You might think a real estate agent’s car tells a lot about them. If their car looks good then they must be successful in real estate! Right? Wrong. If you don’t know anything other than what the agent tells you in a listing presentation and what you see when they drive into your driveway, it’s very hard to tell how truly successful and capable they really are.
The most successful real estate agents I know drive what they can comfortably afford and what suits their lifestyle. A mother with children isn’t generally going to drive a 2 door sports coupe although if she’s anything like me she will wish she could!
To some people driving a brand new car is more important than investing in the property market but to me that is just plain stupid and definitely not the wisest investment.
Be wary of the Veneer of Success. The Veneer of Success variety of agent encompasses those who will do whatever it takes to look successful at the expense of everyone else. The Veneer of Success Agent owes money all over town. The Veneer of Success person has possessions that look good in photos but aren’t that great in real life. The Veneer of success person would rob their own family and post their trophies all over social media. The Veneer of Success Agent claims to have sold properties that other agents actually sold. You get the picture.
The good news is that most real estate agents are just like the rest of the population except that a lot of them lease their cars for tax reasons. So it’s human nature to lease the smartest car they can afford. They want to look professional but their heads are not in the clouds. Of course just like in the general population there are those of us that just have to have the latest new thing. Then there is the genuine car enthusiast and their car could always be impressive but it’s not about the show – it’s genuinely about the car.
Then there’s the Silver Fox. These are the retirement age real estate agents and they’re financially smart. They will drive an economical small car that they own outright. They’ve been through all the market cycles. They’ve lived through recessions, 2 floods, and their parents were depression babies. You’re not going to be totally wowed by their car but these guys don’t care what you think. They know what makes good sense economically and after all, they don’t really have to work so they’ve got nothing to prove.
Some of the most successful real estate agency Principals I know drive a small car like a Toyota Yaris or a Corolla and similar because they are sign-written with their company details and they want to promote their business. Quite frankly these guys have already made it and have nothing to prove.
Smart and successful business people don’t care what other people think and they know the advertisements on the vehicle are more valuable than driving a $400,000 car with a vanity number plate.
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