Diving In:  Advice to New Agents

By Carrie Foley

With summer in full swing, I like to spend my time off at the pool.

Recently, I was watching a timid child try to swim. I could only imagine how the depth and the vastness of the pool probably seemed frightening and overwhelming to a beginner. The child clung to the edge of the pool watching the others swim about. She spent more time sitting on the side than in the water.

She eventually got up the courage to jump in.

Her struggle to take the plunge and the fear in her face as she bobbed to the surface made my heart ache for her, but a moment later a smile spread across her lips and she quickly hopped out of the pool to repeat the feat.

I see that same frightened look on the faces of brand-new real estate agents. A career in real estate is like learning to swim. I believe there is no better way to launch your business than to take off the life vest and jump in the pool.

Three pieces of advice to new agents:

1.   Lose the life vest. Immerse yourself in real estate all day, every day. To be successful in real estate, you have to give it 100% of your time and attention, so abandon any ideas that this is a part-time job. Be the first to arrive at the office in the morning and the last  one to leave.

2.   Jump in the deep end. Get in over your head. Get out of your comfort zone. This is a people business. If you are uncomfortable talking to strangers or are afraid of rejection, get over it, fast. The best way is to do the uncomfortable things frequently. Eventually, you’ll be floating along smoothly.

3.   Just dive in. The real estate industry is a vast, deep pool. There is so much to learn and it’s always changing. Take classes, lots of classes. Ask lots of questions. Never stop learning. There is no magic bullet, no perfect place to start. Just start with no excuses and absorb everything with enthusiasm.

In this business, you may feel like you’re drowning at times, but come on in and make a splash!

Trust me, the water feels fine.

CARRIE FOLEY is a REthink Council member and agent with Seattle-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate. Find Carrie at www.facebook.com/CarrieFoleyRealEstate or on Twitter, @CarrieFoleyRE.