Even in boom markets, rookie real estate agents almost always find their new careers to be harder than anticipated. Statistics quote figures ranging from 70% to 95% dropout rate for first year agents and it s common knowledge in the industry that only a small percentage of the licensed agents are making enough money to live on.
Why is the failure rate so high? Is it a matter of unrealistic expectations? Maybe. A lack of enthusiasm? Probably. A lack of support and training? Definitely.
What agents need is good solid training on how to competently sell real estate and Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn's book Sell with Soul offers just that. The book provides a blueprint for success to help new agents navigate the critical first year and beyond. Sell with Soul comes complete with checklists to help agents keep on top of listings and contracts, step-by-step guidelines for building a thriving real estate practice as well as anecdotal examples of real world real estate dilemmas and solutions to them.
Yet the book is so much more than a rookie survival guide. The author discusses such touchy subjects as commission discounting (she s all for it), buyer agency (don t push it), prospecting at open houses (do so with caution) and generating bidding wars (it s your duty). Practical advice is offered on everything from building a loyal client base to marketing listings to negotiating inspections and even handling pricing objections.
Sell with Soul focuses on helping new agents become competent at their craft, so they can be confident with their prospects and clients. This confidence enables them to stay true to themselves because they will have no need for the Old School prospecting strategies and aggressive closing techniques that force many new agents out of their comfort zone.
Readers consistently praise the readability of Sell with Soul, commenting that it reads almost like a novel instead of just another business self-help book. The book is written in a casual voice, with a relaxed style that is noticeably different from the more authoritative voices of the competition.