Top Skills for 2024

Top Skills for Twenty-Twenty-Four   The final blog of the year and what a year it’s been.    I’ve published 41 blogs this year bringing you negotiation tips, insights on industry and technology news and perspective on mindset and human potential.  I hope it’s been valuable.  Here is a searchable database of past articles.   Next year promises to be another fabulous year of roller coaster of experiences in the real estate industry.   I’ll be here, alongside of you, helping you keep it all in perspective and learning the skills you need to thrive.   Here is what I believe the top skills for 2024 will be.   Knowing and Communicating your Value:  This can’t be some stock answer meant to smooth a seller over. You need to really know what you do that is worth the money you charge – for both sellers and buyers.  I believe that excellent REALTORS® are worth every penny they charge but I also believe that only a small fraction of REALTORS® even know what excellence is.   Excellence is getting outstanding results for your clients.   Earning the Trust and Respect Required for Collaborative Dealmaking:  In a balanced or transitioning market, your ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with your clients and with your negotiation counterparts is essential to getting to yes.  Earning this trust and respect is the result of deliberate actions that can be learned.     Developing Cognitive Empathy to Deal with Emotions Professionally:   People are increasingly emotionally motivated in real estate and your ability to understand their thoughts and feelings without getting in the emotional boat with them will continue to be essential.   Building and Executing Strategies for Listings, Buyers and Offer Negotiations:  Like 2023, this year will see complex markets and negotiations.   Your ability to understand the underlying market influences, assess the psychology of all the parties  and use critical thinking skills to build and execute successful strategies are what the top agents will be doing.   The Alchemy of Connection:  As technology evolves and markets remain complex, your ability to connect emotionally and intellectually with perspective clients and negotiation counterparts will be what separate the agents that thrive from those that struggle.     In other words, the wonderful world of negotiations will be the key skillset for 2024 in real estate markets across Canada.