Shravan Gupta knows that the real estate industry needs change. As an experienced realtor, he has seen trends and fads come and go over the years, but nothing seems to have stuck as much as it did before. Thanks to his leadership in the industry, Shravan Gupta understands how people interact with his business and what strategies he can take to make it even better. In this piece, he explains why change is needed in the real estate industry and how he intends to lead the way towards this change by setting an example for others to follow.
We are changing how people view home buying
Shravan has stated that we are changing how people view home buying. We provide our customers with everything they need, from finance options to remodeling tips. And by making each house-buying experience a positive one, consumers will be sure to flock back for more. That’s why he doesn’t stop at just his local community; he wants his entire industry to change as well.
It’s time for real estate agents to start thinking about what their clients want, not what they can get out of them. If we don’t start providing value soon, someone else will come along and do it better than us. I don’t think any of us want that! It’s time to move away from ‘selling houses’ to ‘helping people buy homes.’ The question is, who will lead? Who will show others that it’s possible? Only time will tell. But if anyone can do it, Shravan certainly seems like a great candidate. He knows what needs to happen, and he knows how to make it happen. He’s exactly what real estate needs right now.
Long-term thinking wins the day
The real estate industry tends to be reactionary, but as a sector it needs to be more forward-thinking. It needs real leaders who are willing to look beyond their own company’s bottom line and see what kind of changes need to happen in order for all of them to succeed down the road. Shravan Gupta is such a leader. As president of NAREE (the National Association of Realtors ® Educational Foundation), he has seen first-hand how quickly technology can change an industry and knows that his fellow realtors need to get ahead of these trends if they want to stay relevant.
We have been talking about [technology] for years, he says. It is time we act now instead of just talking about it. For those looking to learn more about how technology will impact real estate, I sat down with Mr. Gupta recently to discuss some of his views on innovation and leadership. Here’s what he had to say:
To begin with, you have been involved with NAREE for quite some time–as President no less! What do you think makes your organization unique? I’ve been in real estate since I was a kid. My father was a broker and I grew up in his office. We had an IBM Selectric typewriter when everyone else had a computer. That has made me more technologically savvy than most people in my industry. But it’s not just about tech; it’s also about leadership skills. It’s about having vision and understanding how to move forward even when others aren’t ready to go along with you yet.
Networking will be key
Millennials have a reputation for not playing well with others. Some surveys have found that Gen Y workers are more likely than other generations to think outside of their company when looking for new career opportunities, meaning they may be less interested in building long-term relationships at work. But while millennials are less inclined to make friends at work, they do value their relationships with managers.
They want to know what’s going on and what’s expected of them, but don’t necessarily need handholding. They also want feedback from their supervisors–and they want it regularly. So it’s important for supervisors to keep an open line of communication with millennial employees by checking in frequently about projects and offering frequent praise or criticism as appropriate. (For more information about millennials at work, check out our complete guide.)
Selling by creating trusted relationships
The key to success in real estate sales is creating relationships of trust, especially between you and your clients. Most buyers don’t have time or patience for a pushy salesperson; they want someone who will take care of them, take them seriously, provide education, introduce options that fit their needs and explain things clearly.
If you can do all that with integrity, without hype or manipulation, you’ll be successful in selling homes. The most trusted real estate agents are best-selling agents. When it comes to real estate, people tend to buy from people they know, like and trust. It’s no different than any other industry–except when it comes to home buying or selling, there are many more variables involved because of how personal it is.
People aren’t just buying a house; they’re also investing in themselves, their family and their future. They want to feel comfortable with every decision they make throughout the process, which means having someone trustworthy guiding them through it. This is where you come in as an agent. You need to establish yourself as someone who has expertise about everything related to buying or selling a home (or both), but also as someone who genuinely cares about each client individually.
Improve your understanding of technology
Technology might not be making you a better real estate agent, but it’s no longer an optional career accessory. From email marketing tools to artificial intelligence, today’s technology can help increase your productivity and profits, as well as build customer loyalty.
If you don’t know how best to use it in your field (or don’t want to spend money on it), get help from someone who does–your local tech store or knowledgeable colleague. No matter what, though, don’t try to wing it; there are too many benefits of technology for you to ignore them. And always keep in mind that investing in technology doesn’t mean cutting costs elsewhere; rather, invest wisely and let technology work for you.
The above description will give some idea about: change, way forward & leading community through change. A good leader will have a plan with their vision clearly defined along with practical ways to achieve their goals. In short — have clear goals and be determined to reach them at all cost!
Have faith in your market research numbers
There’s a reason your market research was able to identify an opportunity for you–it’s because it exists. Don’t let doubt get in your way, as no one else will have that same doubt. Your success in bringing change stems from knowing what needs to be done and going out and doing it, so just do it! As Shravan said, If people believe in you, they will follow you. If they don’t, you can lead them all day long but nothing will happen.
So find people who believe in you and then lead them where they need to go. It doesn’t matter if you’re right or wrong; if you’re moving forward, then you’re leading. It might not always be easy to tell when someone believes in you or not, but there are signs that can help tip you off; like when someone starts talking about how great of an idea something is before asking how much money it would take to make it happen. That’s usually a good sign. Or when someone tells others about your idea without asking for anything in return, that’s also usually a good sign.