There’s the old saying that you should at least one new thing a day. In my line of work, that is an easy accomplishment.
If you think your agent knows everything, you are unfortunately wrong. Doesn’t matter if they’ve been in business 5 years or 25 years. Contract language changes on a regular basis. The marketplace changes all the time. People have different goals, different problems, different constraints when selling or buying a home.
The only thing that can be said with certainty in this business is that change is constant. So to me one of the most important signs of a good agent is that they keep on learning. In fact, in my opinion those agents who keep on learning and growing because it’s just in their nature to do so are the ones that succeed in this profession.
Do you want an agent who knows how to get an answer to a question, or one who tells you they have all the answers? A few short years ago, many agents said they didn’t want to deal with short sales and foreclosures, but today those agents who understand how to manage those beasts are some of the ones that are surviving and thriving. FHA loans have become incredibly useful for many buyers — when one of my clients used an FHA loan to purchase property about a year and a half ago, many agents in my office were still uncomfortable with those loans. Today, almost all of them have clients using FHA loans.
So what have I learned today?
- I’ve learned about some of the best ways to combat jet lag, in preparation for my trip to Europe next week (!).
- I’ve learned how to get to the Kingstowne Center Long and Foster office, where I had an incredible meeting with their incredible broker.
- I’ve learned that single family home rentals are very difficult to find in North Arlington this summer.
- I’ve learned about some of the coolest new condo developments in DC.
All this, and it’s just 12:30!
What about you? Learn anything new today?
