By Dave McGowan

Congratulations! You just passed the state exam and are poised to start a new adventure in your life. But how do you go about getting things started? The initial few months of being in this industry are critical. We need to get you started in the right direction.

You want to begin creating a unique identity for yourself that the consumers will recognize. Over the next few months, we will be posting a number of suggestions to help you begin to develop your career.

JUST PASSED THE EXAM. NOW WHAT?

But, for now what do you do? Here are a couple of pointers you should initially consider:

Find an office with a good training program. More importantly find a managing broker that has both the time and the interest in helping to develop your real estate skills. More quality individuals leave the industry because they don’t get the support necessary during the early stages of their career.

You have to begin creating an identity for yourself. Reach out to your family and friends. Initially, they are your best source for potential leads. Don’t just call them and say “I’m in the real estate business.” Offer them an opportunity to be an essential component of your team. People like to feel they are part of something special.

Once you are able to gain access to the multiple listing service, spend quality time researching all of the available properties that are within the geographical area you intend to specialize in. The more you know about inventory the better you can assist potential buyers finding that perfect home. In addition, by knowing the existing inventory, when given the opportunity to take a listing you’ll know exactly what you’re competing against.

Schedule appointments to preview as many of the available properties as you can. Not only does this give you a first-hand experience in what the properties offer, it will also assist you in being able to understand how different amenities or characteristics affect the desirability of properties.

Get to know all of the “for sale by owners” (FSBO) that are within your geographical target. The FSBO, technically, is your competitor. However, as most FSBO will ultimately list their home with a broker, they become a viable listing opportunity. Develop a six-week game plan whereby you are able to meet the seller minimally once a week. We will provide you with a more detailed explanation of what this game plan might consist of in a future posting.

This is but a fraction of the ideas that you can develop designed to build and enhance your position in the marketplace as the “go to agent.” If you have any questions and would like some assistance, please reach out to the school office, and we will be glad to respond as part of our future postings.