Of all the skills a real estate agent must have, perhaps none is more important than communication. You will need to be able to listen and speak effectively. Communicating is also much more than just being able to pick up the phone to tell your customer that the other party has accepted the offer. Read on to learn more about the communication skills you’ll need to be a top-notch real estate agent.
to listen. Actively listening to all parties is more important than anything else. Going through their ideas without really listening to the other party doesn’t help them, or you. They are likely to turn to another agent who will listen to them. Take the time you need to really understand what’s important to them, ask the questions you need to clarify any points that aren’t clear, and let them finish their thinking. Interrupting or moving on to another topic will convey the feeling that you are not interested in serving your customers.
Translate technical terms. You need to be able to read and understand documents and terms, and then make them make sense to your customers. A craftsman with a partial basement next to an easement might make a lot of sense to you, but to a buyer it might be as foreign as another language.
Interpreting what your client means. Some people are uncomfortable talking about money, but when it comes to making the biggest investment of their lives, they have to talk about money. You need to know what they can really afford, so they don’t get into a situation that is in over their head. They may not be able to express what they really want in a house either. Some people may communicate better using pictures or just aren’t sure how to put into words what they want in a home, so having pictures on hand and letting your client show you what they want will help clarify their wishes.
Speech. You have to keep your customers up to date on what’s going on with the sale. But it’s important to be tactful while remaining realistic. Telling the other party that you think they are crazy about the offer they are making will not endear you to it, nor will they trust you to be trustworthy. You must be able to express your information effectively and do so in a calm and professional manner.
negotiating. There really is an art to negotiation. You have to know what both parties want and bridge the gap between them. It’s more than just launching new offers: it’s about being persuasive, and that requires a bit of psychology. You have to get both parties to concede something, so making both parties feel like winners takes practice.
So how can you improve your communication skills? Evaluate your own current levels and see what you should do first. If you need to improve your reading or writing, your local community college will have courses you can enroll in that will improve your skills. Other skills, such as negotiation and active listening, are often available through professional development organizations. If talking makes you anxious, try joining your local Toastmasters group. So, practice, practice, practice – it always makes you better!