Who knew? Golf does matter- with Thanks to Sean O'Hair and the Golf Digest of July '09 and his article about the 10 Rules he had learned on tour.



Like pro golf, real estate is a performance career. How you perform in front of buyers, sellers, potential clients and other agents and staff will totally determine how well you do in your version of the "Pro Tour." Here are the rules adapted for real estate.

1. Be comfortable in your own skin: focus on what you are good at and work on the areas you need development in but be who you are and feel good about it. "Self esteem isn't everything, but without it, there is nothing else." Gloria Steinheim

2. Learn to recognize confidence: This can be taken two ways. Recognize your own confidence and recognize confidence in other people ( clients, agents) that you deal with. What seems like confidence is sometimes bluster, over compensating for lack of confidence.

3. Play money matches: Whether it is your best friend or your mother, treat every appointment or client seriously and professionally. Take nothing for granted. Treat every appointment like a "money match".

4. Travel well, play well: Real estate requires mobility, not only physically but mentally as well. Be flexible and be prepared for whatever the day demands.

5. Go slow on equipment changes: Take the time to really learn and get trained in new technology. Embrace it but don't throw it into your performance until you are ready to do so.

6. Listen to the sand/thump vs. splat: Really listen to what the client is saying. One of the biggest complaints about agents is that they don't listen or pay attention. They are too concerned about talking and not asking the right questions and listening to the answers. If you listen, you will know how to handle the situation.

7. Don't depend too much on video: You can obsess about what you did or you can use your experience to learn to do better going forward.

8. Trust your caddie: Don't ever think you know all the answers. Run things by another experienced person, your manager, another agent or the ever popular training director. All can give you good insight.

9. Soak up your favorite player's rhythm: There is always someone in your office that you may admire. Maybe it is how they conduct themselves and their business. It is not always the "top producer" but someone who is successful and does truly good work. Get a sense of their attitudes and philosophies.

10. Life cannot revolve around golf: Life cannot revolve around real estate either. It is waaaay too short. And real estate is fickle, at best. Learn to put the highs and lows into perspective and then go home and enjoy the people and things you love. Tomorrow is another day. (Thanks also to Scarlett O'Hara for that one. )