Dropping 1979 practices:A�The evolution and why you need to know.

This blog series is taken from an article I just wrote on the history and future for real estate. But, it’s not just a look from afar. It’s an actual history of how we agents operated and how companies encouraged how we practiced real estate. But, as real estate has changed, have agents (and companies) changed their approach to real estate sales? Here’s theA�third blog entry.

Dependent on the Company for Successa��or our Own Efforts?

Stephen Covey, in his wonderful book, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, relates three phases of a persona��s growth: Dependent, Independent, and Interdependent. As kids, wea��re certainly reliant on our parents for everythinga��wea��re dependent. Then, as teen-agers, we get to drive, and, voilaa��.we become (or like to think we become) independent (and we think we know it all). Finally, as we mature, we find that going it alone is tougher than teaming with othersa��that we actually dona��t know everythinga��and that othersa�� support, love, and consideration are supremely important to human beings. The same can be said of the evolution of companiesa��and, in fact, real estate companies.

The Evolution to Todaya��and on to Tomorrow

You can imagine that the dependent type of company brand strength would be challengeda��and it was. In the 80a��s the a�?independenta�� real estate concept turned the business upside down. Agents had learned that they actually have much more control over their own businesses than theya��d thought. They didna��t feel they needed to be managed like employees. They were ready to create and drive their own businesses and spend their own money to do it. Many thrived in this environment, but some didna��t have the business skills to take over and run their businesses like businesses.

The Internet Took away the Inventory a�?Secretsa��

One powerful a�?secreta�� agents had over their clients is that the clients didna��t have access to listing information. The MLS sure wanted to keep it that way. But, with the Internet, all those a�?secretsa�� disappeared. Agents had to ask themselves, a�?Whata��s my value? If my value isna��t in knowing all about those homes (and the client doesna��t), what value do I bring?a�? Savvy agents realized their value lay in personal service, and the knowledge and judgment honed over years of real estate practice. So, we agents had to pivot from a�?product-centrica�� to a�?agent-centrica�� businesses. Not all agents made the pivot.

Time warp check: Are you able to clearly articulate your value to the client in todaya��s work environment?A�

Todaya��and Tomorrow; Where are We Going?

In the past 20+ years, the emergence of the a�?interdependenta�� real estate company has made this evolution go to the third round. Simply stated, all the systems and models of the company are set up to create a team atmosphere and to optimize each persona��s potential. Easier said than done! The brand takes a back seat to each agenta��s development.

In the next blog, we’ll look further into the interdependent model, and what it means to you as a practicing real estateA�professional.

Big lesson: No matter the model you work in, you must evolve your business to meet the needs of today’s real estate climate.