Professional development is a great way to stay ahead of the competition. In a recent survey we conducted, we learned that real estate agents who keep learning and stay up-to-date on current trends earn about $50,000 more annually than those who don’t. Last year in our Trick of the Trade campaign, we asked agents across the country for advice on what they do to invest in their own professional development. Here are just some of the tips they shared.
#1: Take classes
Professional development for real estate agents begins with education. Myriad courses are available to help you earn, maintain, and upgrade your real estate license. High-quality real estate classes can help you gain essential skills, develop expertise, and continually grow your career.
Always keep learning! Whether you are a seasoned real estate agent or new there is always something to learn! New technology to help grow your business, classes on different topics such as loans, foreclosures, scripts. Take in all the knowledge you can and then personalize and apply it to a way that works for you! – Christi D.
#2: Soak in everything real estate
While it’s good to have a niche, a broad understanding of real estate is essential. It’s a good idea to learn everything you can about your local housing market, community, and listings. At the same time, make sure you have a strong foundational knowledge of real estate principles and best practices.
Knowledge is power. The more you know about listings, the more you know about the area, the more you know about houses in the sense of its structure and how it works, and the more you know about just real estate in general, people automatically want to choose you because they believe in your abilities as their real estate agent. – Bryan C.
#3: Make professional development a habit
Set aside time each week or each month for professional development. Subscribe to real estate magazines and blogs, listen to podcasts, read the real estate sections of newspapers, attend professional development seminars and conferences, read books, and follow industry leaders on social media.
The number one trick for me is learning something new each day, this makes me more knowledgeable which in turn does the same for my clients. – Michael C.
#4: Go above and beyond what is required
If you want to stand out and stay ahead of the competition, you have to be willing to go above and beyond. The final professional development tip for real estate agents is to take additional classes beyond the minimum continuing education (CE) requirements in your state. For example, in order to set yourself apart, you might take extra courses that will help you develop niche expertise in a certain area of real estate.
Taking classes beyond the CE requirement keeps me up to date and in the know, making me an expert with my clients. It’s easy and should be a must for everyone in the industry to put education and involvement #1 on their list of things to do!! – Lisa H.
Do you have a trick of the real estate trade? Let us know by filling out the form below or visiting this page! You could be featured in a future blog post!
