It Is OK to Say NO

There is no rule written in the real estate rule book that says you have to work with every possible potential client. There is no rule that says you have to be available to your clients all the time. Take a look around and you will find that some of the best agents are not always the most accessible agents.

The way to get ahead in real estate is hard work, there is no doubt about that. In the beginning most agents who end up being successful, out work the more experienced agents. Buyers and sellers love the attention and the time they receive from hard working agents. Many agents feel guilty not working six or seven day weeks. It is exciting especially when success starts to follow hard work. The most effective way to learn is to gain experience by doing.

Think about why you got into real estate. Real estate is a means to an end, not an end. Clients will stick with you, if you are good. In fact you will know when you are good in the business because you can say I'm not available at such and such a time and the client will wait. If the client won't wait for you, guess what- there will be another client.

I am not advocating being rude or prejudiced, all I am saying is that it is OK to have a life. You do not have to take abuse, you are entitled to time off and you should think about why you got into the business. The better you get at the business, the more you get paid for brains (problem solving, real estate marketing expertise and negotiating) and the less you get paid for brawn (always being there, hand delivering documents that could be mailed, emailed or faxed, endless open houses and doing things you don't believe will work just to appease clients.) Who would you rather work with- the brains or the brawns?

The transition from always accessible, to available to get the job done, is not always easy. It takes some getting used to. Start by planning a regular day off. Every other profession gets at least one day off. Schedule vacations and go. You will learn to hate what you are doing when you forego your vacation for the buyer who you know is going to buy if you go on vacation, because they never do. It is one of those laws of nature. Let someone else sell them and split the commission. In fact schedule more vacations because potential clients come out of the woodwork when you want to be gone. That is another law of nature, you might as well use it to your advantage. Find someone to cover your business-there really is someone else who can do it.

Have you ever noticed that people want what they can't get? That will apply to you, if you are not always available. You can have time off (I was going to write get away with but you are not getting away with anything, it is your right) if you manage potential clients expectations up front. "I will call you on..., I am not available on..I return calls on..."

You do not have work with clients you don't think will buy or sell. You are not going to sell everyone-really! Refer them to another agent or let them know politely that you don't think you can accomplish what they want. It is OK. You do not have to put up with abusive clients or people who make you feel unsafe. It is OK to say you are not available or hand them off to someone else.

So what am I trying to say? Work hard, learn the business, get paid for your brains and real estate marketing prowess. Take regular time off. Take vacations. Manage clients expectations. If you do all of this you can have a long and happy career and a life.