Jeremy Kaplan
Many jobs entail doing a variety of duties as part of the role but the job of the realtor not only involves being a real estate agent but also a number of other, diverse jobs. This means that the skills required of the realtor go far beyond simply selling your house. So what roles do the realtor need to master to be a success?
The negotiator
Being a negotiator has to be top of the list of roles that a realtor needs to fulfil. While a property is listed for a set price the buyer may want to submit a different offer for any number of reasons. There could be a few offers on the table for the property, above and below the asking price. Or the property may have been on the market without much interest for an extended period of time. In all of these situations, the realtor must act as a negotiator to bring together the parties and find the right deal for everyone.
The psychologist
Psychology plays a big part in the role of the realtor for different reasons. As part of negotiations, it is often important to have an understanding of the psychology of those involves in order to work on the best deal. Realtors are also often called into roles more like that of a therapist – helping people deal with the stress of selling a home, regret at selling a property and fear that a deal will fall through.
The photographer
Pictures of a property are one of the first things that attract people to a property and therefore solid photography skills are required of the realtor to avoiding hiring in a specialist. This means that they need to have a good knowledge of what to photograph but also some skills at staging the property to highlight its best features in a way that will appeal to buyers. This can be anything from tidying the children’s toys into a box to rearranging the mantle ornaments to make the best of the room shine through.
The manager
Even when the realtor works alone, they still need to be a manager to deal with contractors and other people involved in the business. This might mean organizing handyman services, cleaning staff or landscape maintenance to keep a property in top condition or prepare it for sale. It might also mean working with security staff if they are managing a home when the homeowner is away on vacation. They also have to manage the various parts of each sale including dealing with escrow officers, inspectors and even other realtors in some cases.
The many roles of a realtor
These highlights a few of the roles of the realtor to show the skills and abilities that they bring to their work. In order to do their job well, they need these skills and sometimes more and by using these techniques and approaches, they can get the best deal for you, help you through a stressful time and ensure your property sells as quickly as possible.
