By Heino Molls
As an observer of the real estate industry for more than 25 years, I have come to understand a few rules when writing about it.
One of the most important rules that I am pleased to pass along is that no matter how much you may have seen or how many people you may know in this business, unless you have actually worked as a Realtor, you don’t know much about it. I think that pretty much applies to almost any profession. Go ahead and report on it. But unless you are in it day-to-day, don’t you dare tell people how to run their industry.
Having made that caveat, I do feel endeared to Realtors because of the entrepreneurial nature that real estate professionals must have in their hearts to get into the business and stay in it. I share it.
I too am an entrepreneur. I have observed the highs and lows of business. I have endured failure and success in my business life just like many Realtors have over the years. I have learned from Realtors that innovation and creativity are the keys to survival when times get tough.
The real estate market is active. It has been for a long time. Everything I see tells me that the market will continue to be robust for a long time but as I point out, I am not an expert.
I remember times, in fact a number of times, when the real estate market not only slowed, it ground to a halt. I recall how I marveled at how many good professional Realtors showed innovation and creativity in working through those markets.
I was privileged to know some exceptional Realtors during times when the market changed quickly. They had legendary reputations for finding clients just the right house when the market was hot. Then when things went cold, almost overnight they suddenly became well-known for selling impossible listings in an impossible market.
They were creative. They were innovative. That is what set them apart. That is what made them successful.
Believe it or not, these were times when some Realtors would run at the thought of having to take a listing. They couldn’t sell them. But exceptional Realtors took them, and they managed them. And when one thing did not work to sell them, they would tenaciously try another. They never gave up.
Maybe the key to succeed in the real estate business is not trying to find more listings when they are hard to come by or selling properties when markets are slow. It seems the key to it all is being innovative and creative no matter what the market is like.
As I said, I came to the conclusion a long time ago that it is not my place to tell Realtors about the real estate business.
But I can learn from it.
Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected].
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