Real Estate As A Business

So many of us get into real estate thinking it will offer us more time and
money. Then when we get started we’re not taught how to do much of anything
other than write a contract.

But, where will the prospects come from to write contracts for? How will you
get them? How do you become a top agent in your marketplace? How do you handle
the objections along the way?

These are questions that almost every new Realtor faces when beginning their
career. And due to lack of training, some agents are still asking
themselves the same very questions years into the business.

My first full year in real estate in a brand new town where I didn’t even know
how to get to the grocery store and back, I sold 39 homes. How? With a strong
desire, a strong commitment, an unwavering level of daily discipline, and a
coach.

When I began this business I didn’t ever think of myself as just a salesperson
or just a Realtor. I thought of myself as a business owner. I formed a
corporation for tax purposes which actually made it a business. Not telling you
to do this however calling myself a corporation vs just Realtor surely helped my mindset in addition to many tax savings.

I had no income at all at the time, and a baby on the way. I knew I was going to
do this real estate thing at all costs. My goal was to sell 100 homes a year.
I had this posted everywhere. I talked about to everyone. I had a detailed
business plan to follow and an amazing coach to teach and hold me accountable
along the way.

I got two credit cards, one with enough of a credit line to pay my coach for one
year and one to pay my living expenses for six months. I jumped in head
first without giving myself any options other than to make it.

I knew to truly be a top salesperson in any business, you can’t sit around
waiting and hoping for business. You have to get up, get out, and find the
business.

But how? Well it’s really fairly simple. As an agent our goal is to find buyers, find sellers, and put them together. It’s really much more simple than many agents think.

But how? We have to go out and talk to lots of people that we don’t already know. Sure, you can talk to
your family, friends, and associates. This will carrry your business for a
few months and hopefully help get you started, but after that you’ve got to find a way to create business.

But how? Prospect expired listings, FSBO’s, call around yours or your companie’s
listings and recent sales. Call neighborhoods that you would like to have
listings in. Call apartment complexes. You could also door knock but in most cases it’s
much more efficient to call.

Let me ask you, if you were just opening up a brand new business that gave you the potential to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, how would you answer the following questions? Take the time to answer them to yourself and then take some actions as a result toward building the foundation for your business or growing your business to the next level.

Begin to think of and treat your real estate business as a real corporation and automatically your business will increase.

You just opened your brand new company…

How would that make you feel?
How would you spend your days?
How would you dress?
What would you think about most of the time? Remember Earl Nightengale’s quote “You become what you think about most of the time”
Would it be helpful to have someone who’s already accomplished what you’re trying to do, train and teach you how to do it most effectively and efficiently?
Would you trust and listen to them?
Would you have a detailed business plan to follow?
Would you have a daily schedule and/or routine to follow?
Would you practice the skills it would take to grow and maintain your new business?
Would you realize that you have to go out and create the revenue and business?
Would you tell everyone you come in contact with about your brand new business?
Would you consider writing a vision statement of what it will be like in your life when your company succeeds and you’re making hundreds of thousands of dollars?
Would you be enthusiastic and excited about your new business?
Would you realize that it will take some hard work, some long hours, and some levels of frustration to get there?
Would you try it for a few days or a few weeks and then give up and say it doesn’t work?
Do you believe you are or can be a successful business owner?

Guys, while some of this may seem simple and elementary, these ideas and exercises are a common denominator for the vast majority top corporations, athletes, salespeople, etc. across the country.

If we want the same level of success they have then surely we should follow the same basic principals they do, right?

If you are looking for the right coach to take you to the next level or to help you begin your business of selling real estate, I would love to support you. Please email me at christy@yourethedifference.com.

Christy Crouch is the co-owner of You’re The Difference, Inc, co-author of the real estate objection handling book, Now What Do I Say?, a collection of more than 400 answers to over 70 of the most common questions you’ll face throughout your real estate career. She is an active agent still selling in Virginia, the mother of two children and is dedicated to helping agents across the United States have successful real estate careers with a balanced life. To learn more about how they can support you, please visit their website at www.yourethedifference.com