Book Review: Mastering the Art of Selling Real Estate: Fully Revised and Updated

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Sales Training. Sales Training is tools and techniques which allow someone to be successful and confident in marketing and sales. Tom Hopkins is the Official Guide to Sales Training. Mastering the Art of Selling Real Estate: Fully Revised and Updated, by Tom Hopkins, is a valuable resource for people interested in Sales Trainer and it is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Product DescriptionnThirteen years ago, Tom Hopkins, the top real estate sales trainer in the country, published How to Master the Art of Listing and Selling Real Estate—the industry’s bible—which has consistently sold well despite information that has become somewhat outdated. But now Hopkins gives a cutting-edge revamp to his still- popular classic. Along with its new title, readers can expect a complete elimination of dated material and inclusion of the most current information on the role of the Internet and computer software needed by every real estate professional.nFull of anecdotes, sales scripts, and proven tactics, Mastering the Art of Selling Real Estate will show readers how to:nn• Find the best listing prospectsnn• Win over “For Sale by Owner” sellersnn• Earn the seller’s trustnn• Work an unrealistic price down to marketnn• Arrange the final agreementnnAnyone who’s serious about real estate can take charge with Mastering the Art of Selling Real Estate.nnAbout the AuthornTom Hopkins is one of the world’s leading authorities on salesmanship and selling techniques. He has presented his seminars to more than three million people on five continents. He is the author of a number of bestsellers, including How to Master the Art of Selling, The Certifiable Salesperson, and Selling for Dummies. nnExcerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.nIntroductionnnWelcome to the wonderful world of real estate! I began my career in real estate in the 1960s. It was wonderful then and has evolved into something even more wonderful today. What a joy it is for people to own real property—to have a place they can truly call home. And you get to delight in helping people achieve their dreams of home ownership, while earning a good income for yourself and your loved ones. It’s a truly satisfying career choice.nnBack in the 60s, real estate was primarily an older man’s business. There were few young men choosing real estate as a career and even fewer women. nnFortunately for all of us, times have changed. I know of some young people these days who got their real estate licenses while still in high school and had a jump start on their careers on graduation day! Due to its flexibility of working hours, the field has provided excellent opportunities for thousands. I’ve seen many exciting changes over the years and congratulate you on your choice of a career in real estate. nnWhen I wrote the first version of this material, it was actually two separate books. One just covered the listing aspect of real estate. The other, selling. They were first printed in the 1980s— back before computers, wireless phones, pagers, and the Internet. You are so fortunate today. Much of the research you need to do is available with the click of a few keys—and in minutes. I used to invest hours in researching data for Comparable Market Analyses, and reading through the Multiple Listing Service book (yes, it was a book, back then). nnWhile the times have changed, some important aspects of buying and selling real estate have not. These include: the reasons people need your services; motivations for wanting a particular type of home; how husbands and wives relate to each other during real estate transactions; and how you must relate to them. That’s the power of this book. In it are step-by-step strategies for getting started in this business, for finding people who need your services, for helping them like and trust you and your expertise in the field, how to prepare for a listing presentation, what to expect from potential buyers, what to say when they give you the most common questions or objections, how to negotiate offers and counteroffers, and how to close people on either listing their property with you or buying the home you’ve helped them find that best suits their needs. nnIn this revised edition, I have kept the best of the original books, deleted old strategies that may not be as effective today as they once were, and have added strategies that work phenomenally well in today’s marketplace. I cover the use of technology to save you time and increase your appearance of competence with clients. This book is designed to help you achieve a certain level of comfort within the real estate industry—being comfortable with the knowledge of what to expect and how to succeed in this truly wonderful career. Treat it as a textbook. Read it with a highlighter, a pen, and a notebook. Let it become your quick reference guide and your study guide as you grow. There is enough material here to help you through many years in this business. And, to help you find the success you dream of more quickly than you would without it. My wish for you is to find as much joy and satisfaction from your real estate career as I did mine. nnMASTERING THE ART OF SELLING REAL ESTATE