Do You Have What it Takes?

The quote above is a caveat, printed at the very front of my book, The Art of Selling Real Estate. 

I chose these words carefully and with complete honesty, as they reflect over 35 years of experience selling luxury residential real estate in New York City. While this sort of life may seem glamorous to some, the experienced brokers out there doing business in the post-recession market know that this business is centered on a few less romantic words: grit, and a sense of humor.

Many people dream in a vague way about how fascinating it would be to work in the field of real estate. They might imagine themselves making lots of money while galavanting around, looking fabulous at all times, meeting new people and seeing how they live. Perhaps they think it looks quite easy - but that is because good brokers make it LOOK easy!

The truth is that there is far more grit than glamour in this profession. Because the entry level to become a realtor is very low, there is no shortage of new people coming into the field. Not all of these people are experienced at selling real estate - but that is not necessarily a mandate to achieving success. 

Far more important is a person’s ability to continue to educate themselves: never stop learning. Stay on top of your game. Know your competition and take good care of your clients.

Most importantly, come to the table with a sense of humor, especially in the luxury real estate game. Take everything with a grain of salt, and try not to take yourself too seriously either. To truly make it in this game, you must take care of your body and mind, leave your ego at the door and find ways to laugh as often as possible.