On this month-to-month column, Anthony Askowitz explores a hypothetical actual property state of affairs from either side of the dealer/agent dynamic. Anthony is the broker-owner of South Florida’s largest RE/MAX workplace, and a working agent who sells greater than 100 houses annually.
This month’s state of affairs: The usual for acceptable enterprise apparel is at all times a shifting goal, particularly in actual property. The standard swimsuit and purple energy tie for males and nylons with closed-toe sneakers for ladies are hardly ever seen, as a extra informal sense of favor has turn out to be the norm.
However maybe the road has shifted too far in that path, with a rising disregard for any semblance of knowledgeable gown code. How ought to residential actual property brokers navigate this ever-shifting taking part in discipline, one filled with landmines in each path?
Agent perspective
After 5 years of struggling on our personal, my new associate and I’ve determined to kind a crew, go away our old-school brokerage, and be part of a nationwide firm that has the instruments and assist we have to maximize our skills. We’re excited by the chances of this new path, and to proving our former colleagues improper.
Our market is a serious US metropolis famous for its youthful power, worldwide aptitude and variety of tradition — hardly the place for formal, boring gown codes. However that’s precisely the form of vibe our former dealer and associates tried to instill in our workplace, by no means lacking a possibility to chastise us for making trendy, trendy, but skilled vogue selections.
Most of the time, we might replicate the model of our clients and prospects, whereas these brokers would current themselves like each different cookie-cutter wannabe on the market. Our model variations deliberately set us aside, and comply with the brand new rules about making a model for your self.
We’ve got each confidence that forward-thinking brokers from the main nationwide places of work will agree with our philosophy and eagerly recruit us to affix their places of work.
Dealer perspective
Whereas our market is actually style-conscious and trendy, there’s a line between skilled and informal apparel that newer brokers typically cross with reckless abandon. Blame it on the pandemic, social media, hyped-up actual property actuality reveals, poor mentoring or all the above, however the lack of gown code requirements has gotten manner uncontrolled.
I used to be excited to interview this new crew, comprised of two brokers with 5 years of particular person expertise. Each offered themselves professionally and have been well-groomed, clearly knew the market, and had a great plan for reaching the following stage of manufacturing.
But when I’m being trustworthy, I had a tough time getting previous their garish vogue and accent selections, which appeared higher fitted to an area nightclub than displaying property (a lot much less a “first-impression” interview).
At this level of their careers, nobody ought to have to be instructed that this look doesn’t encourage belief and respect in a enterprise the place they are going to be coping with a buyer’s most precious asset. I’m positive the hairstyles have been the newest traits and took hours at a salon to create, their designer-name garments value a whole bunch of {dollars}, and their jewellery and make-up selections can be excellent in sure settings – however an actual property workplace will not be certainly one of them.
Don’t get me improper – I understand skilled vogue has turn out to be rather more informal lately. I’ve grown completely comfy with model selections from each genders that might have made me blush 10 years in the past. However there’s a line of appropriateness, and sadly this crew didn’t even understand that they’d crossed it.
That is actually a disgrace, as a result of – in these fleeting moments once I may get previous their model selections — I actually cherished their attitudes, their expertise and their confidence. How can I take into account hiring brokers missing this diploma of self-awareness?
Easy methods to resolve
The disconnect between the dealer and these potential new members of his crew is probably not as far aside as he thinks. On the one hand, the dealer is right about an agent’s look and gown needing to encourage belief and confidence, and about skilled apparel shifting in a usually extra informal path.
However there are different components to contemplate concerning appropriateness, and totally different markets and conditions do warrant totally different gown codes – even inside one area. South Florida (the place this column is produced), for instance, model within the Palm Seashores tends to be “nation membership stylish,” leaning conventional and colourful; larger Ft. Lauderdale is a bit more conservative and buttoned-down; Miami sees all kinds of recent, cutting-edge and body-conscious selections, whereas the Florida Keys adopts a really informal, resort-based look.
In-house gross sales representatives for pre-construction condos, who work in glamorous and ultra-chic gross sales galleries, are going to decorate a lot otherwise than brokers who concentrate on suburban single-family houses, who put operate forward of kind.
As a substitute of dismissing these probably productive brokers, the dealer may as an alternative resolve to have a frank, direct and judgment-free dialog concerning the typical buyer of his workplace and their expectations of how an agent presents themselves. If the brokers really feel strongly that their model selections replicate an untapped shopper base that might open new doorways for the workplace, they will reply simply as instantly and attempt to persuade the dealer of their selections.
With this dialog being held in a respectful and collaborative surroundings, it is rather attainable that the 2 sides may discover a completely happy medium, with the brokers persevering with to decorate in a trendy method throughout the confines of the workplace’s skilled pointers.
Anthony Askowitz is the broker-owner of RE/MAX Advance Realty, with places of work in Hollywood Seashore, Davie, Miramar, North Miami, South Miami, Kendall, and the Florida Keys, and the place he leads the actions of greater than 190 brokers. Comply with him on Instagram.
NOTE: Anthony Askowitz will not be an lawyer and doesn’t give authorized recommendation. Please seek the advice of a licensed lawyer concerning issues mentioned on this column.