Sam Kelso’s Real Estate Journey To Success
My name is Sam Kelso from Stockwells. This is my 14th year in real estate as an auctioneer, salesperson, and business owner, and This Is My Journey To Real Estate Success.
Why did you choose real estate as a career?
The reason I chose real estate was because, well let’s face it, I was never going to go far as an academic and my father was best friends with George from Ray White Paddington who was a bit of a legend in the real estate game at that time. I was either going to go into a plumbing apprenticeship (I had that all lined up on the Gold Coast) or I was going to be a real estate agent.
So, I sat down with George and I asked, “What do I need to do?” And he said, “You need to be able to talk to people and be enthusiastic and energised.” So I thought to myself, “Yeah I could do those two things.”
With my father’s connection with George and my newfound advice, I was able to flourish and get into an industry that I absolutely love. By my third day of working, I was hooked – real estate was definitely for me.
What was your first year in real estate like?
The first year was a challenge. What I thought real estate was and what it actually is, are two very different things. I saw a real estate agent as someone who had a lot of coffees – I didn’t drink coffee when I first got into real estate. However, I drink about eleven cups a day now.
The first year was a lot of learning. I guess I didn’t have any idea at first. One thing I did learn was to have a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm. A lot of people don’t buy experience, but they buy your energy and your enthusiasm.
I remember going up against experienced agents in listing presentations with people who had been in real estate for a very long time, who maybe were a bit busy and maybe a bit over it. It was my energy and enthusiasm that got me through. If you’ve only got one client to look after, that’s a positive, not a negative. Make sure you do a good job for them; they’ll start telling their friends and as they say “the rest is history”.
Sam’s top 4 tips for those looking at real estate as a career
- I quickly realised Real Estate is a people business. The harder you work, the more time and energy you put in, the more financial rewards come out of it. I absolutely love it for that reason and love to talk to people and be around people all the time.
- If you are new in real estate, you have got to be more excited and enthusiastic than the next bloke.
- Leverage of your personal relationships – the people who like you, the people who already know you. The first thing you do is pick up your phone and call every person who is in your contacts list. Talk to them, tell them what you are doing and ask one simple question “Do you know anyone who is thinking of buying or selling in real estate?”. You will be amazed by the results, perhaps not that day, or that week, but a month or a year later they’ll ring you back and say, “Yes we do”.
- Another big thing is knowing the market better than anyone else. Do your research; go through every single open for inspection, look at every property, drive past properties, understand why and what has sold, look at demographics, really get to know your market. Whilst you can look up most things online, take the time to actually understand what it all means instead of just reciting statistics and figures .
Running A Team During A Pandemic
I have been at Stockwells for two years as the Head of Sales. We have a team of nine people selling brand new stock. The interesting thing we have found currently is that it is harder to get the buyer to make a decision with COVID happening. You need to show your value and why they should buy your product and your stock now.
How is 2020 looking?
2020 is a big year for us. We are launching eighty-two units at the final site opposite Boggo Road Gaol which have beautiful city views. We also have an apartment block down on Fish Lane that we will be launching later this year as well . We are also looking to grow our team from nine to twenty.
I see 2020 and beyond in real estate as a really, really exciting time. It’s a little bit of a blimp that we’ve had through COVID – what that does is really sort the people out and allows people that are career real estate agents to come in and prove their value to people.
Looking for new recruits?
Absolutely, if you’re out there and you’re a go getter, can build rapport, and close, I would love for you to get in touch with me on my mobile – 0433 338 925. I am looking for an energetic person that will be out there and willing to have a go. We will have plenty of opportunities.
About the Author:
Sam Kelso is Head of Sales a Stockwell. He is a leading property professional who lives and breathes property. Sam has been in the real estate industry since he was 17 and is as passionate today as he was the day he started. Sam has called over 4,000 auctions in his career and is highly renowned as one of the best auctioneers in Australia. Sam oversees the Stockwell team and has a hands-on approach ensuring the needs of all clients are not only met but exceeded when it comes to purchasing your new home.
