Are You Thinking About a Career in Real Estate?

If you bear these 10 traits, a career in real estate could serve you well.

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Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

So you’re interested in learning more about what it’s like to work in the world of real estate (or at the very least, you were curious enough about the industry to check out this blog). Well, there’s a lot of information to digest, but let’s start with an important question: What does it take to be a good agent? Are you cut out for it? Here are the top 10 traits that describe every successful agent:

1. Problem-solver. There are a ton of moving parts in every single real estate transaction and plenty of room for things to go wrong; are you ready to roll up your sleeves and find solutions on the fly?

2. Self-motivated. Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit?

3. Honesty and integrity. These are increasingly difficult traits to find, but they’re essential to achieving true professionalism and serving the needs of others.

4. Willing to hustle. When the going gets tough, tough agents get going.

5. A general interest in homes. You don’t have to be a specialist, though. No one will expect you to have an advanced-level knowledge of architecture or interior design, but you should be someone who enjoys looking at different homes.

In this business, the more detailed you are, the better off you’ll be.

6. Engaging personality. Since we’re doing everything via video these days, are you someone who would feel comfortable reaching out and grabbing people’s attention? Do people often tell you that you have a confident yet welcoming demeanor?

7. Attention to detail. Salespeople aren’t generally known for having a meticulous, detail-oriented nature, but here’s the truth: In this business, the more detailed you are, the better off you’ll be.

8. Knowledgeable about the local market. You need to be able to look at the data, draw the proper conclusions, and then help clients make sense of it all through casual, jargon-free conversations.

9. Natural networker. Building a network of people who know, like, and trust you isn’t just important in the real estate business—it is the real estate business.

10. Well-informed. Do you have an appetite for the latest reports and news articles about the real estate market (local, regional, and national) and the economy at large? You’ll need one; staying up to date is how we agents further position ourselves as experts.

I hope you found this brief list to be a helpful starting point; there is much more to be said about each of these 10 traits, and there are certainly more traits that will serve you well in the real estate world. If reading this has made you feel excited or even convinced about a career in real estate, I’d love to talk to you. Just give my team or me a call, or send an email. I look forward to speaking with you and sharing what I’ve learned in my 34 years in real estate!

Which 5 Tips Will Make Your Offer Stand Out?

Here are five tips to help your offer stand out to the seller.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

Being a buyer in our current market is tough, but if you want to make your offer stand out and win that perfect home, here are the five tips to remember:

1. Get the seller to like you. Send them a letter, video, picture, or anything else that lets them know more about your family than your offer does. Be careful, though—anything you send can either be used for or against you.

2. Offer to do a quick inspection or have no inspection at all. Additionally, you can abstain from making any repairs. This isn’t without some risk, of course, but it does make your offer very competitive.

3. Don’t have any contingencies. For example, don’t make your offer contingent on your own home sale or financing. Again, this can be risky and it’s not for everyone, but it will help your offer stand out to the seller.

4. Include an escalation clause. If you offer $300,000 for the house, for instance, tell the seller you’re willing to offer up to $310,000 if you have to outbid the next person. There are ways to word this clearly in the clause while still protecting your interests.

Don’t make your offer contingent on your own home sale or financing.

5. Get pre-approved. Don’t just hand over a letter from a lender saying, “Hey, they’re nice people.” Get your loan fully approved and have a letter that verifies it. Your best option is to get pre-approved for a conventional loan. We’re seeing a lot of buyers with VA, FHA, or government loans lose out on houses right now. It’s hard to compete with a conventional loan because they require less work on the seller’s behalf.

If you need a strong agent to represent you on your home buying journey, get in touch with us at the Charlotte Mabry Team. I’d love to introduce you to one of my expert buyer specialists so you can win the home of your dreams.

If you have any other real estate questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us as well. We look forward to hearing from you.

Which Home Projects Were Most Popular During Quarantine?

Here’s a fun list of the home improvements that kept people busy this year!

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

More than 75% of people surveyed said that they’d done at least one home improvement project since March. If you’ve been to Home Depot or Lowe’s recently, you’d probably say that number seems about right. So what were the typical updates that people made to their homes over the past six months?

1. Outdoor projects. Whether it was boosting the backyard aesthetic with a new fountain, putting in an outdoor dining area, adding fences, clearing debris, or redoing the deck, outdoor projects kept more people occupied than any other type of improvement. After all, who wasn’t craving some fresh air this year?

2. Repainting the interior. Why not? A lot of us had extra time on our hands, a good deal of which we spent staring at the same walls every day, wondering, “Is it time for a change?”

3. Switching internet plans. When you suddenly have to start working from home, you find out quickly whether or not the internet plan you’ve been paying for is actually any good. Out with the old routers, in with a new, higher speed connection!

Outdoor projects kept more people occupied than any other type of improvement.

4. Flooring updates. That could include removing old carpet or hardwood flooring and laying down some of those new composite floors.

5. Updating bathrooms. Adding new fixtures and cabinetry can go a long way.

6. Adding an office space. In many cases, homeowners created multiple workspaces. Don’t forget that the kids needed a designated spot for virtual learning, too!

7. Installing security cameras. Considering everything that transpired so far in 2020, it’s not surprising many folks wanted to beef up their home security.

If your quarantine has been less ambitious and you haven’t done any of these things, there’s no shame in that, either! However, if you’re thinking about selling soon, I’d implore you to look at that list again from a different angle: These are the things homebuyers want most! Consider making some of these simple improvements to maximize your sale. For those of you who have already done most, if not all, of these updates, then a home like yours is in extremely high demand.

For more information on selling in today’s market or home improvement tips, don’t hesitate to give me a call. I’d be happy to help you find out the current value of your home and get you started on the right path. I hope to hear from you soon!