We asked a range of leaders in the real estate industry from all across the country, 'What does it take to be a great real estate agent?'.

SCHWARTZWILLIAMS spoke to Malcolm Gunning, president REIA; Tony Collidge, president REIT; Hayden Groves, president REIWA; and Leanne Pilkington, president REINSW, about the characteristics that help agents succeed.

All successful agents at one time in their own right, each person we spoke to offered profound insights, and some common themes quickly emerged.

But it was also clear that there is no one 'type' of agent. Each successful agent is successful in their own way.

Empathy is essential. Agents have to negotiate with people from all walks of life, and they are often guiding people through one of the most important - and stressful - financial decisions of their lives. If vendors and buyers feel trusted and understood, the transaction is more likely to go smoothly.

Education is also key. A great agent will have a deep knowledge of all matters related to agency practice, regulation and the market, and that will give them an underlying confidence in their work.

And hard work. The agents all agreed that the rewards are there in real estate, but you have to be prepared to work hard for them.

Malcolm Gunning, president, Real Estate Institute of Australia

"There's no formula for what makes a good agent.

"They need a solid understanding of the fundamentals of agency practice. That is absolutely essential. That is where you get your confidence.

"You need strong knowledge of the market where you operate.

"Good agents need to have a reasonably astute ability to communicate and understand who is the decision maker. That is fundamental. Sometimes you need to speak to the men and the women differently.

"And empathy. They have to realise that one attitude doesn't suit all.

"A good agent has to be honest. If your vendor or purchaser don't believe what you say, you'll want to have a very good property to sell.

"Things like marketing, they are the add ons. A property with great marketing can't sell itself."

Tony Collidge, president, Real Estate Institute of Tasmania

"There's no set profile for a sales person. You can be an introvert or an extrovert, you can be detail oriented or a big-picture person. Good agents can come from all sorts of backgrounds.

"One of the qualities you need is to be a good listener. You have to be caring, honest, professional, and knowledgeable.

"You have to have a desire for success. Real estate is not just a job, it's a way of life. You've really got to be available 24/7, especially in the early years of your career, if you want to be successful.

"There's no ceiling to income. You can earn as much as you want as long as you are prepared to put the hours in.

"You're got to be technology savvy. With all the new tools and technology, you have to understand them and know how to use them."

Leanne Pilkington, president, Real Estate Institute of New South Wales

"Great agents need to be skilled communicators, and to be both customer and community centric.  

"They need to have strong negotiations skills, detailed knowledge of the local market and the most effective means of attracting the buyers that are specific to that market.  

"They need to be focused, determined and incredibly good time managers.  

"But most of all they need to be great at relationships, because people are at the heart of what we do."

Hayden Groves, president, Real Estate Institute of Western Australia

"Resilience and determination are key personality traits for quality agents. You take a fair share of knock backs and rejections especially when you start off a career in real estate sales. It can be hard to keep pushing through all that and keep to your game plan.

"You have to be organised and educated. Without a disciplined, focused approach to prospecting for business and maintaining the relationships you’ve built with existing clients, you can’t succeed in this modern world of real estate business. You’ve got to keep up with the latest trends and laws too along with keeping your knowledge base as wide as possible.

"Care for yourself and others. Great agents genuinely care about their clients. They’ve never forgotten the privilege of being entrusted to sell or manage someone’s family home or property asset. It can be a 24/7 game and you must make time for yourself too.

"Finally, and simply, you have to work damned hard and keep at it."

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How to start a career in real estate

Why become a property manager?

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