The pitfalls of positive thinking

It seems real estate is a career for those who see the glass as ‘half full’ rather than ‘half empty’.

However, I question if that’s a good approach to encourage in those looking to join and succeed in the industry?

Throughout 2013, the levels of excitement reached fever pitch as auction clearance rates and prices started to rise. There were those in finance and the media predicting the growth was a bubble ripe to burst, but those within the industry were predominantly happy to keep talking up the market.

My mood was much more cautious and I surprised many, including some of my own staff, by being prepared to publically call for vendors to remain realistic.

Whilst it is something we would all rather avoid I believe it is crucial to reinforce the reality that the property markets can go up….and down.

I anticipate this year will be a strong one for the real estate industry, which is exciting, but even in a strong market I think it is important to remember that growth is never guaranteed.

My role as an agent is to guide our clients to help them make the best decisions to deliver the best possible result. To do so requires a level of trust and that means we [real estate agents] must be honest, even if the truth is not what the client wants to hear.

Don’t get me wrong: I encourage my team to work hard to achieve a positive outcome. I welcome a positive attitude and believe clients respond well to an upbeat presentation.

However, nobody wins if positivity is at the expense of reality.