Do you consider yourself a highly successful Real Estate Agent? Why or why not? 
Are you trading time for money? Are you going from deal to deal just surviving and spending hours looking for your next buyer or seller?
The big secret of successful agents is that they have stopped trading time for money the way most agents continue to do.
If you are burning the candle at both ends, working 7 days a week, evenings and weekends, missing out on your children's lives, not being home for dinner and being too tired to wash your face before you drop in your bed for 4 hours of sleep each night then you do not have a business, you have a JOB!
As long as you work like that there is ceiling placed on your head and you can not break through that ceiling. There is a limit to how much money you can ever make.
You either work so many hours to make the money you want to make but have no life or you don't work all those hours and therefore you have a life but no money! Many Real Estate agents kill themselves slowly by working 80+ hour work weeks for very little compensation. They barely make enough money to survive.
According to the NAR, 80% of new agents never make it through five years. Too many agents discover that they are putting in way to much time to justify their pay.
If you keep doing what you are doing you will keep getting what you are getting.
Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result!
All top agents who are successful own their own business instead of their business owning them, They have learned how to leverage their time by automating as much as is possible, taking advantage of technology and delegating tasks that can be delegated.
This is how I describe a successful career as a Real Estate Agent:
- You are respected by your clients and they value what you bring to the table
- You work a normal work week or less with plenty of time off to be with your kids, husband, wife, significant other and friends. You have time to pursue other interests.
- You have a healthy stream of clients who are seeking you out without you having to do any cold calling.
- You are set in your fee that you charge and your clients do not question your fee.
Stay tunes as we begin to explore this subject and in some of my future posts I will tell you our story about how we reached that critical point in our Real Estate Business and what we did to turn it around.
Copyright (C) by Katerina Gasset, All Rights Reserved * Secrets of A Successful Real Estate Agent.
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Call Nestor and Katerina Gasset for all of your referrals to West Palm Beach, Wellington, Loxahatchee, Royal Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Lantana and Manalapan, Palm Beach County Florida at 561-753-0135.
Hi Nestor & Katerina,
O.K., you've got our attention and we'll await your next post about this topic!
Stephanie Edwards-Musa The Woodlands, TX Real Estate
Check out my featured post from yesterday, Sellers are going through the 4 stages of grief and your role as their agent. Stephanie- you are doing great at balancing. There are some things that you can start a little at time to delegate. I know we talked about this on the phone. Your family should come first. Katerina
Ahhh! Einsteins Principle of Insanity. I use that one all the time.
Katerina, If somebody ONLY read your blog they would get all they need and more. This one sounds like it could be a book. Have you thought of that?
Bill Roberts
"Rolando The Realtor" Cuadrado, Frisco/Breckenridge, Colorado
Rolando- Why thank you for your warm compliments. It is the feelings I impart in my writing that connects, because I write from my heart and I do not care about being PC. You get the real thing with me! I have just come to this point in my life to pay it forward. For over 15 years I was an agent married to an abusive man who made sure I did not thing I was good enough. It took a long time to wake up and realize that I have so much to give. I love coaching, especially agents. No matter what field I am in volunteering, businesses and hobbies; I am able to impart what I know to help others. That is a gift that God has blessed me with and I thank God every day that he provided a way for me to get away and start a new life with my children. Now I have Nestor and he is so wonderful, he tells me everyday that I am a good writer and coach and agent. So this means much more than words can say... stay tuned, yes, you can have a FREE Platinum membership in my blog site, ;).
Bear with me, I need to write a few Localism posts first... Katerina
Bill Roberts - "Baby Boomer" Retirement Planning
Thank you Bill, you are always supportive and have such nice compliments to impart. And yes, I have quite a few books I have started, and then life happens and they get put aside, for a season. I am looking forward to finishing these books. I write non fiction, mostly self help and I am almost finished with an ebook on a different subject. But I do have one fiction novel I am writing that has to do with a conspiracy that a Real Estate agent stumbles upon. It is a good time to finish that one even though it is fiction in the political climate we are in, timely. Thanks for another book idea. Katerina
Julie Neerings, GRI Utah Real Estate
Julie- You can ask questions anytime. I would like to know more about your reversal letter that you wrote, email me please. Thank you for your confidence in me. I hope that you will be able to make some good healthy changes in your business. I so appreciate your support and comments. Katerina
David Slavin, ABR RE/MAX Grand - Katy, TX
It's is such a small world David- Nestor was an agent in Katy Texas for 5 years. We traveled back and forth for a while to see his kids in San Antonio and also for CE classes in Houston. Thank you and stay tuned. IF you like what you are reading consider subscribing to my blog. I have to post some of our listings first before I get on with this subject matter so be patient with me, thanks, Katerina
Marie Avery -Bradenton Real Estate
Marie- Thank you for your comment. I am so glad that you never work Sundays. That is so important to be firm in having days off and you will be much more productive for doing so. We also take Saturdays off and sometimes Fridays, depends on what is going on. Of course if there is a REAL emergency then we will take care of it. You have to have a line that is not crossed. Then your clients will respect you. Katerina
Marie Avery -Bradenton Real Estate
Oh, I wanted to add that when I first moved to Florida I was surprised at home many times I was asked to do showings on Sundays. I don't work on Sundays. I go to church. But then I discovered that the people asking me to show on Sundays were Jewish and their Sabbath was on Saturday. In that situation I have referred them to agents who do work on Sundays and sometimes I just switched out my days. Because I respect their religious Sabbath as well. Most of the time I am able to show them during the week. Katerina
Dan Forbes - Bradenton Real Estate
Dan- Thank you and stay tuned. Be patient, I have to post some of our new listings in Localism first. Then I will get to it. Katerina
William Moore
Yes William- a great quote from a great man. Katerina
Sheri Sanders -Easley,SC Real Estate
Consider subscribing to my blog so you can get all the posts. Be patient with me. I have some new listings I need to post before we get to the business at hand, it is coming up. Katerina
Pascack Valley Real Estate, Lisa and Robert Hammerstein
Lisa and Robert- Consider Subscribing to my blog so you do not miss the posts. Be patient and stay tuned. I have some new listings to blog about in Localism first. Katerina
Ellie McIntire
Ellie- Here is your front row seat, reserved just for you. You are here first. Now, be patient with me. I have some new listings and neighborhoods to blog about first and then we shall begin! Katerina
Katerina,
I am still trying to build myself to the point that I have a steady stream of people seeking me out. I have been SO guilty of burning the candle at both ends - I wrote a blog about that subject last month. I still probably work too many hours but it is tough to get established. I find your blogs encouraging - Thank you for sharing.
Excellent post! I will be following your future postings on this topic as well.
Best,
Scott
Margaret Woda, Maryland REALTOR
Margaret- Thank you. You are so nice and I sure appreciate you looking out for me. Katerina
Rita Taylor | Sanford NC Real Estate & Homes for Sale in Sanford North Carolina
Rita, I read that post you wrote and I believe I commented on it. You can not continue to burn the candle at both ends, you will burn out, there will be NO candle left to burn. I promise you that you will become much more productive if you take one day off each week. Stay tuned, I will write about it all, first I have to write some localism posts and have new listings to post about. Katerina
Pamela Williamson St.Louis, Missouri Real Estate
Pamela- You will learn a lot from the series of posts but also if you apply what I teach you will have success. The reason you are not making money is because you are working all the time! Katerina
Scott Cowan -Tacoma & Pierce County Area
Scott- Consider subscribing to my blog. I have to post some Localism posts first and our new listings and then we will get to the business at hand. How are things in Tacoma? When my family escaped Stalin and ran away from their homeland, Latvia, they were in a refugee camp in Germany for 5 years waiting for a sponsor from the U.S. Their sponsor was in Tacoma and that is where my grandmother lived ever since. She just died a couple of years ago at the age of 97. I also lived in Lynnwood for 5 years. One of my brothers lives in Tacoma and another one in Portland. How is the market there now? Katerina
Great post Katernina. I think many RE agents originally got in to real estate because of the flexibility of hours and days...but sometimes you just let the work overtake your life. I think balance is the key and as you state, running your business like a business.
Tracey Thomas Calabasas, CA Real Estate
Hi Tracey- Good to see you! Thank you for your comment. There is enough business to go around. Agents work their butts off for very little pay if they do not create priorities and establish their values. Also, those with low esteem, well, the clients will really abuse them because they do not know how to say NO. Katerina
Jeff Geoghan MBA, - Lancaster PA Real Estate Expert
That is one of the biggest time management dilemmas there is; how to stay in touch with your pipeline and your SOI when you are very busy. It applies to all businesses. I have never cold called. I don't like it when people cold call me; why would others like it when I do it to them? I also do not want to hassle with the no call list. I do not want the liability. There are much more productive ways to run a business.
Katrina, I am still looking for that magic bean to plant in my garden.
By the way, your disclaimers look a lot cleaner then they did.
Have a Blessed Day,
by John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR®
Mission Grove Realty
John Occhi Hemet CA Real Estate
John- The magic bean is coming along... Still have a couple more Localism posts to do. Just did posts for 3 new listings, now I have this local news thing with all the horse people to report about since that gives me tons of google juice, more than the players themselves! And Horse season is on its way so I must be out in front,:). Oh, I also am doing my 50,000 point post. I promise the one after these we will begin our successful agent training. Keep a look out and be sure to celebrate my 50,000 points with me! Katerina
Sandi Bauman
Sandi- Great! I am happy to help. Please read the comment I made to John, right above this comment. I have 3 more posts to do before I can post our success journey posts. Thanks, Katerina
Missy Caulk- Ann Arbor Real Estate
Missy- Thanks! I don't know how you missed it either, I might have posted on a weekend night. By request I have been writing weekly posts elaborating on segments of the bullet points. Katerina
It deifnitely pays to have enough people calliing you. Almost on five years...working in more leverage. Thanks.
Your article in Realtor Magazine caught my attention. I am looking forward to your blogs. Thanks for sharing.