Making the transition into a career in real estate later in life I have come to realise that the experience that I have gained in a diversified range of management roles, including operating my own business for 28 years, eight of those years operating out of a major Correctional Centres, have equipped me beautifully for my life in real estate.
Most people assume that real estate is about property.
To a small degree this is true. We must be competent and have good judgement when assessing the potential value of a property, however the most important skill that a good real estate agent must be able to bring to the table is the ability to communicate effectively on many levels to an incredibly diverse range of people. They must know how to read the non verbal cues just as well as they can read what is actually being said.
Buyers often talk in guarded ways, not wanting to show their hand but what most of them do not realise is that they are unconsciously putting out buying signals. A good real estate agent must know how to interpret the conversation with buyers in order to massage the very best price from a buyer.
The time that I spent running my business out of a Correction Centre was an amazing training ground in understanding how people communicate. The skills that I gained there have proven to be incredibly valuable in the real estate world.
When I am asked by a client to sell their home it places a huge obligation on me to use all of my skill and energy to achieve a result that exceeds their expectations. I relish the challenge that each sale brings.
For me there is no better experience than seeing that beaming smile when I have a happy buyer and a happy seller.