It would be great if new agents knew what old-timers do - that there isn't a silver bullet for success. The survivors and industry veterans in our business realize that it isn’t one fancy piece of software, fancy marketing materials, scripts, new technologies, or Websites that catapult careers to a new level.

It is more important to know what important skills are necessary to close deals.

These are skills that deal with: product or market knowledge, interpersonal relations, effective communication, organization, constructive dialogue and service. You can acquire them by personal experience or learning the techniques from professionals that already have them.

So, where can an agent learn and acquire real skills?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Read industry books, newspapers, and professional trade articles as found in publications like Realty Times.

2. Subscribe to a real estate list-serve. Watch out for bashers and anyone else with a private agenda. You'll quickly figure out who are the voices of reason. They are few and far between, but they are there.

3. Stay updated by attending office meetings. Attend all tours so you can learn local inventories, pricing strategies, and attitudes toward homes and neighborhoods by the real estate community.

4. Focus your efforts. Become a buyer's agent, listing agent or a specialist in historic homes, or working with seniors. Whatever you choose, become an expert!

5. Know the local issues of your marketplace (inspection items, who's writing insurance and who isn't, etc... )

6. Take a personal inventory of your skills, and build upon the areas that are you’re weakest. You already know if you are outgoing enough, knowledgeable enough, computer literate or illiterate, etc.

7. Ask questions of your broker. It's in her interest to take time with you so you learn faster, become productive sooner, and avoid making mistakes. If your broker doesn't feel that way, find another broker.

8. Get a mentor, join a team or a mastermind group. Working with others promotes more than friendship, it also gives you a group you can network to help you close more sales.

9. Attend seminars or workshops or retreats with practical topics specific to real estate. Overcoming objections, getting buyers to sign representation agreements, and contracts, are some good examples of things you need to know right away to be successful.

10. Listen to real estate tapes that deal with the subject matter you would like to know more about like property management or single agency.

11. Form a local mastermind group at your office to brainstorm and share ideas. You and your rookie friends are tomorrow's award-winners. Include seasoned professionals and learn from them. Show your appreciation by making yourself a pleasure to work with. Sometimes a sale can come down to personalities.

12. Practice sales objection and dialogue scenarios with your broker and peers! Practice makes perfect, and you want to sound natural when handling objections or problems with real customers and clients.

13. Take real estate continuing education license credits with topics related to your needs. Don't wait until the last minute. Watch the course offerings and take what courses will truly benefit you. It's more than just satisfying credit hours - it's about keeping you knowledgeable and fit.

14. Further your real estate career and credibility by obtaining professional REALTOR® designations ABR, GRI, CRS, E-Pro etc. Some designations don't require years of experience or productivity levels in order to qualify, and they are still valuable to have. In some cases, the coursework to obtain a designation may count as continuing education credit - a double bonus!

For for the time being, save your money on the latest silver bullet. Learning real estate skills will take you a lot further as a new agent.

Published: July 24, 2003

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Jim Crawford, ABR, e-PRO 500 is currently licensed as a Broker Associate with RE/MAX Greater Atlanta in Atlanta Georgia, and as Broker Associate with Distinctive Realty Inc. in McLean Virginia. Jim and his wife Ellen work as a husband and wife team in the northern Atlanta suburbs. As the team's rainmaker, Jim is a self-taught webmaster and designer, and he relies exclusively on the Internet for marketing. He is considered an expert on marketing, nationwide relocation, cutting edge technology, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for real estate, and Internet marketing. Jim's seminars, online contributions, and technology ideas assist real estate agents to maximize their business results, and raise the industry's professional service level skills. His common sense marketing ideas have been published and quoted regularly in trade publications. He has also consulted and advised NAR offices regarding Internet issues, and Internet ethics for Realtors. In between sales, Jim is a popular speaker at national and regional real estate seminars, and retreats. He is also an online real estate coach, with a self-tutorial coaching site for real estate professionals. Jim was a featured speaker at the November 2004 National Association of REALTORS® convention in Orlando, and has spoken at the several REALTORS® conventions both in the United States and Canada. Visit his website at RealEstateTechCoach.com, or e-mail him at .