Deciding to become a real estate agent is a great move in the real estate career journey. Every person who ventures into this career path has their reasons for doing so and deserves some accolades. This is because as a real estate agent, you must be hardworking, ambitious, a goal-getter, consistent, patient, tolerant, enthusiastic etc.
But first, you need to understand that there is a difference between a realtor and a real estate agent although we tend to use the terms interchangeably. Before we proceed, let us get a clear understanding of these terms.
A Realtor is a real estate professional who is a registered member of the Association of Real Estate Agents in Nigeria (AEAN). This is an affiliate of the Nigerian Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV). They are considered one of the largest trading associations in the country. This was set up with the aim of regularizing the real estate agency practice in Nigeria. There are thousands of certified and registered realtors. Professionals who hold this membership title comprise of real estate brokers, sales agents, estate planners, property managers, property counsellors and many others in the real estate industry.
A Real Estate Agent on the other hand is a professional who is licensed to help people sell and buy properties and also stand as a representative in the negotiation process. The agent might be a sales professional, working under a real estate broker or just a broker etc.
NOTE that although they are both licensed professionals, capable of practicing either as individuals or agencies, all Realtors are real estate agents but not all Real Estate Agent are Realtors.
THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A REAL ESTATE AGENTS
- They are countless as they fall into different categories and fluctuate from buyers to sellers:
- They provide assistance and guidance to sellers and buyers of all types of properties to market and purchase at affordable prices.
- They help to determine the financial strength of their clients to help them get properties that suits them as most times, clients would often want to buy or lease a property on a budget.
- They carry out market analysis and competitions to make price comparisons.
- They intermediate negotiation processes on behalf of their clients, help with legal process and other related matters.
- They keep updated list of available properties and display them for potential buyers.
- They retain knowledge about the real estate business and its best practices.
QUALITIES OF A REAL ESTATE AGENT
It is known that real estate agents are people inclined. They should be able work well with different personalities in the social aspect of the job, as they are intermediaries connecting buyers and sellers of various types of properties.
Patience and perseverance because they will always meet with unhappy or unsatisfied clients. They must be comfortable working with different players such as the bankers, lawyers, property inspectors, assessors of the industry.
Another must have for a real estate agent is an outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, being able to communicate well and give relevant information is extremely important, not only when dealing with clients but also making acquaintances in the social stratus in the industry. Also keeping an optimistic approach is very useful, it gives clients a reason to trust and get comfortable when working with you as a real estate.
An added advantage for a real estate agent is the use of digital devices such as the computer and database. This helps to make the job comfortable by inputting photographs, videos and data of properties, matching with potential buyers.
Carrying out virtual tours electronically is trending in the real estate industry; it is a great work tool for real estate agents in the real estate companies. It gives the buyers the liberty to tour a property or piece of land through videos or mapped photos of a place from the comfort of their homes or locations.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A REAL ESTATE AGENT
Be of Legal Age. As a real estate agent, you must be 18 years and above and have completed at least HND, BSC level of education depending on your state or local laws.
Qualification and certification. A real estate agent must have a practicing license. To obtain this, you will need to enroll for several informal training programs and certifications at an accredited institution. Of course, this varies by states, so taking a state examination is the first step, then paying your licensing fee annually.
You can either join a real estate firm. As a real estate agent who is seeking recognition in the industry, it is mostly advised that you work under a real estate broker to gain more experience before becoming your own boss. It not only boosts your reliability, but also creates a bigger marketing network.
In practice however, it is possible to become a real estate agent after few months of networking on the field. It suffices to possess the traits befitting of a real estate agent (confer to qualities mentioned above).
In summary, it should be noted that the real estate business is contemporary times is fast growing, different companies’ agencies and agents are resurfacing daily, this is no doubt making the competition tight and almost reveals the real estate business as an unprofitable venture. However, we should be mindful that like every other business it will never be saturated, there is enough room for as many realtors and real estate agents as possible. It only suffices that the core values and virtue be upheld to the latter. Focusing on building sustainable relationships with clients is the safest and surest way to thrive in the field. Equally, let us not undermine the importance of networking with fellow agents and realtors.
Are you a real estate agent and working independent or do you need verification as a real agent?
