Thanks for the Recommendation!

We all love it when someone recommends us but it’s especially sweet when a competitor tells the world how phenomenal we are! Yep, that’s exactly what happened earlier this week when one of our friendly competing firms broadcast an email to probably every agent in Metro Indianapolis touting “5 Lessons Real Estate Agents Can Learn from Warren Buffett!” Their lead in to Uncle Warren’s 5 Lessons included these words of wisdom: “Here are five key lessons you can learn from . . . one of the greatest investors of all time.” I wonder if our competitor forgot that one of Buffett’s most widely noted recent investments was in us here at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices! Thanks for the recommendation!

Anyway, here are Uncle Warren’s key lessons for Realtors:

1. Thoughtfully invest. Research your properties. Get to know the neighborhoods, the people who live there and the people who want to live there. As a real estate agent, your primary investment is in people, and it pays to know your business.
2. Learn to communicate effectively. Buffett developed his public speaking skills because he knew his business hinged on quality communication. As a real estate agent, you need to feel comfortable not only speaking in a public forum, but also communicating in one-on-one situations with your clients, over the telephone and via digital channels such as email and social media.
3. Make networking a priority. Buffett is known for thought leadership, which involves connection and engagement. You can do the same by networking with respected industry leaders and influencers in your community. Become part of the big picture.
4. Stay in your lane. According to longtime associate Howard Marks, the co-chairman of L.A.-based Oaktree Capital Management, Buffett is "extraordinarily good at knowing what he's good at and what he's not, and staying away from the latter." Try new things and think outside the box, but always play to your strengths.
5. Be yourself and enjoy your work. Buffett concentrated on finding himself as an investor and pursued his business ventures accordingly. Figure out who you are as an agent—or who you want to be—and use that knowledge to guide your actions.

Yes, indeed, Warren Buffett can always be counted on for wise advice and for superior investment decisions—and we’re delighted to be one of those decisions!

Thanks for the recommendation!

David M. Hassler

VP, Professional Development