Blog Post 1: Interview

Rashad Evans

3/4/2012

                                                         Industry Interview

For this project I decided to interview: Sean Beattie, real estate agent located in Vallejo, CA.

First off, what do you like most about your job of being a real estate agent?

I like the rewarding feeling you get when you know that you have helped someone find the right home for them and they are really happy with it. I like helping people achieve things that they otherwise couldn’t do on their own because they simply don’t know where to start and I also love learning about people’s different personalities, you can really learn about someone when you ask them what they are looking for in a house.

What do you think is the best schooling or tools that one should acquire to take up this field?

Taking classes in economics is really important because it teaches you a lot about the business side of the real estate world. Getting a doctorate in real estate in something that I really recommend if you know for sure that this is a career that is right for you.

If you had to do it all over again, would you choose this career and why?

I would pick this career again because it is something that I enjoy doing and there is so many different things that go on behind the scenes with real estate it isn’t just about finding houses for people, there is quite a bit math and research that is involved.

Do you think being a people person is important in this job, being outspoken and really relatable, does that help at all?

You almost have to be a people person to do this because so much of what goes into this is talking with the client and reading what they like and want in a future home. It’s always nice when you read someone so well that you find something in a home that you know they will enjoy and they hadn’t even thought of it, it shows I was paying attention to their personalities.

Have you ever had difficult clients to work with or you lost a client because they felt you didn’t understand them?

I haven’t ever lost a client in the way that there was this big blow up and they left. Some people feel that you just might not be the right fit for them. I have gotten clients that have come to me from other realtors because they felt like they were not connecting with their agent. People look for an agent that they can relate to, that has the same values as them because they are more likely to understand the setting you want to be in and accepting that you simply aren’t what a client is looking for is also part of the job.

Do your jobs responsibilities go over into your personal life, a life you have outside of work?

Well if you have a bad day obviously that will probably follow you home, but the great thing about my job is that I love it so anything that comes up while I am out of the office is usually something I am happy to help with. But being on-call is important because it is very common to have clients drive by a house that is for sale and want to call me and tell me about it right away.

And for those clients like that, that call on a Sunday what do you say to them?

I ask them to give me the address and the company the home is listed under and tell that when I get into the office Monday morning I will look up that house and see if it has the qualities you are looking for and if we can go take a look.

What is the longest you have ever worked with a client for one job in particular?

I do have clients that are really urgent to leave their current home but know they will move someday and like to get a head start on looking to see what is out there. A couple came in and gave me a very specific wish list of what they wanted in a house and admitted that they know it will take time and are willing to wait. Two years later I finally found the home that they were looking for. I called them probably every two weeks for two years and went over what had just came on the market that had qualities they were interested in. It is those types of clients where patience is very important.

Is there any advice you would give to someone like me that is studying real estate in undergraduate school right now?

I would just recommend to take in everything that your teacher is telling you but also be prepared that there are a lot of things you will have to learn first hand on the job site. That sometime situations you hear about in the classroom are not the worst cases you will probably hear and to learn patience now.

What do you think is the best way to find a job in real estate after graduating?

Going to any sort of job fair and looking at any announcements in your department at school. Asking teachers is another good resource. And sometimes I find that just walking into a real estate office with your resume is the best way also and volunteering to start at the bottom and you are willing to learn, real estate firms really like to hear that.

In your opinion what should I expect when I am first starting out in the business?

Expect like every other career to pay your dues before you can rise to the top, just remember that all of us started on the bottom and took work to get to where we are now. A lot of clients come by recommendation so getting your cliental will take a little while to establish. I recommend that if someone is giving you advice that is from the business that you really take it to heart and keep it in mind.

My last question is with being a real estate agent; have you found your dream house yet?

I have an idea in my head of what I want my dream house to look like and sometimes I’ll get on and look at houses with myself in mind but most of the time if I find something I really like I think, “oh this client will love this house too, I’ll give them a call.” And then it never works out to me so no I guess I am still looking.