Real Estate Success Formula SOUL’D Chapter 2 Courage

Real Estate Buyers, Real Estate Sellers and Real Estate Agents need courage to get their goals accomplished

In real estate or life whenever you and I embark on anything new, we most likely will have to step outside our comfort zone.

For some this exploration is exciting and empowering. For others, especially in a real estate context, this can be a scary prospect. How do we overcome our fears of the unknown so we can do our best job in helping real estate clients find the right home under the right circumstances, and make the sale? 

Or, if we are the Real Estate Seller, how can we be more realistic in our pricing and expectations rather than allowing emotions to cloud our judgment when pricing?  Market indicators might not be what we want to hear, but if not listened to can derail any real estate transaction.

In my new book Getting the Property SOUL’D – A Breakthrough System for  Successful Stress-Free Buying and Selling,  I share my four decades-long experience with other Realtors and with Real Estate Buyers and Sellers of all stripes.  They discover what can go wrong when people get greedy, don’t tell the truth or aren’t clear on what it is they really want.  As you will see, it has a lot to do with fear.

For both Real Estate Buyers and Sellers I share how to avoid the pitfalls that can prevent a real estate deal from closing.

In one especially dramatic scenario, a dedicated family man, the newly-divorced father of three young children, told me he wanted a cozy family-style home—and then a big disconnect happened. After five months of detailed house looking he could not find a home he was even remotely interested in purchasing. Were there signs along the way that I should have noticed while showing him dozens of ultimately unacceptable choices based on what he said?

Did this real estate client intentionally mislead me, or was this a subconscious act?

In my opinion most people are not completely clear on what they want. Perhaps this Buyer wanted to be a great parent when his kids were with him, but was denying his other needs  that over-shadowed this particular wish.

How does a Realtor handle that type of situation? They must develop courage to tread carefully in unfamiliar territory. It may be uncomfortable to ask the type of questions that will lead to true answers, but these questions need to be asked in order to get to the heart of the matter. For example, the situation with the family man begged the question: “Why don’t you like any of the family homes you have seen?”

This is also where being able to understand other people’s emotions comes in handy. Taking a courageous chance and showing real estate clients something unexpected –as I eventually did by showing the bachelor pad along with the family homes – could lead to unexpected results. I encourage all real estate agents to introduce new neighborhoods, lifestyles, and even price ranges (although the latter needs to be done with caution). In other words, courageous thinking outside the box can produce extraordinary results.

Incidentally courage is not just for Realtors. Real Estate Buyers and Sellers also need to be courageous. If you are a Buyer or Seller and a real estate agent wants to represent you, ask how he or she differs from all other agents out there. What specifically will he or she do for you to get you your property or get you your price? Or if your current agent is not getting you the results you were hoping for, communicate your dissatisfaction and come up with a new real estate marketing plan– even if that means engaging  a new Realtor. That kind of open communication, or making a radical change, also takes courage.

Lastly, if you are a Realtor and your real estate client is unhappy with you, listen carefully to what they have to say rather than go on the defensive. Reflect on what they are saying. Can you make behavioral changes that might improve your relationship? Not reacting to difficult situations takes guts. So answer honestly—do you have that type of courage?

For more on Courage and how it relates to success you may want to order my book, Getting the Property SOUL’D – A Breakthrough System for Successful, Stress-Free Buying and Selling which will be out on Amazon on April 28th or sign up on the form attached to this Blog.

Be aware that any clients’ names have been changed to protect their privacy. Furthermore, Paula Pagano does not accept any liability for the content of any Blogs and this Website or for any actions you take or resultant consequences of actions taken based on the information provided in this communication. Any advice is my opinion after being a 35 year experienced real estate agent in San Francisco.