By Melanie Robitaille, Sr. Staff Writer & Graphic Designer
The sprint that was the real estate market is slowing down, calling many to question whether the hundreds of thousands of new agents who flooded the industry since 2020 will be able to adjust to business as usual. In fact, the reality is, many will not.
Any real estate veteran who has witnessed a market shift or two is a great mentor to shadow right now, as they’ll tell you these are the times that differentiate the true real estate professionals from those perhaps looking for easy money. Irma Chavez-May is one such veteran whose career with EXIT began in 2005 and was built during one of the worst recessions the U.S. has ever seen.
She’s no big city agent either. Hailing out of Las Cruces, NM, Irma managed to earn a six-figure income and consistently increase her number of ends each year in a market where the average listing price was in the $200,000 range at the time. She has over a dozen EXIT Realty production awards to her name, four of them Platinum for closing 100+ sides in the company’s production year, and she has been inducted into their Emerald Circle for accumulating over 750 sides in her career.
The typical real estate long game means more time between closings for sharpening skills, trying out new technology, and learning what works, which is exactly what Irma did when she first started out, saying, “I took advantage of every training opportunity that EXIT provided such as watching every webinar on the Resource Center and learning all that I could from other successful agents.”
An agent also faces rejection and comparisons, not to mention the complexities of client emotions throughout their career, so for Irma, mindset matters most. To this day she still listens to EXIT Founder and Chairman, Steve Morris’, affirmation CD she received as part of her EXIT welcome package to keep her head right and in the game.
“When I attend a listing appointment, I always come with all listing contracts in hand, ready to be signed the day of the appointment. My mindset is that when I ask for the signature, I’ll get it and it normally works! I understand the importance of having many listings to be successful, so when getting ready to meet with the seller, I have to have a positive attitude,” she admitted. “I make sure to dress in professional attire, I’m always well prepared, and I have the confidence to answer any question that I’m asked.”
Ranking #1 for gross commissions in her office for several years, customer service is paramount to Irma.
She believes in a strict code of ethics and always being upfront and honest with clients to earn five-star reviews. But even she has faced her fair share of challenging clients, saying, “It’s important to have the confidence to walk away from a listing if the seller is being unreasonable about price and/or commission. Once a seller realizes that I don’t ‘need’ the listing and I’m not desperate, they usually change their attitude and take my professional advice.”
Another EXIT aspect that helped her weather those first few business building years, was Sponsoring. The opportunity to earn single-level, passive income for helping to build the company was an idea Irma understood and tapped into mere months after joining the company. The 10% sponsoring residual she earned from EXIT Realty Corp. International each time the person she introduced closed a transaction helped her fill in those gaps often found between closings. To-date she has introduced 13 people to the company and has earned over $450,000 in residual income.
“Sponsoring has become a huge part of my career success. Seventeen years later, and I still utilize all of EXIT’s products and have great luck with winning the listing on the majority of my appointments,” Irma said. And she shares these other vital suggestions for those wanting to do the same while making a name for themselves amidst a sea of sales representatives:
My Smart Sign™ Technology – “Clients love it, so get EXIT’s vanity codes working for you!”
Expert Marketing Suite™ – “EXIT’s one-stop system keeps you looking professional. Show your clients its power!”
Personality Profiles Training – “It’s a very beneficial training you’ll use again and again.”
Connecting with Clients – “Stay in constant touch with your clients.”
Referrals and Reviews – “Always ask for them and publish reviews on your online platforms.”
Prompter!™ App – “Practice your affirmations regularly.”
Text ACHIEVER to 85377 or visit exitrealty.com/achiever for more great stories like these today!
