5 Hardest Parts About Being a Real Estate Agent

There’s a misconception about real estate agents. People think that this career is easy.

People think you don't really have to show up every single day. You meet up with a few clients here and there, and just like that, you earn a lot of money. But these ideas couldn’t be further from the truth.

The truth is, there are many obstacles real estate agents face in their day-to-day lives. The real estate industry is a fast-paced and highly competitive industry. So, one little mistake or bad habit can mess up your progress.

So, what are the hardest parts about being a real estate agent?

1. Creating a Schedule

The first obstacle most real estate agents face is creating and following a schedule. Again, since this is your business and you are your own boss, no one is expecting you to show up all the time.

There is no one to check what time you are clocking in the morning or what time you are clocking out at night. This is why creating and following a schedule is a must.

You must have a schedule that will tell you what you have to do on a day-to-day basis or every other day.

Create a schedule that will guide you to what you have to do to reach one of your real estate goals.  

The Tiny Secret to Building a Fool-Proof Actionable Calendar

Creating a schedule is crucial to staying on track. Which makes you wonder, what’s so hard about making a schedule? There's nothing hard about it!

Here’s a quick mindset and habit to help you fill your calendar.

A calendar reaches its full potential when you time block. For those that don’t know, time blocking is the act of blocking off time to fulfill a task or series of tasks.

When you pull out your calendar, time block your days. Everything from cold calling to taking some time to relax.

A healthy schedule will have time blocks that allow you to focus on that specific work. This helps you avoid multitasking which will decrease your productivity.

Agents who do this have a clear agenda and goal given the time of the day. This gives agents clarity with what they should be doing during the day – they already know it, just look at the calendar!

Here’s a habit to introduce into your daily routine: plan your next day out. At the end of every day, spend 10-minutes planning tomorrow. People who plan out the next day start strong. They can hit the ground running and don’t have to spend time thinking about what they have to do for the day when they first wake up.

2. Waking Up in the Morning

Waking up early is hard. You’re in a bed beneath the blankets, you’re cozy! This is often the hardest part of being a real estate agent because people snooze all day long and eventually roll into the things they need to do.

This goes hand in hand with creating your schedule. Lack of schedule means you’re that you have no commitment to getting out of bed. Every day you might sleep in until 10:00 AM when everyone else was up at 6:00 AM starting their day.

This doesn’t make anyone feel good.

Getting out of bed at an early hour to start your day helps agents stay on track with the important work. It helps them set a rhythm to their day and pushes them to excel.

A Quick and Easy Way to Help You Get Out of Bed in the Morning

Waking up early is hard. So, here are a few ways you can give yourself a moment to leave the bed when you wake up:

• Avoid the phone.
• Drink a glass of water.
• Move your body.
• Get some sunlight

These are easy ways to naturally wake up your body. Hey, a cup of coffee doesn’t hurt either.

3. Creating Real Goals that Push You Forward

Some agents don’t have any goals. Then they wonder why they feel like they’re spinning in circles never accomplishing the things they want.

Goals are the simple path you create for yourself to get you where you want to be.

That’s it! When you break down where you want to be, you are doing the first step in creating goals for yourself. These are the action steps you need to accomplish to get there.

Some agents want to make $100,000 in a year. That’s great! But, you have to know why you’re setting this goal too. Is it for financial stability? To help your family? Do you want to donate some of it? Why are you setting this goal for yourself?

Getting meaning from the goal is the driver to pushes you to accomplish the goal.

How Do You Create a Good Real Estate Goal?

So, how do you make a good real estate goal? Remember that good real estate goals are S.M.A.R.T.

• Specific: What is the goal? Don’t use generic words, be specific with everything!
• Measurable: Can you measure whether or not you have accomplished it? If so, what’s the measurement you have to hit? (i.e.: Tell 5 people how much you appreciate them!)
• Attainable: Is this goal attainable by you? Be honest. It’s unrealistic that you will close 5 deals in the next week if you are a brand new agent.
• Relevant: Will this goal help you reach your dream? Running 3 miles might be a good goal to have. But, it’s not a relevant goal if you’re trying to find a home seller.
• Time-bound: What is the deadline you have to meet to accomplish this goal?

When you create a goal, run it through your S.M.A.R.T. test to see if it’s a good real estate goal.

4. Talking with Clients

A real estate agent’s biggest assets are the contacts they make.

Here’s why: every person they know needs their service or knows someone who needs their service. Sometimes both!

This is a people business and a big network can give you repeated clients. That’s why you should stay in contact with the people you have worked with. The occasional check-in is always welcome and is a great way to stay top of mind.

Then, one day, the person you stay in contact with will have a friend who needs help with a real estate deal. That’s when they will recommend your service to them.

Talking with clients is a powerful way to fuel your business. Lead nurturing takes about 6-months to work for you. So, if you haven’t talked to a client or someone in your network, start now.

5. Building Self-Confidence

Confidence is the reassurance that keeps you moving forward. Losing confidence in yourself is easy in this industry. Agents experience their fair share of rejection.

Something as simple as losing a deal or not reaching your goals can dampen your confidence. For those who lack self-confidence, remember this phrase; proper preparation prevents poor performance.

When you know that you have an upcoming sale, do your homework. Whether it's researching about the neighborhood or the current market conditions, research it.

Know all the important details about the property. This can demonstrate to your clients that you are knowledgeable and are trustworthy. Every client wants to know that they are working with someone that they can trust.

Someone who is responsible and knows what they are doing. Being able to answer every question your client has can immediately boost your confidence.

Final Thoughts on the Hardest Parts About Being a Real Estate Agent

Have you noticed that the hardest parts of being a real estate agent have nothing to do with the technical details of the job? That’s because the biggest obstacle that people face in this career is themselves.

A real estate agent can choose every day to make that day a good one or a bad one. All it takes is a small decision and a promise to yourself to make it happen.

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