals take a while to close. For instance, in the monarchy of marketable property and large housing developments, it may involve years. By the end of the day, it’s about an extensive process of developing land requiring construction, licenses, paperwork and much more. Having patience is the key to avoid mistakes and achieve optimum results.
Tactfulness
At times, a particular deal doesn’t make many sense for the changing market, new objectives, increasing costs and other aspects. The best real estate agents minimize their losses on a property that no longer financially benefit them. However, this needs to be done as smartly as possible will all stakeholders involved. Being harsh, emotive or immediate withdrawal may affect the future prospects or networking relationships. In such situations, being tactful will minimize the negative effects and maintain peace.
Understanding Body Language
When interacting with clients, body language counts for a lot. As a real estate agent, you must ensure the right moves to project a calm and confident outlook.
- Make sure to keep your arms down and maintain eye contact so the other person know that you are actively listening.
- While you are communicating, make sure not to fold your arms or cross legs.
- Though maintaining eye contact is good, but at the same time don’t do it too much. This may seem aggressive.
- Stand at an appropriate distance from your client. Being too close may seem overwhelming while being too far may show that you are least interested.
Apart from the body language that significantly matters, it’s important to apply your knowledge for an effective two-way communication. In addition to your body language, also keenly observe the body language and gestures of your client. For instance, if your client is trying to turn away or folding their arms, they might not be satisfied. On the contrary, if they are listening and responding, more probably things are going well.
