My first year in Real Estate was one full of learning and growing... getting frustrated with myself and getting frustrated with others... finding what works and what doesn't work (for me)... learning who to trust and who to stay clear of.... where to spend my time and get the best results and where my time is wasted... who to go to for help and who really cannot help me.
It all started with the Magic Three. I had 3 different people tell me I should try a career as a Real Estate Agent. I had been investing in Real Estate for a long time and learned a lot by taking 3 day classes, 1 day classes, and online webinars. Finally, it was time to break down and figure out what being a Realtor meant and how it could positively influence my life. After taking a class at the local community called TMCC with Ben Scheible as the instructor. (The slow paced environment and online course option was perfect for me at this indecisive time.) Waited a year after passing the class to finally make a move, take the test, and interview brokerages.
In 2015, after interviewing several brokers, I found my nitch with Keller Williams Group One in Reno Nevada. The environment was positive, Gary Keller preaches about investing in Real Estate (See Millionaire Real Estate Investor book by Gary Keller), and the Education they was just what I needed to surround myself with. After all, I had a whole new Career to learn & a business to build. Scary? Yes. Exciting? Yes. Demanding? Yes. Frustrating? Yes! Despite what you surround yourself with, this businesses success stems on YOU! (ME).
I've always been a big fan of self improvement. I remember my first speaker event with Brian Tracy. I couldn't help laughing when he told us all he stands in front of the mirror saying, "I like myself, I like myself, I love myself..." reciting his daily affirmations in the morning. At the time Affirmations were a new concept for me. NOW, they are a daily necessity.
I began working on ME! Mindset is something you hear about here and there, but, it's not until that Ah Ha moment that you realize it's a real thing you need to work on daily. For those of you who are blessed not to have to ever work on it, God Blessed you with this gift. Reading the Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod and putting what I learned into my morning routine was just the beginning.
While in the Ignite Classes Keller Williams designed for new agents, I would always write down the names of the agents they mentioned were doing something cool with their business. Taking the top agents to Coffee and scheduling quick chats with these success stories were a regular habit of mine. "Do what the successful agents are doing." What is it that the top agents are doing that I MUST make a routine in my daily/weekly/monthly routines.
After getting "The Face" or "The Sigh" when I would ask some agents for help, I began an attitude of , "I'm going to figure this shit out one way or another!"
I read "The One Thing" by Gary Keller and his team. This helped me decide I needed to pick a specialty activity (without really knowing what I was good at) and decided Open Houses would be my nitch. I sought out the agent who was having great success with Open Houses and asked if he would allow me to shadow him at his next Open House Event. He agreed to co-host the Open House. Besides getting to know a really cool guy and awesome family man, I learned some key points about Open Houses AND being a business owner in this business. MARKETING was my take away from this encounter.
Immediately, I purchased some semi-custom Open House Signs & started Hosting Open Houses every weekend and some weekdays. Custom Flyers, Door Knocking, Door Hangers, with a purpose. Don't get me wrong, I was already hosting these and doing some of these activities, but figured out the Marketing element and how important this was for my business. I made sure I didn't miss advertising on Facebook and other social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter.
It wasn't until I was hosting an Open House for one of the top Listing Agents in my brokerage and one of my fellow agents told me, "I barely found your open house. Your tiny signs were hard to see and a few blew over. My balloons had popped and she was right. I was spending 4-5 hours on these activities with missed opportunity because of poor marketing.
Next, I searched and searched and searched some more for a way to make sure my signs were not missed at my next Open House. Finally, I found pennant flags that said "Open House" that fit right in the "Flag Holder" on my existing sign frames. Finally, with this and the help of some big Rocks, my Open Houses would be missed no more.
Generated my first transaction from an Open House. Another agent in my office and I had informally teamed up to help each other figure out this "Getting Business in Real Estate" thing. We co-hosted an open house where we did all the door knocking, hanging Invites to our Open House & advertising in the Newspaper. (Note: I forgot to mention, I was working a full time job in a Dental Office while trying to get this business off the ground. I had every intention of making it a full time career, but needed to make money before quitting my job. Ugh!) So, through lots of practice, I started getting better at this OPen House thing. Funny thing is it's all about having conversations with people. A conversation led to a lead which led to a Guest Putting in an offer on the Open House my friend and I hosted. Yay!
Finally, My first transaction. I was so happy to have someone to share in this learning process. We were a good match for now. Where I was lacking, he was strong (and vice versa).
Once you get a few transactions under way, your confidence level increases and makes you get to the next step. The Next Step is learning what your ONE THING is. This is a journey travelled for the last year.
After getting several Escrows under my belt, through being recruited and accepting a position on a TEAM I learned a lot about myself. This mismatch helped me realize my values and beliefs and my WHY.
They had talked about THE WHY on several different occasions. It was difficult for me to realize that my WHY was much greater than I thought I could imagine.
One of the families I helped early on, who cried when they were able to purchase their first home after 10 years of trying to acquire this American Dream. The man shook while trying to put the key in the keyhole for the first time opening the door to the home HE NOW OWNED. I cried... the whole family was in tears. (It makes me cry just thinking about it now.) This is a family who will forever be a part of my life and my story. It gave me the opportunity to ask a friend of mine just entering the world of Real Estate to help me out because I didn't speak Spanish and I felt like my service to them would be much greater with improved communication.
My husband and I have always craved the ability to have a Life Bigger than ourselves. I'm not talking about Money, although money helps give us opportunities where we can create that Life Bigger than ourselves. We want a life full of the ability to give and have choices. Being in a position to help monetarily or otherwise is something that makes the world go round.
I've always felt like we are missing a very important learning piece with our youth and young adults. Some of us didn't know what we wanted to be when we grew up since we were 2. We get out of High School and go to College because that's what you are supposed to do. And, get a job to help pay for it. I just wasn't creative enough to figure it out for myself, like my older brothers did. Going to a College Prep High School should have prepared me for a future is some sort of career or direction. For some reason, it didn't. Because of this, my desire to help young adults learn how to tap into their minds and exposing them to things they wouldn't normally be exposed to is something I'm passionate about. College is not the ONLY option.
My Why is now more clear.
After attending a Tony Robbins Event in 2016 and hiring a coach in 2017, my thoughts have improved. Do what the successful Agents are doing. They all have a coach.... so despite the cost, I hired one too. He has helped tweek my bad "mind habits" to think in such a way that will help me progress and get rid of the funk in my life.
There is a saying "Lead with Revenue".... which is great when you HAVE revenue! If you want things to happen, you need to spend some money. You don't have to spend a lot, but you will need to come in realizing this. I'm telling the truth. Here are a few things I spent money on when I first began: Flyers, Flyer Holders, Open House Signs, Fuel (We drive a lot), Trainings worth going to (Keller Williams has a must not miss "Family Reunion" I highly recommend. You don't have to be a KW Agent to go. ), Licensing, MLS Access, Lockbox Access Key, Realtor Board Membership, Brokerage Fees, Websites, CRM (Customer Relations Management Software - aka Database), Business Cards, Thank You Notes, Copy Fees, and shoes (I've been through a lot of shoes in this business. Ruined some high heels while showing homes and having to walk across lawns, in snow, through rocks, etc.). s
If you don't want to spend money, join a TEAM. TEAMS are awesome for those new agents to be surrounded with systems, team coaching, good energy and motivation, and to have someone there to ask questions on your first transactions (because they are all so different). The key to this is you MUST get on the right team. Not every team is designed alike. Find out what the teams values are and what their mission is. If they don't have a Values Statement and a Mission Statement, you have to figure out if that is a team run like a business you want to mimic or learn from. Find out if their values match yours. Be clear on your splits, because, as much fun as this business is, money matters. Your efforts should match your rewards with the team. With the right team, you can learn a lot in a shorter amount of time.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Who cares if they give you "THE FACE". This is important. You must get over the idea of "I really just don't want to bother anyone." Bother EVERYONE! Eventually, with activity and successes, they will realize you are serious. Ask top agents to go to coffee, or meet with you periodically. My advise is to have a written list of objectives for your meeting. You can send this list to whomever you are meeting with, if you'd like. They will probably appreciate this so they know you have an agenda and they can be prepared to help you to the best of their ability.
The biggest Lesson is "DON'T GIVE UP!"
Must reads: The One Thing, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, The Magic, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Think and Grow Rich, The Miracle Morning, The Slight Edge, Jesus Calling, The Power of Positive Thinking,
Must Take Courses: The Language of Sales, 90 Buyers in 90 Days, Agent Financials, Ignite, Tony Robbins UPW, Mike Ferry's Superstar Retreat.
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