Many real estate agents, whether veterans or beginners, face a number of challenges during their career. How can you overcome these challenges and still become a successful real estate agent?
We decided to find this out for ourselves by talking to someone who has been through the process of becoming an agent while establishing their real estate career. We asked a number of questions to better understand what you need to do to start a successful career in real estate.
In this interview, we talked to Yeo.
Yeo graduated from Curtin University, Perth and came back to Malaysia where she acquired a sales job selling lubrication and grease to manufacturing factories. She had been in 2 other sales jobs before entering the real estate industry as an investor. She invested in 2 properties and got immediate great returns. This further piqued her interest in the industry and it was from then on that she joined the market in a more active role. She had been in the sales industry for 15 years before joining IQI.
“I chose IQI because of their warm and welcoming culture. We started out small and continued to grow; the rest is history.”
Here’s what she had to say.
1. Could you please introduce yourself for our audience and tell us more about yourself?
Hi there guys, my name is Yeo, and I am one of the Heads of Team in IQI Realty here in Malaysia. IQI is the very first real estate company that I have worked with and I have been working with them for more than 6 years now. I have to say, it has been a wonderful journey. It had its fair share of challenges and obstacles along the way, but in the end, I was able to persevere and triumph, and I had a lot of fun along the way. IQI has shown me how, right from the start.
2. What do you need to become a real estate agent? Education, training or both?
As a real estate agent, your each moment is spent working for yourself. This means managing your own office work, paperwork, finding leads, developing relationships, managing contacts, and dealing with clients. Honestly, I think both education and training are of great importance. Education is the foundation of your career and training helps prepare you for the market. For example, the market training we receive gives us insight into both the sentiments of the people and all the activities around us that help us become better agents.
3. Would you please tell us more about the course you had to take to become an agent? How long was the course and what was the fee?
Going into the real estate industry as an agent takes more than just making the career choice, it also means completing the educational requirements. I underwent an intensive CPD course from MIEA which taught me all about the skills we need in selling and project marketing, how to get big deals and more. This training was very practical; hence, we were able to really benefit from it. This course also highlighted what agents should know before going into the market.
It’s a 2-day course and agents need to pay RM600 for the training.
IQI continues to train its agents to keep us a step above the others in the market. And this is why IQI is such a good choice.
4. Is it easy to become successful in the real estate arena? What kind of challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Deciding to become a real estate agent is a major move in anyone’s career journey. In this world, nothing is easy. You’re an independent entrepreneur and control your own business deals. You make the decisions. You need a good attitude and solid work ethic, and there are virtually no limits for the growth of your business. In the real estate industry, the hardest part I found, is prospecting. The number of rejections that I faced at the beginning of my career was overwhelming, but I believed I could do it. So I continued to strive to do my best; and for every ‘no’ I got, I knew the next one would be a ‘yes’! This industry does not need a sprinter, we need a marathon runner.
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5. Before you became one yourself, what was your impression of the real estate profession?
Before I became an agent I had this perception that real estate is a very complex business. I thought being a real estate negotiator would be a very lonely path because conventional negotiators can only work within their areas and we do not normally venture out internationally. However, my perception changed when I joined IQI. This is not a mundane 9 to 5 job. Real estate agents set flexible daily schedule’s that works for them. Much of a real estate agent’s time is spent socializing, meeting people, and building relationships.
6. How have you and your team grown over time? How do you guys plan to get new clients in the future?
My team has grown over 5 times since 2017 thanks to our incredible platform, IQI. It empowered my team and I to go further and grow bigger. It takes loads of energy and drive to accomplish everything that needs to get done every day. All different marketing methods work, we just need to be active and continuously keep at it until we succeed. My team thrives on drive and ambition, as well as mutual support; and this keeps us motivated through good times and lean times. Our clients note our energy and drive, and appreciate our enthusiasm for the business. This is what builds trust.
7. How do your team and IQI ensure the quality of service?
I believe in leading by example. By continuously improving ourselves we try to be perfect, but we can never be perfect, this is how the world works. So, by always trying to achieve perfection, we are constantly making ourselves better, and we can continue to deliver the best services.
Real estate agents are in a service profession. Our job centers on helping other people. It is very rewarding helping people navigate one of the biggest financial decisions of their lifetime. Our enthusiasm for our job is our biggest selling point and ensures we continue to maintain the highest quality of service.
8. Finally, what is your message to those who are thinking of pursuing a career as a real estate agent/negotiator?
The real estate industry can be extremely rewarding. It is a competitive game and requires both ambition and focus. If you thrive in a competitive environment, the real estate industry is just right for you. Giving up on yourself when things do not go your way is not only giving up on the company, it is giving up on what you promised yourself when you first came into this industry. Remember, it is not about how fast you can run, it is about how far you can go.
If you are interested in kick-starting your own real estate career, then don’t hesitate. Fill in the form below and be a part of a team of global real estate entrepreneurs and investors.
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