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Rainmaker
1,027,657
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

On behalf of introverts everywhere, I have to say I have no problem getting along with almost anyone, however, do not confuse being introverted with being shy.

Personally, I think introverts can often make BETTER agents because we tend to be great listeners and take a true interest in our clients, as well as tending to be well organized.  Not that extroverts cannot have those traits, of course!!  We just do things a little diferently.

Introverts need to recharge alone while extroverts recharge with others around them.   Too many people think they are introverts when in fact they are shy or have social phobias.  I am 90% introvert but can also be the life of the party.   Some introverts are also shy and do not want to be around people at all - THAT is not always a good combination.  Also, there are many introverted prospective clients in the world and extroverts can exhaust them.  ;-)

Jan 07, 2015 11:07 AM
Rainmaker
360,033
Erick Blackwelder
Cell: 703-677-1120 - Woodbridge, VA
Text or call Erick now at 703-677-1120.

Yes.  Quiet, reserved folks like me do very well in real estate.

My team and I have sold $20Million - $27Million per year. 

In my case, I have a persona that I switch on when I am with clients.  I also have a persona I use when I am in public, and someone asks me, "How's the real estate market?"

I am happy when I am alone, working ON my business, building better systems and processes so my team knows what to do when things happen.

I am happiest when I work at home and the house is empty.  I fire up my guitar amp and practice my blues guitar skills on one of my guitars when I need a break from working ON my business.

Jan 09, 2015 12:14 AM
Rainmaker
8,110,650
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Yes, you do not have to be a people person to be successful in real estate. However, success is much easier with a sparkling personality.

Jan 07, 2015 05:31 AM
Rainmaker
1,209,271
Amanda Christiansen
Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN
Christiansen Group Realty

There is an agent in my area that absolutely crushes it when it comes to sales numbers.  That said, he's terrible with people and his clients are often unhappy with him by the end of it.  He just keeps buying leads and pushing them through.  I guess that could be defined as success?  

Jan 08, 2015 11:41 PM
Rainmaker
4,321,985
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

The one word answer for this Debbie Reynolds is - YES!

Jan 07, 2015 12:53 PM
Rainmaker
1,302,621
The Jeff Rickert Team
RE/MAX Property Specialists - Pocono Lake, PA
Poconos - RSPS - The Jeff Rickert Team

Great question! I definitely think you need to be a "people person" to be successful. You don't have to be an extrovert necessarily, though. You just have to understand people and what they are looking for. Pair that with a great personality and I think a person can be extremely successful.

Jan 07, 2015 09:17 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,282
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I am definitely not a people person, Debbie, and I think I've been pretty successful.

Jan 07, 2015 07:19 AM
Rainmaker
8,110,650
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Personality, alone, does not sell real estate. I do not have an outgoing personality but I have sold over a hundred resales a year in my most productive years.

Jan 07, 2015 06:09 AM
Rainmaker
1,432,699
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I would not consider myself a people person, although in this job I have been growing in that way.  I will say that when I click with people they are very loyal and we do develop good relationships.  

Jan 09, 2015 06:16 AM
Rainmaker
1,780,493
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Debbie - This is a very interesting question. It made me stop and think "What IS a people person?"

  • Is it someone who is the life of the party, knows everyone in town, and is outgoing and gregarious? 
  • Or is it someone who genuinely cares about other people, even though they may be more quiet and reserved? 

I think both can be successful, but I prefer to deal with choice #2.

Jan 09, 2015 03:52 AM
Rainmaker
152,987
Cary Jo Hofstad
Blue Sky Realty, LLC - Kalispell, MT
Cary Jo, Hofstad, Broker, Blue Sky Realty LLC

As an introvert, there are parts of the job that drain me of energy such as showing property with clients in my car. That said however, many other qualities make me good at what I do. Detailed, listending, research, dependable, etc. I might just attract a different type of client who I will not meet at parties or on the golf course but who appreciate me for who I am. About showing property, I now tend to have clients follow me, gives me a chance to re-charge between showings.

Jan 09, 2015 01:17 AM
Rainmaker
776,931
Cara Marcelle Mancuso
Golden Girls with SW Desert Homes - Tucson, AZ
Call a Marana neighbor, I'm THERE!

Great post question and answer string.  I always tell new agents in my office that it's very important to know yourself, and to be able to work around your "faults" or "limitations" in order to turn them into what works for your own success.  I've done it my whole life.  :)

Jan 08, 2015 11:56 PM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Can you be a successful real estate sales person without being a people person?

If one's concept of the function of a real estate sales person is one who guides folks through houses, shows homes to prospective buyers, counsel's them through their seasons of uncertainty, assures buyers and sellers they can be confident in the data before them, deflect intruders whose intent is to subvert the clients goals...then being a PEOPLE PERSON will be very important.

However, there exists many, many, many, many more business models in real estate that does not require a degree in compassionate hand holding.  As we all observed in the preceding collapse,,,,you can be hugely successful and NEVER meet a buyer or seller. That is only one model. There are many more.

If you are working the first time home buyer market, (in the pure definition of the term) being a people person will prove essential.

Jan 07, 2015 09:28 PM
Rainmaker
5,274,497
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

I believe that you can be. Obviously it depends on how you define a "people person." Lots of people believe you need to be very gregarious and outgoing to be a "people" person and successful in sales. I'm not very gregarious and outgoing and, in fact, very reserved. But I know how to talk with people and I know how to get my message across and have never had issues in selling successfully.

Jan 07, 2015 08:08 PM
Rainmaker
1,645,671
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

Yes, you can, I met many of such sales people. We don't sell merchandise or cars, but houses. I think many clients like to have strictly business relationship with their realtors.

Jan 07, 2015 04:13 PM
Rainmaker
878,709
Kevin Mackessy
Blue Olive Properties, LLC - Highlands Ranch, CO
Dedicated. Qualified. Local.

I think you have to at least be able to turn it on to get through the transaction.  If the buyer hates you because you're standoffish you will get nowhere. 

Jan 07, 2015 09:02 AM
Rainmaker
5,774,084
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Yes, you can be!  However it really helps to have a great personality.  A

Jan 07, 2015 05:55 AM
Rainmaker
49,097
Adele Langdon
Los Angeles, CA
Exclusive Realty Inc.

I think this depends on what personality you are working with.  If you are the type that can adapt to any personality then great.  Perhaps you have a team and you can delegate certain agents to certain buyers or sellers. I do think you must know the personality type of your buyer or seller. This has been the most helpful to me dealing with a buyer or seller.  Study the disc test, this is the number one thing for dealing with any personality including your own.

Jan 09, 2015 08:55 AM
Rainer
45,021
Dave Hymes
RE/MAX Gold - Placerville, CA

I'm not that outgoing but I do well, as Marte Cliff said, I genuinely care about other people, even though I may be more quiet and reserved. I also think that if you're not the outgoing, sparkling personality you can make up for it by working harder. That I do.

Jan 09, 2015 08:16 AM
Rainmaker
38,383
Eren Millam
Realty World Cosser & Associates, Inc. - Chehalis, WA
Certified Negotiation Expert

Do you need to be one? No. Do you need to act like one? Yes! I am introverted, but I am not shy so I can approach people and network with the best of 'em. I just need "quiet time" afterwards to unwind.

Jan 09, 2015 07:45 AM
Rainer
55,368
Virginia Youngblood
DO-STAGE! LLC - an ASPM® Home Staging Company - Charlotte, NC
DO-STAGE! LLC - Home Stager - ASPM®

Well said, Susan, #10 and Marte #33!!! . . . and ALL of you, actually, said great comments!

 I don't like to "label" people introvert/extrovert but unfortunately we live in a world that does do that. It kinda gives the labeled person who is labeled introvert a "second class" label which is far from the truth!!  My dear husband is quite the opposite from me. He prefers one on one interaction and is reserved -- I'm energized by being in crowds and talking with all kinds of personalities -- one is no better than the other. 

I think one CAN be very successful as a Realtor/Broker who is reserved and quiet (ie an "introvert")

Jan 09, 2015 05:16 AM
Rainmaker
90,543
Debra Peters
Referral Realty - Manorville, NY
NY Real Estate Salesperson

I think it would be difficult to be successful if you don't like dealing with people.  I have seen Realtors in my area that I question their success because their personalities do not come across as being a people person.  This leads me to believe that there are 2 types of people. Ones that are naturally personable, that can interact well with others, take other people's feelings into consideration and are just genuinely nice people.  Then there are the "used car salesperson" people. They are in the mindset of "what's in it for me" and only see the dollar signs at the end of a transaction.  They do come across as being a people person and do a very good job at it.

Jan 09, 2015 02:28 AM
Rainmaker
1,868,078
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I see it all the time, agents that are too analytical & get themselves all riled up in numbers. I don't think it's so much as a personality type as much as you must educate yourself to do things you prefer not to do. Ex. cold calling, open houses with strangers, giving bad news.

Jan 09, 2015 01:35 AM
Rainer
46,277
Nancy Middleton
Counselor Realty, Inc. - Excelsior, MN
Nancy Middleton, Counselor Realty, Minnetonka, MN

I can't really answer that qustion, but I personally believe that for me as an extrovert, I am HONESTLY always  interested in people, try and find out what they need, and if I can help serve them. If not, we'll both know we are not a match.

 

 

Jan 08, 2015 11:40 PM
Rainer
66,249
Chris Webb
Nova Home Loans - Tucson, AZ
Tucson's Social Media Expert

 Absolutely! Not being a people person is all about behavior disposition and some people, dare I say, DO NOT LIKE people with people personalities. See this this story by a fellow AC blogger, we often think the extroverts are the only ones who are excited, but introverts get excited and just display different behaviors. 

 

Jan 08, 2015 11:22 PM
Rainer
279,928
Dipti Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
On a team with Praful Thakkar

Yes. I have seen this. (And other way around, too.)

May 19, 2018 10:08 PM
Ambassador
6,649,378
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Get on a team, some people are not good at sales, but excell at paperwork.

Sep 30, 2017 08:51 PM
Rainmaker
273,870
Wayne B. Pruner
Oregon First - Tigard, OR
Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI

It certainly helps to have an outgoing personality in this business. I hate chit-chat, but I can talk business all day.

Mar 15, 2015 04:34 AM
Rainmaker
1,141,194
Beth and Richard Witt
New York, NY
The best Retired Brokers !!!!

Great question Debbie... I've trained agents for over 30 years and I have to tell you that the one thing I always insisted on during the interview was likeability... I can teach most anyone with the desire to learn how to sell real estate... however I can not teach anyone how to be likeable...  So my answer to your question would be... NO!

Jan 14, 2015 12:56 AM
Rainmaker
1,108,063
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Debbie Reynolds what a great question you posed!  I agree with Jared,  if an agent is playing the numbers and not focused on repeat business, they can be very successful converting leads.  We need to focus on our strengths.  I like building life long Realtor relationships.

Jan 10, 2015 09:36 AM
Rainmaker
683,196
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

Being a People Person can mean different things to different people.  I consider myself a people person and yet I am very shy in larger groups ... but one on one? That's a very comfortable place for me and my clients feel comfortable with me and the attention and expertise I bring to them. We all have different gifts and as long a we recognize where we excell and move in that, we will find success.

Jan 09, 2015 11:06 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

These are all good points. I know there some things I do not like to do. This week had several of them. It helps to be adaptable and know that this too shall pass and to remember we are here to serve.

Jan 09, 2015 09:56 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Keith, It is s skill that can be learned too. Some are better than others.

Jan 09, 2015 01:08 AM
Rainer
140,621
Keith Whited
RE/MAX Gateway - Alexandria, VA

Real Estate definitely does not require one to be a 'people person'. One must have the ability to deal with all types of folks in a variety of situations but I don't necessarily consider those abilities the mark of a 'people person'.

Jan 09, 2015 12:51 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Pamela, It makes me wonder how they can be loved so much it they are jerks? We have a real extrovert agent in our board and she is late to most of the meetings and everyone expects it and still smiles. If it was me doing it, I think that they would be talking badly about me and expecting me to change.

Jan 09, 2015 12:43 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Carla, I realized when I was hiring agents it takes all kinds of personalities.

Erick, You said it, you know how to turn it on and off.

Jan 09, 2015 12:18 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Nancy, Then you really enjoy your job and it is well suited to your personality.

Jared, Yes I guess it could. He knows how to get the business and close it. Now as for repeat and long term business that may be another story.

Jan 08, 2015 11:49 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Good points. I do thnk we have to care about people and though we may not be social so to speak we need to know how to interact and communicate well.

Jan 08, 2015 11:35 PM
Rainmaker
3,416,322
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

In most cases no. Some markets do need order takes but a true sales person can be made from taking classes, it is a mix of personality, knowelge, skill and a little luck. 

Jan 08, 2015 07:30 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Annette, Absolutely there are other roles to fill. Many teams have marketing and tech persons or admin people that are licensed. Meeting and dealing with people is just part of the job.

Jan 07, 2015 10:10 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Kevin, Your interpretation of being able to turn it on it accurate. 

Jeff, In a sense you have to like people (are about their needs) then you do need to be a people person in my opinion. But it is not to be confused with social preferences.

Susan, Sure you are right. A successful salesperson doesn't have to want to be the life of the party all the time.

Praful. I am hearing we have a lot of reserved and serious sales people here in the Rain.

Inna, Yes I do think that most clients like to know we are serious about their business.

Nina, The know how and the know when are the keys to me. It can also be a learned system that doesn't necessarily come easy but then becomes part of the skill of the agent.

Jan 07, 2015 09:19 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Roy, I think of you as a people person. You understand people, their motivations and know how to interact. It doesn't surprise me that you sold so many homes.

Gabe, You too Gabe. I think of you being analytical but very people oriented too. 

Jan 07, 2015 07:23 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

If I was hiring a new agent I would want them to show a real interest in people, Ron & Alexandra Seigel. I would not hire a total introvert.

Jan 07, 2015 05:57 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

The best agents seem to be very social and outgoing, Roy Kelley. I guess they can learn to interact in a friendly and congenial way.

Jan 07, 2015 05:56 AM