Speaking to a packed crowd of hundreds of REALTORS® at the 94th annual IAR Convention and Expo at Pheasant Run in St. Charles, opening session speaker Steve Harney gave his tips for “Inspiring Greatness–What it Means to be a REALTOR®” .

“While the earthquake in real estate has passed, it’s your job to rebuild the Illinois real estate market,” says Harney. “Instead of being on the other side where we can’t control the earthquake, we are now in control of rebuilding it. We still have a lot of work ahead of us.  Our job is help get through the confusion in the market.  You need to take the time and energy to be proficient in what we do.”

Harney gave this tips to REALTORS®.

1) Step up. It’s up to you – We are the Calvary–it is up you to make and build the market again. Take the time and energy to be proficient in what you do. Those agents who dominate in next six months will dominate the next decade. REALTORS® need to be in proactive mode and go back and create transactions. Your success will come from you and no one else.

2) Build Trust – Let your clients know what is taking place in the market. You have to have confidence. Before the market might have created your confidence, now your confidence must come from within you.  Preparation creates confidence; be as prepared as you can for listing presentations.  Show them factual and useful data. Great agents have sound bites and great indepth knowledge of the market. Don’t be afraid to sell your product. Ten years from now people will be sorry they did not buy in today’s market.

#3 – Manage Expectations – Instead of waiting for the iron in this market to get hot, take a sledge hammer out and make it hot. Managing expectations is a gift. Don’t let your clients panic on “doom and gloom” news being reported by the news media on the market. Help to interpret the accuracy of the housing reports. Understand the reports. Have a plan on what is going to happen. That is what greatness is about.

#4 – Tell them the truth and trust their intelligence. Don’t keep news from people. What is good news and bad news. Trust your client’s intelligence; that is what great people do. Stop worrying about their feelings start worrying about their families.   Step up and tell people the truth about the market. The rate of delinquencies is getting better; we are in rebuilding mode and we need architects to rebuild.  Agents need to be developing manuals to have on hand including: listing manual, buyer manual, price correction and presentation of offer.  Have a good business strategy for each.  REALTORS® are swinging back–reaching new levels of greatness now.

5 ) Be an Evangelist. There is going to be a flood of buyers coming to the market. REALTORS® need to be ready to sell a lot of houses. There are buyers out there. The question is: which houses are they going to buy? We just got over an earthquake and the houses that are priced right are the ones that will sell in this market.

This is our Time!