I don't feel the need to tout my experience; it does its own horn-tooting when revealed. But I know that wasn't really your question. Strictly a moving target. Some people take to this business like a duck to water and are extremely resourceful (which is probably the greatest skill that you can have). Others, it's not 30 years of experience--but one year repeated 30 times.

I say year 7. You missed it by 13 years.

I am with you, it could have been at about 20 years in. Before there was no need to. People would actually call, come in and speak to you and could easily see who was and who was not experienced. With the Internet, consumers could see hundreds if not thousands of agents in a market with no way to tell them apart or if there was a difference from one to another. Many companies have wide nets to gather up buyers and sellers and assign to the next agent in line, not be experience. In this day and age experience matters more than ever. Which is why i love to share stories so consumers can see there is a difference. 

Day One!

The first day I had my license I had 6 months of training behind me and 10 years of investing backed by 17 years of property management. Not to mention all the other business experience I had. I think unless this is your very day of work, you have experience to share.

I don't tout me - I simply share the data, straight from MLS. The numbers don't lie...but, people do. 

When applying for a job with any client, they don't want to hear about your years of experience, they want to know what you can do for THEM - that you can sell their 'unique' property. Period!

I've been promoting it forever. And even when I was new in the business I promoted my previous 20 years of experience in negotiations and dealing with financial issues. With the average agent having barely 3 years experience prospective clients get that over 25 years I've seen it all, fixed it all, negotiated it all and survived all kinds of markets. That is a powerful message if expressed correctly.

To be honest, I think buyers and sellers just need to know you can do the job. Length of time in ANY career sometimes means lack of new ideas as well. I've only been in real estate full time for five years. It's rare that a client asks how long I've been in the business, although they might ask how many houses I've sold, or whether I've ever sold one like theirs.

To answer the question directly, I have no plans to use years-in-business in any promotions. I might think about using types of homes, or numbers of homes instead.

No one has ever asked me. The presumption from day one was that I had been in the business a long time.  My very first buyer client thought that. 

I love what Kat Palmiotti said .... "Length of time in ANY career sometimes means lack of new ideas as well" 

At certain ponts, be careful...they may wonder why you haven't retired...

When I meet with a short sale seller I promote my experience because I have closed more than anyone in the area & have never let anyone slip into foreclosure who has used me. That's pretty impressive along with my 2 inch thick folder with all my Short Sale Approval Letters. I probably have 20 or 30 approvals from whoever their bank is. Works wonders in establishing a successful track record. On straight sales me & my partner bring our sales data- there's a lot of sales to show & I don't want to  be a secret agent. 

Never, as I am always learning something new!

It could backfire with the youngin's as that you may not be "hip" with their technology.  I think 15 or 20 is a good point to start.  We advertise 30 in business and combined of over 60.

Depends on how much you have grown in the time you are in business.

Been a very long time since I was just getting started in business, and each new phase of the business has been more of an expansion than a new thing.

I don't bother with it and probably never will. I know people that have 30+ years experience and they're still as crooked as a dog's hind leg.

I think consumers are more concerned about how you can help them, and the problems you can hsolve, not the # of homes sold or how long you have been doing it.

I think you should share your experience but most important customers really want to know how you can help me so don't leave that out...

I would think about the 3 year mark, with the caveat that you would have to be full-time in the business. You would also have a strong background, with substantial successes in the niche you are working in. 

Do folks ask? VEry few do.

Do folks understand that experience comes from doing and the more you do the more you learn.  You bet!

However, such a statement works best when the stage is set properly.

I don't know that folks hire an agent because the agent could not find a better paying job (i.e. I've been stuck here for 25 years). However, they do BUY solutions. I do believe experience and solutions are related.

The moment and agent really sees the solution(s) they possess, that is a good time to puff up the experience line.  The problem is most agent simply regurgitate the 'expereince' others told them they have.

Time does not equal expereince. Solutions do.

After the first closing, it was a trip.  Never had one like it since

Early on if I remeber correctly!

Only every once in a while someone will ask how long I've been in real estate, usually people are just looking for someone who can get the job done!

I don't think I would "promote" my experience.  I think stating your experience is enough.  

3 years - at the point we both became Associate Brokers

I crossed 10 yeas, so now I'm using the number, but it is just one of the many other benefits of working with me. 

I did the day I received my license! I already had decades of successful sales experience under my belt Dennis Swartz .

I rarely share how long I've been in business. People get the feeling right away that you know what you're doing, or you don't know what you're doing. 

  Not so much in years, but in sales, closings, and battlefield experience.

I never needed to promote it. 

Dennis,

I did not feel the need to do that. A

day #2....

Dennis Swartz I think I've only had one person ask me and that was an attorney. I don't tell anyone how long I've been in the business. They'll know after the first meeting.

After I had some success...

I started promoting my strengths and expertise as I mastered them, one by one.

I did the first year

I have never promoted it... But as a new Realtor, I would not promote for example 3 years experience... would have to be 8 to 10 for it to have an impact I would think.  Enjoy the comments!

24 hours after I got my license in the mail.  I'd been an assitant to a broker for years prior and that was a great experience edge I had over other new licensees

For me it was 5 years, however I knew what I was doing long before that. In this business it doesn't matter how long you've be doing it, just how good you have been doing it. With changes in the industry happening every month, the 30 yr guy has the same experience as the 5 year guy. I've never been asked how much experience I have, because when I talk to people they will know

I don't really promote it, but after a decade I felt more comfortable with it. -Kasey

At this point when I speak at seminars I do say that I have specialized in investment real estate for 27 years.

probably 30-40 years had to go by before I actually stated expertise

When someone asks you the question, answer honestly.

Clients want to know you have knowledge and most often they don't care how many years you have.

Wow, I started at 10 years.