Veronica Barragan

By Veronica Barragan

Some REALTORS® conceived 2012 as “The Year of Volume Transactions” because lower home prices created the need to increase transactions to keep up with personal career goals while maintaining life styles and income. In actuality, 2012 has quickly become “The Year of the Professional.”

We’re in an environment where REALTORS® celebrate authentic, professional standards, and embrace all markets as a visionaries. They can stand back and understand the big picture, while in turn, offering excellent client service with integrity.

For example, in states such as Arizona where I currently practice, many REALTORS® have shifted their business dramatically and quickly from the dwindling REO niche back to buyers and sellers. REALTORS® are going back to basics, which should have never been ignored if they planned on making real estate a long term career. “The basics” encompass key fundamental characteristics that never ever disappear and easily transcend time.  The basics include the utmost professional attention to each and every client’s needs, appreciating every phone call as the gateway to referrals because of the agent’s attention to detail, and, more importantly, having the ability to be fully present and aware of the intentions, desires, and needs of every individual who comes to you, as an agent, for your real estate expertise.

Today’s market is diverse and includes first-time home buyers, the tech-savvy newest generation, the growing and underserved Hispanic community, investors, second home buyers, and sellers in a hardship situation. To be able to serve this new and diverse clientele effectively as a professional, you must be able to adapt the basics into your business plan and into your soul.

There is no more sitting back and waiting for the bank to assign you that distressed property, because you will not survive — if you’re even in the industry anymore. And there are no more pre-qualified buyers where falling out of the sky as there were in 2005 and 2006. A time where EVERY seller had exponential equity in their homes has quickly vanished. Don’t get me wrong, that seller is still out there — but like a chameleon, a true professional must adapt and mold to the new conglomerate client out there.

This year, 2012, is about looking within and asking yourself a very sincere question: Is real estate a career I’m passionate about or a way to make a quick buck? If you understand the basics, which include passion, integrity, and a true understanding of personal relationships, then you will do just fine and volume will come quite easily.

Stay true to your trade, appreciate it, respect it. Become the go-to professional, and I assure you that this year will be your BEST year in a long time.

Veronica Barragan, a REALTOR® since 2005, founded Sueno Realty Group in January 2007, and is currently the broker-owner. Connect with her at suenorealty.com.