The 10-Year Agent: Beyond the Next Listing

As any real estate agent will attest, in this industry there’s always something in front of you demanding your attention.

There’s the listing you’re trying to win, the buyer you’re trying to convert, the appraisal you need to get to, the campaign that needs attention and the next phone call you need to make.

And all of those things matter. But if you spend your entire career thinking only about the next listing, you can lose sight of something much more important: where you actually want your business to be in 10 years.

The agents who build truly sustainable careers tend to think differently. They still care about this week’s results, of course, but they also make decisions based on the reputation, relationships and business they want to have a decade from now. And that long-term thinking can make a significant difference.

Don’t just chase transactions

A listing is a transaction. A career is built on relationships - That distinction is worth remembering.

It’s easy to become focused on winning the next piece of business and forget that every conversation you have is also an opportunity to build trust with someone who may become a client, referral source or advocate for you years down the track.

Not everyone you speak to today is going to list with you tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean the relationship has no value.

The person who isn’t ready to sell this year might sell in five years. The buyer who misses out on a property might refer their parents to you. The person you helped with a simple piece of advice might remember how you made them feel long after they’ve forgotten the conversation itself.

That’s the difference between chasing transactions and building a business.

Your reputation is an asset

When you think in terms of 10 years rather than 10 days, reputation becomes much more important. You start to realise that a quick win isn’t always worth it if it comes at the expense of your credibility.

How you handle difficult conversations matters. How you communicate when things don’t go to plan matters. How you treat people who aren’t currently giving you business matters.

The market has a long memory. People remember the agent who kept them informed, gave them honest advice and did what they said they would do. They also remember the agent who disappeared once the transaction was complete.

Every interaction contributes to the reputation you’ll carry into the future.

Invest in yourself, not just your business

A 10-year mindset also means recognising that your greatest business asset is you.

The skills that make you successful today may not be enough to carry you through the next decade. Markets will change, technology will continue to evolve and the expectations of clients will change along with them.

That means you need to keep learning. Read, listen, ask questions, learn from other agents. Pay attention to what is happening outside your immediate market. Look at your own performance honestly and work out where you could improve.

You don’t have to become an entirely different agent every year, but you should become a better one.

Build something that doesn’t depend on one good year

There will always be good years and difficult years in real estate. That’s the nature of the industry.

The goal isn’t to build a business that looks fantastic when the market is booming. It’s to build one that can withstand the inevitable changes in the market.

That means developing strong relationships, maintaining good habits, building a database you actually communicate with and creating systems that support consistent performance.

It also means looking after yourself. If your business depends on you working harder every year just to maintain the same results, that probably isn’t sustainable. The 10-year agent is not caught up in the ‘hustle and grind’. They’re thinking about longevity.

Play the long game

One of the hardest things about taking a long-term approach is that the rewards aren’t always immediate.

You might spend time helping someone who doesn’t list with you. You might nurture a relationship for years before it becomes a business opportunity. You might invest in learning something that doesn’t produce an obvious return next month.

But that doesn’t mean the effort is wasted. Some of the most valuable things you build in real estate take years to mature.

So by all means, focus on the next listing. Make the call. Win the appraisal. Deliver a great campaign. Just don’t let the next listing become the only thing you can see.

Because 10 years from now, you won’t just want a list of transactions behind you. You’ll want a reputation you’re proud of, relationships that have lasted, a business that is resilient and a career that still gives you something to be excited about.

That’s what thinking beyond the next listing is really about. It’s not about taking your eye off today…it’s about making sure the decisions you make today are still serving you 10 years from now.

About the Author

Manos Findikakis is the CEO of Agents’Agency, Australia’s first multi-brand real estate network, ‘the only fully integrated solution for you and your people to create an unforgettable experience.’

For all enquiries and more information on how the Agents’Agency can help you take your career to the next level, click here to get in touch.