QOTW: How do you manage being an introvert in real estate?

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QOTW: How do you manage being an introvert in real estate?

Alicia MarksPro Member
Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes

Our question of the week may be for a lot of lurkers, but it is something I see lots of people in real estate deal with. Introverts unite (separately if need be) in helping one another learn how to use their personalities as a strength. 

How do you use you introversion to set yourself apart?

What do you do to help yourself when the need arises to be more extroverted?

What aspect of real estate are you in currently?

Are there additional challenges or situations that you find as an introvert?

How can the ambiverts and extroverts help?

What can ambiverts and extroverts learn from you?

Happy sharing!

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Greg WeikBusiness Member
Property Manager · Denver, CO · Member since 2020 · 263 posts · 327 votes
4y

This may not be a popular answer, but you don't really have to put yourself in a category (introvert or extrovert). 

Be what you need to be, at any given moment, to get the job done. 

By default, I prefer systems to people.  I am passionate about efficiency and much less so about human interaction.  :)  But I'm also socially adept when I need to be.  I think this describes a lot of people - maybe it describes you as well.  My career as the owner of a property management company requires me to step out of my predisposition to avoid people. Talking to prospective clients, meeting with new clients, handling showings, training new employees, etc. 

If you're motivated to be successful, you will do what it takes.  I would suggest not labeling yourself. A label such as "introvert" is only noise IMO and not helpful to achieving your goals. 

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  • Axel MeierhoeferPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Escondido, CA · Member since 2017 · 684 posts · 550 votes
    4y
    I am working with a lot of introverted and I believe one way to be successful in real estate investing (and other areas of life where extroverts dominate), is to find or have a mentor you trust. Being an introvert is not a matter of not knowing enough but a matter of confidence and forceful articulation.
    As a mentor on the back pocket of the introvert, it's basically like two people engaging others, a deal, a conversation, etc.
    That increase in confidence and subsequently conviction helps the introvert to succeed and slowly gain more individual confidence through practical experiences.
    It has worked for me and I am now paying it forward by mentoring and helping others
    3Reply
  • Greg WeikBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Denver, CO · Member since 2020 · 263 posts · 327 votes
    4y

    This may not be a popular answer, but you don't really have to put yourself in a category (introvert or extrovert). 

    Be what you need to be, at any given moment, to get the job done. 

    By default, I prefer systems to people.  I am passionate about efficiency and much less so about human interaction.  :)  But I'm also socially adept when I need to be.  I think this describes a lot of people - maybe it describes you as well.  My career as the owner of a property management company requires me to step out of my predisposition to avoid people. Talking to prospective clients, meeting with new clients, handling showings, training new employees, etc. 

    If you're motivated to be successful, you will do what it takes.  I would suggest not labeling yourself. A label such as "introvert" is only noise IMO and not helpful to achieving your goals. 

    303-586-5560
    Real Estate Solutions4.3378 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    11Reply
  • Bjorn AhlbladPro Member
    Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    4y
    I don't think it will be  the difference between success and failure..............but introverts probably have less fun. Dale Carnegie, Toastmasters, College courses and clubs etc. all help.
    Force yourself to network-Just do it! 
    By the way 'learning to underwrite and being a skeptic' that is far more meaningful to success than intro, extro version. IMO
    1Reply
  • Tracy Selfridge
    Contractor · Lexington SC · Member since 2019 · 36 posts · 46 votes
    4y

    My 2 cents...

    I don't really think people are fully 100% an introvert or extrovert. I think labeling people one or the other isn't the best practice. I believe that most people are somewhere in the middle. What I mean by that is sometimes people feel like being extroverted, and sometimes they want to be introverted.

    If you take an ambitious person and they are making calls, networking, etc... then after a 8 hour day of this they may not feel like being so extroverted and want to be to themselves. Well are they introverted or extroverted? Those labels of "you are this" or "you are that" are not accurate. 

    At the end of the day, one does what they need to do to reach their goals. Not everything will be sunshine and rainbows during their journey but overcoming challenges, whatever those challenges are, is what brings true success and fulfillment.

    3Reply
  • Allison Howard
    Member since 2020 · 1 post · 3 votes
    4y
    Being an introvert has more to do with how you perceive and interact with the world and the people in it. It is not necessarily connected with having a lack of confidence or anything else. 
    3Reply
  • Dylan Thomas
    Property Manager · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2014 · 8 posts · 6 votes
    4y
    I think this is a fantastic question, and something that I and several of our staff work on consistently (on both ends of the spectrum). As a PM company, we interact with owner/clients, tenants, vendors, other agents, etc. on a consistent basis and your delivery, demeanor, and end goal all influence your communication style. What has helped me, for what it's worth, is to try and quickly identify which of the 4 major personality types I am interacting with and be be flexible consequently. There are a couple of great books out there that elaborate on this topic, would recommend "Understanding Yourself and Others" as an example.
    1Reply
  • Joshua Jacobs
    New to Real Estate · Glendale, AZ · Member since 2022 · 2 posts · 4 votes
    4y

    As Greg said, you shouldn't label yourself. That's how you limit yourself. I'm new to Real Estate Investing, no properties as of yet. However, I believe at least for myself, being introverted will give me an advantage. I'm always up here, non-stop, thinking. Thinking about how to do it better. Then, somehow, I do it better. I'm not bragging. I can't here. But I'm saying, I may start off slowly. But I'm a thinker who needs information and content for my brain. Knowledge is my fuel. So lookout for me. I'm coming. 

    3Reply
  • Alesha Gamez
    Prescott Valley, AZ · Member since 2015 · 3 posts · 1 vote
    4y

    I was hoping to find some introverts uniting here!  But I am surprised to see the amount of people thinking that the label maybe the issue. (Knowing your personality traits is a strength.)  And I've seen some good points, and some less relevant.  I am considered an 'extroverted introvert'.  Most people are surprised to find I am introverted.   I can be very outgoing and I can get what needs to get done.  But listening to everyone talk about needing to network. . . and create a team. . .  it's overwhelming.  By no means unattainable. . . just a lot to think about. . . especially when starting out.  But watch out, because when an introvert sets their mind to something. . .it's as good as done!  

    1Reply
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