Many veterans have built wildly successful careers in real estate after leaving the military. Why is that? The skills and values developed and reinforced during military service prepare veterans well for a career in real estate. Here are 7 reasons why veterans make great real estate agents:
1. Trained to Approach Tasks With Discipline
Discipline is an essential skill for individuals who own their own business. As a real estate agent, you have an incredible amount of freedom around when and how you work. When you’re your own boss, it can be tempting to push those less-loved tasks to the back burner. Successful real estate agents know that you have to keep the back end of your business in order and consistently check those items off your to-do list. That’s where discipline comes in – you will need to stay on task and do the work day-in and day-out to build your business. The discipline and structure that is ingrained in veterans during their military service sets them up for success when tackling these everyday business-building activities.
2. Comfortable Interacting With People From Diverse Backgrounds
Real estate is all about people, and you must be able to listen, empathize, communicate, and relate to people from very different backgrounds than your own. Living, working, and deploying with a diverse group of military personnel from all over the country prepares veterans to comfortably interact with clients and leads from a variety of communities and cultures. Another advantage to military service is that this group of individuals are a natural sphere of influence
3. Skilled at quickly evaluating options and choosing a course of action
In real estate negotiations, agents need to be able to quickly assess the advantages and disadvantages of a property or deal in relation to the needs and resources of their client. During their tour of duty, veterans often develop quick thinking and fast decision-making skills. They are trained to evaluate options thoroughly and recommend a course of action. This works to their benefit in real estate, since they are able to assess the full scope of a situation and make recommendations that will help their clients make the best decisions.
4. Proactive Problem-Solvers
Members of the armed services are not known for hanging back and waiting for other people to figure out a solution to a problem. The realities of what they face in the field prepare them to approach complex problems without hesitation and solve problems quickly. This translates well to a career in real estate, since obstacles arise every day – in business operations, client deals, technology tools, etc. Instead of allowing these problems to derail an entire day or delay a deal, veterans will proactively work to find solutions and implement them quickly to get back on track.
5. Not Afraid to Try Something New
One thing that often holds agents back from realizing their full potential is fear of trying a new strategy or tactic or adopting a new technology. But many veterans have been exposed to dangerous, potentially life-threatening situations, and considering those experiences, cold calling and trying out video marketing doesn’t seem like such a big deal. Veterans are not scared to jump into “battle” and try out new techniques or tools, and that will set them up for success in their real estate career.
6. Large Spheres of Influence
Another key to success in real estate is having a wide network of connections. These spheres of influence are key referral sources and help get the word out about your real estate business. Veterans have a diverse and far-reaching network to tap into. The military attracts people from all over the U.S. and from all levels of society, and the connections formed during military service are strong and deep. This is a huge advantage to a veteran setting up their real estate business.
7. Calm Under Pressure
Buying and selling a home is stressful. There’s a lot at stake and clients can feel the pressure. Part of the agent’s job is to be calm during these stressful situations, offer clear and decisive counsel, and be a source of strength and support for their clients. Veterans are great in these situations because their military service put them in high-pressure, stressful situations—where being calm, cool, and collected is part of the job description!
Are you a veteran considering real estate as your next career? Redwood wants to hear from you!
Learn more about why real estate might be the perfect career for you.
