Brooke Wolford
By Brooke Wolford
Recently, I have noticed how often you see a character on TV playing a real estate agent or the several hundred reality shows about real estate. It brings home the point that real estate has the interest of pretty much everyone. You can’t turn on the news and not hear some sort of real estate-related story. Let’s face it, real estate is sexy.
The fact that so many consumers have interest in real estate makes me happy. However, I sometimes wonder if I fall into some sort of stereotype that consumers have about agents. Some examples I have heard in the past are:
1. Everyone is a real estate agent – For those of us who are still active in real estate, we know this is no longer true. The days of people getting licensed just to make a quick buck are over.
2. Our job is easy – Not true. We make it look easy to spare our clients some stress.
3. We all make a bunch of money – I read somewhere that the average agent last year closed one transaction. I don’t need to say anything further.
4. We all drive big expensive vehicles and plaster our faces on them – False.
5. We are simply about making money – To me, it’s more important to have a happy client than to make a quick buck. If my clients are happy, they will refer people to me.
With TV shows like “Cougar Town” and “Modern Family,” we are sometimes unfairly portrayed. What can you do? People obviously find something about us that intrigues them.
I was lucky enough to receive this video from a friend and it’s a clear example of what many consumers think of many of us.
Personally, this video made me chuckle. However, I don’t think it’s a clear example of who I am as an agent. I’m not about to put a picture of myself in a bikini on my advertisements. You will never see me driving a hummer with my picture and phone number on it. I definitely will never be gloating about how much money I make. It’s just not my style.
All you can do is to try and set yourself apart. This can only truly be done by your actions as an agent. You can’t simply say “I’m different.” All it takes is for you to be professional, creative, loyal and ethical. Being smart is sexy too, right?
If you need to draw attention to yourself, go for it! Do a Google search for “sexy real estate.” You will find plenty of ideas!
Brooke Wolford is a real estate practitioner with Edina Realty, Hastings, Minn. Follow her blog at adventuresinrookierealestate.com.
Comments 8
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I’m surprised this was published, don’t we have standards on YPN? Gaining more
insight and knowlege to share with my friends and clients seems to motivate and inspire me more. I am impressed with all of the writer’s except this one.
Rachel, thanks for you comment. I’m sorry you are displeased with this post. This is simply a response to the video that was sent to me and the stereotypes that are portrayed about agents in TV shows. Personally I have a hard time with the stereotypes in our industry and my whole goal as an agent is to protect the integrity of our industry.
Light hearted read! Thanks for speaking the truth about agents. Often times people are not willing to stand up against the crazy persona media gives agents.
I feel the same way about the perceptions and am often annoyed/frustrated by them since I don’t fit that mold either. Thanks for sharing the video too. Hilarious!
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What is the job of the guy or gal wearing the “R”, the hardest working letter in the alphabet? We make it look easy because the long drawn out sales, or the million little things we tend to from experience, with creative passion we think would be boring. It is not. And blog posts on how things fell together (with your help) or how it got hairy but how you kept it on track are good reads. Instead of just copy and paste market reports that are some king of boring.
We always find these videos entertaining, but we also have to ask, “is the person in this video the type of person I want to be responsible for my largest investment?”