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Rainmaker
7,836,419
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I could write a book about how I would do things differently.

Jan 08, 2015 10:16 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,554
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

I would have kept better records in my early years.    I closed many in the first years, and never stayed in touch.

Jan 08, 2015 12:05 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Track every lead and put each one on a drip. Keep in touch and don't give up.

Jan 08, 2015 11:08 AM
Ambassador
2,161,048
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Noah, I would not have starte out in a team but instead worked with a mentor and then be on my own.  Also, I would have started going to conventions and professional meetings sooner than I did.

Jan 08, 2015 11:01 AM
Rainmaker
940,545
David Alan Baker | Laveen & South Phoenix Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Phoenix - Laveen, AZ
Your local Expert

Noah Seidenberg oh hell yeah.  I actually have had the idea to get into some of these things early on, but was always a champion of poor follow through.  As an example I think I originally joined AR back in 2006 or so, but never really blogged or participated till last year.  STUPID!!!  I wanted to start messing around with video about 4 years ago, youtube, and did not really start till last year, and even then it is not as much as I'd like to do.

Really if I could roll back time, I think I would have like to have gotten involved in real estate while in college.  Bought a house (fixer upper) and started back at that time with investing, real estate, and building a real estate career worth having.  Still working on the later.

 

Jan 08, 2015 10:07 AM
Rainmaker
1,771,867
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

I would have done even more technically such as the web sites, domain names and social media that really drives my bushiness. I experimented and it worked but if I started again knowing what I know now I would have put even more into it.

Jan 08, 2015 09:19 AM
Rainmaker
2,817,671
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Oh yes...although I mean for my biz.  I wouldn't have spent so much on marketing and direct mail my first year.  It did not pay out at all and drained my savings.   It may work for real estate (w/ higher transaction size) but it was definitely a big loss for me. Overll, I would have been much more conservative with my money and invested more as I went along and after proving things out and gradually spending.

Jan 08, 2015 09:15 AM
Rainmaker
2,224,473
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

That's a loaded questions. I got into real estate when the market tanked nationwide. Because of the decisions I made, I got into listing REOs and doing BPOs. That has served me very well. 

Jan 08, 2015 12:25 PM
Ambassador
6,393,609
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

No regrets.

Sep 05, 2019 11:38 PM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Not much really

Aug 03, 2018 05:29 AM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

I would work by referrals!

May 19, 2018 09:35 PM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I would have chosen a different mentor.

Apr 21, 2018 06:10 AM
Rainmaker
90,543
Debra Peters
Referral Realty - Manorville, NY
NY Real Estate Salesperson

I worked for a Broker for about 5 years. For some reason I felt "burnt out" and decided to change to a different company, then I changed back to my original office.  I lost momentum and should have never left my original Broker.

Jan 11, 2015 04:36 AM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

I wish I started as an assistant or at least a team member of a strong experienced agent, and work there a year or even two.

Jan 10, 2015 04:12 PM
Rainmaker
1,153,794
Kevin J. May
Florida Supreme Realty - Hobe Sound, FL
Serving the Treasure & Paradise Coasts of Florida

Noah, I would have bought more properties for myself, especially in the down periods.

Jan 09, 2015 05:08 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Realizing real estate is like making soup, if you don't STIR THE POT you won't like the results.

DO SOMETHING! Do it with passion. Fail big, Fail often. LEARN.

In the beginning, when the ink was yet to dry on that license, failing resulted is stopping. All of us have lost a battle, but that failure should never be interpreted as losing the war. 

If I could start over I would view the smoldering rubble of failure as the perfect learning moment. And, what is learned may be as simple as using 'What' instead of 'Why." Then make more soup and keep stiring the pot.

It is not the soup that produced the result but the activity surrounding making soup. 

So when you see that newbie in the office, secretly afraid to fail, take them by the hand and stir.

Jan 08, 2015 11:19 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

I would have set up systems to stay in touch with past clients regularly way sooner. Never understand the importance of staying in touch for repeat and referral business in the early years.

Jan 08, 2015 08:19 PM
Rainer
213,263
Dennis Swartz
Full Circle Property Management - Columbus, OH
MBA, GRI...experience counts!

Thats an easy one for me. I would have an assistant day 1.

Jan 08, 2015 06:35 PM
Rainmaker
856,072
Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint-Idaho
Sandpoint Realty LLC - Sandpoint, ID
North Idaho Real Estate - 208-255.6227

Noah, I would watch closely my ROI.  As a new agent I believed everything and was throwing hand grenades everywhere in hopes of instant success.  The money I threw away was incredible.  Don't tell anyone...

Jan 08, 2015 03:10 PM
Rainer
80,193
RVA HomePRO Michael Hottman
RVA HomePRO Realtor with Keller Williams serving Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfiled and Richmond, Virginia - Glen Allen, VA
Helping you achieve goals in life & real estate

oh, and start active rain earlier.

Jan 08, 2015 01:10 PM
Rainer
80,193
RVA HomePRO Michael Hottman
RVA HomePRO Realtor with Keller Williams serving Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfiled and Richmond, Virginia - Glen Allen, VA
Helping you achieve goals in life & real estate

Don't pay for Trulia and Zillow until it makes more sense (having reviews). Lots of money and time wasted.

Jan 08, 2015 01:10 PM
Rainmaker
1,771,867
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

Roy Kelley You really made me laugh. My dad used to tell me a story when I asked him for stock investing advice. First he would say "do you think I have a crystal ball" Then he would tell me a story about a greedy investor who was granted one and only one wish. His wish was to see the stock section of the news paper on a certain day in the future. A magic news paper appeared in front of the greedy investor and the pages turned toward the stock page. As it landed on the page he wished for the page with the obits came up and the mans name was on that page.

Jan 08, 2015 10:24 AM