Want to learn how to succeed in real estate as a new agent? Just ask someone’s who’s done it. That’s why I sat down with 3 new First Team Real Estate agents Mindy Jacobs, Danelle Stroble and Marina Leung – to learn how they went from brand new agents to top producers in our company.
Let me introduce you to these amazing ladies:
Danelle Stroble is a wife and was a stay at home mother of three when she got her real estate license in September of 2012. She closed her first transaction in January of the following year and then over 20 more throughout the year. She joined real estate to pay for her eldest daughter’s private school tuition and now she’s making enough to put them all through school.
Marina Leung has run her own private equity investing company for the past 20 years but she was tired of waiting for her income between deals. That’s why she joined First Team as a real estate agent, to fill in the gaps and take control of her fiances. She closed 11 transactions in her first year (2013) and plans to double her volume this year.
Mindy Jacobs was a head hunter and switch full time to a career in real estate right off the bat. Mindy was drawn to the independence that comes with a career in real estate and was ready to make a positive change. Since last August Mindy has closed 8 transactions and is off to an amazing start for 2014. Mindy works out of the First Team Irvine real estate office.
I had lunch with these successful new agents and learned a bit about their journey in real estate. They hit the ground running and never looked back. Whether you’re considering a career in real estate or you’ve just begun there’s plenty to learn from these ambitious new agents. How did they do it? Well they all started talking about the same three things – strategies – that helped them get results and fast. Here they are:
1. Treat your real estate career like a business
Mindy – “One of the greatest things about real estate is that you can be your own boss in this industry with minimal investment. And as your own boss you need to remember that you are an entrepreneur. Setting goals, holding yourself accountable, budgeting and staying organized with your personal business is crucial to getting off the ground and staying ahead of the competition. First Team gave me the road map I needed to succeed and showed me how to start a real estate career.
They helped me set a work schedule to reach my goals plus they have materials for the journey every buyer and seller takes including a patented business plan for how to reach client goals based around their timeline. One of my first clients in fact said that the buyer journey was the reason they chose me as their realtor.”
Marina – “I run my own private equity business and my role as an agent now is another business. I already knew the organization and focus it takes to run a business and it was that mentality and experience I had that helped me succeed as a new agent. Having the backing of such a reputable and time tested company helped too. First Team is one of the best real estate brokers to work for because they already have a system in place.”
2. Gain as much knowledge as you possibly can
Marina – “When I got my first listing on a $900,000 home in Irvine, I made sure I was prepared for anything that a buyer or seller could throw at me. I had all my materials for my listing presentation, I researched the area and had the stats, I thought of every possible question they could ask and an answer. Arming yourself with the knowledge you need is the key to building your personal confidence and a client’s confidence in you.
No one thought I was a new agent because I was so knowledgeable. Part of the reason I chose to hang my license at First Team is because they’re #1 and I wanted to learn from a company who’s been there and done that. First Team has been working in the Southern California markets for over 30 years plus they not only made it through the market crash and recession – they came out on top. That’s a company I can learn from.”
Danelle– “I knew that in order to succeed I needed to gain as much knowledge as possible and it was the training I got from First Team that helped me learn what I needed. I learned so much in the PowerCurve training class– it was like an internship for real estate. I also took Brian Buffini’s Peak Producers class and it was the best investment I could ever make. There’s so much to learn when you first start in real estate so you need to become a sponge and just soak it all up.”
3. Work hard!
Mindy – “I found a lot of success through open houses and my persistence with them. I learned in the First Team PowerCurve classes how to host them and I kept up with them once I was on my own. I aggressively searched for open houses to host for other agents, doing as many as I possibly could fit into my schedule each week. That’s how I got my first client. I brought my First Team materials on the journey every buyer and seller takes to an open house and once they saw it, they were sold.”
Danelle – “As a new agent you can’t wait for things to come to you, go out and find it. Learn the MLS, put together buyer flyers, find open houses to host, door knock and drop, go to your kid’s events or family functions and talk about yourself and the exciting things you’re doing in real estate. There is so much to do, especially when you’re starting out in real estate. When you work hard and continually put yourself in front of people then it will pay off. For example the first client I found turned into 4 separate transactions!”
If you’re a new agent and would like more information on First Team and the exciting training opportunities available to you, check out our website.
