A realtor needs to demonstrate specific traits to succeed in most real estate markets. Potential buyers tend to look for similar things before deciding if they can trust their real estate agents.
Whether you’re a budding real estate agent, realtor, or starting your own real estate brokerage, here are 20 personality traits you’ll absolutely need to excel in this high octane industry.
1. Extroversion
An extrovert enjoys social settings, likes to spend their weekends out with friends, and doesn't need a lot of alone time to feel content. Real estate agents will be around a lot of strangers constantly. If you don’t thrive around people and new environments, you’ll struggle here.
2. Curiosity
Curiosity killed the cat, but a lack of this trait will kill the agent much faster. A real estate agent has to ask a lot of questions while doing their job. If you’re not invested in your clients' lives, you won’t be able to know how to help them. Agents should have an unstoppable need to learn.
3. Coolheadedness
Agents spend their days speaking to potential buyers, negotiating, and hearing the word “no.” Instead of getting flustered by this, the best agents will stay calm, cool, and collected. They’re unfazed by the walls their clients build up. Instead, they’re thinking about their next move.
4. Persuasiveness
Being able to negotiate is essential for any salesperson, including real estate agents. A natural persuader knows how to establish common ground with their clients. If you’re able to back up your points effectively and you’re not afraid to take a stand, you’ll be a great agent.
5. Persistence
The best persuaders also happen to be persistent. Agents that don’t take no for an answer will make more sales as a result because they know how to handle rejection. You know what you’ll need to become a great real estate agent, and no one is going to stand in your way.
6. Kindness
Kind people often have a high degree of emotional intelligence. If you’re able to read and understand your clients with pinpoint accuracy, you’ll be able to solve their problems. In the end, the best agents will always practice kindness when verbalizing meaningful solutions.
7. Confidence
Confident people enjoy praise, but they don’t need kudos from others to feel that they’re good enough to tackle any situation. Real estate agents can’t make a habit of comparing themselves to others. They need complete confidence in their ability to sell if they want to succeed.
8. Transparency
While transparency and trustworthiness often go hand in hand, transparency focuses on what isn’t said rather than straight-up lies. A transparent agent will put all their cards on the table and leave no stone unturned, which creates a win-win scenario based on mutual understanding.
9. Communicative
Can you successfully hold a conversation, even when you’re the one that has to come up with topics? Agents will meet plenty of people who aren’t interested in talking about themselves or are shy around strangers. If you can loosen them up, you’ll be able to build better rapport.
10. Conscientiousness
A conscientious person is punctual, reliable, and organized. Their consistent and predictable nature makes them highly organized. Clients love real estate agents that promise specific results and deliver them because you’re able to solve problems and prevent new ones.
11. Competitiveness
The best agents have a healthy competitive streak that doesn’t get in the way of their self-esteem. Remember that competitiveness isn’t the same as being a poor winner/loser. If you feel that you have to win, you’ll be a bad agent. If you think competition is fun, be an agent.
12. Passionate
If you don’t have an underlying passion for real estate, all of your other good qualities won’t be enough to help you excel. What’s a good work ethic without passion? While work ethic can separate you from average agents, it’s passion that will allow you to excel amongst your peers.
13. Adaptability
Real estate is full of ups and downs, but if you’re able to adapt to those changes, you’ll have an easier time than most. At the same time, in order to keep their success rate high, real estate agents need to pay attention to market trends, mortgage rates, and neighborhood desirability to sell more properties.
14. Risk-Taking
Being a real estate agent comes with a lot of risks. Due to market fluctuation, you could sell 10 million dollar homes one year and sell 5 $500,000 the next. If you’re comfortable with having a job that requires you to keep your finances close to your chest, then you’ll do fine as an agent.
15. Detail-oriented
Real estate forms are filled with tiny details that agents can’t mess up. Agents have learned to be highly detail-oriented to ensure they don’t lose a deal. While the finer details seem dull, even to the most experienced agents, you'll be respected if you successfully fill out the paperwork.
16. Trustworthiness
Real estate agents are handling transactions that are worth several thousand, sometimes several millions of dollars. If at any point an agent lies to get a sale, it’ll tarnish their reputation and possibly cost them their business. Professionally conduct yourself to excel.
17. Integrity
A person who has integrity is known for being honest and having strong moral principles. Salespeople have a reputation for lacking morals, but the best agents will stick to their guns even if doing so costs them the sale. Why? Because it’ll open the door to more fruitful opportunities.
18. Patience
Some real estate transitions can take several months or years to close. You’ll need to have the patience to wait out your wins, but that’s not all. Real estate involves a lot of waiting. Everything from using your active listening skills to client acquisition takes a lot of time and ample patience.
19. Resourcefulness
Resourcefulness is an incredible skill to have in all industries, and real estate is no different. You’ll spend a lot of time in unknown situations, so you’ll need to develop multiple solutions and avenues for your clients to reach their goals. This trait develops naturally through experience.
20. Responsiveness
Great agents make all of their clients feel like they're important. If you’re responsive to text messages, emails, and phone calls, your clients will put their faith in you. No matter how busy you are, you’ll have to make time for clients, whether it’s during the evening or weekend.
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