As real estate professionals ourselves, obviously the topic of sales comes up in the office every now and then, an occasion which reminds us of how badly most of us in the business could use a refresher lesson on the basic idea that if you’re doing more talking than listening, the chances of a successful property close gets progressively more remote. You may have all the chops you think you need to sell property but that and three dollars will get you a frothy sweet coffee at Starbucks.

What hubris it takes to meet a customer and immediately launch into a litany of exactly what kind of property they must be looking for. Ever wonder why more than your share of fresh meat ends up looking for the nearest escape route from your office, a familiar glazed look in their eyes causing you to redouble your efforts to browbeat them into submission with even more information and aggressive tactics?

You’re not going to sell property like that but you certainly will find out exactly where it is ex-real estate agents slink off to with tail entrenched firmly between legs, wondering what crazy drug you were on to ever think you had what it took to make it as a real estate agent. Listen up, people, it’s not that hard. Well, actually it might be. Listening, really listening, is one of the most difficult activities in the world for the person desperate to bring any and all comers around to their way of thinking.

Here’s a secret. Life goes on even if someone out there has a different opinion on a matter than you do. It’s okay. Really. Trust us on that on. And if you’re a hungry agent trying to sell property, the only “right” that matters is the one that ends up with a fat commission check in your pocket. Try listening, interspersed with appropriate questions, to ascertain how exactly you can help them find the house of their dreams. Think about that for a moment. You should think of yourself as a facilitator or mediator between a customer and what they’re looking for to enrich their lives. Forget the notion of “sales” and take up the prospect of becoming a trusted adviser.

Everyone likes a good adviser. If they just happen to have a likely property to sell, so much the better.

The AIPIS Team