Having an Experienced Real Estate Mentor is Key!

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Real Estate

Hi! As the real estate industry continues to experience new developments--almost on a weekly basis--navigating those changes can prove tricky, especially for those that are new to the real estate industry.  In the last couple of years, real estate companies have experienced an influx of newly licensed agents.  Many of the inexperienced agents are currently struggling to adapt to a turbulent and rapidly changing market.  In fact, a recent human resource study found that a majority of people changed careers between April 2021 and April 2022.  The number one reason cited was a lack of career development and advancement.  Becoming a real estate agent without having a mentor in place can be a real challenge.  Obtaining success can be random and sometimes require a great deal of luck, or financial loss when significant mistakes are made.  The best choice is having a skilled mentor in place.  Mentoring has been a long term powerful career development tool that can strengthen a sense of safety and overall job satisfaction. While the value of mentoring in general is well accepted, the actual practice of creating and maintaining a strong mentoring program has proven a challenging endeavor for many companies, especially in the real estate marketplace.  

Even with the best of intentions, mentoring programs can fail because of practical considerations and obstacles.  Some of the most common obstacles are finding a good match between mentor and mentee and managing the logistics.  It is critical that programs include tried and proven systems and implementation protocols to ensure excellent results.  The fact that most mentor programs are created and managed manually is sometimes at the heart of these problems.  Especially when the oversight is implemented by those without the experience needed to create successful outcomes.  So why is mentoring so important?

There are many benefits of mentoring for personal development.  Some of those benefits include:

1)  Increased confidence.  Whether it's the ability to obtain new clients, negotiate contracts, answer questions, set pricing correctly, or navigate a transaction to the closing table--having a mentor to bounce ideas off of can create an atmosphere of safety and successful thinking.

2)  Higher self-awareness.  Working with a mentor provides an ability to evaluate strengths, weaknesses and values.  As a result those that are mentored are more self-aware than those who aren't.  Self awareness is a valuable skill set when it comes to career development.

3)  Exposure to new ways of thinking.  This is true for both the mentee and the mentor.  The mentoring process exposes both parties to new ideas and ways of thinking and problem solving.  These attributes have long lasting effects on both people in the partnership and encourage innovation and creativity.

4)  Giving and receiving feedback.  Feedback is something we all need in order to improve, but many that are practicing on their own don't get an opportunity to ask for enough.  Mentoring helps people develop their relationship with feedback in a productive way.  

Becoming a real estate agent can be a rewarding career choice.  It can provide freedom, financial resources and an overall satisfaction in a rewarding career environment.  If you are interested in learning more and would like to experience the benefits of having a real estate mentor, we would be happy to talk with you.  Simply get in touch with us at www.theshafferway.com and you will be on the path to real estate success.  In the meantime have a great weekend.  See you next week for more real estate tips and tricks.  Warmly, Susan