Why tradies make good real estate agents

The real estate sector attracts a very diverse range of people. One of the sectors we have considerable interest from are tradies – plumbers, builders, electricians, painters etc.

Reliable, valuable tradespeople often make good real estate agents. Here are some of the reasons why:

• Often they will have a good understanding and knowledge of properties that they are selling or managing - such as different building styles, stages of construction, common building faults and rectification of these.
• They ‘talk the same language’ knowing how to best communicate with other tradespeople to organise and schedule maintenance work on landlords’ properties. They know the technical terms used in construction and can quickly read and understand building plans. This is a valuable skill whether you are managing rental properties or interpreting an off the plan development for a sale.
• They are tuned into safety. Anyone involved in construction work in NSW is required to have a general construction induction card (the ‘white card’). The individual trades also then learn WHS specific to their licence, such as WHS for electricians, plumbers etc. This knowledge can be invaluable, especially for a role in property management.

A competent tradesperson will have a strong grasp of what makes for quality client service- getting back to people on time and communicating about projected time lines and costs, as well as explaining the work performed. These are key skills for agents too, as real estate is all about referrals, plus clients coming back to you as an agent each time they have a real estate need. 

When a problem does occur, a good tradesperson will use their lateral thinking, experience and skills to quickly identify the problem, solve the issue, or resolve the situation. As a ‘go between’ two parties such as the seller/buyer or landlord/tenant, a real estate agent needs strong conflict resolution skills.

A successful tradesperson is usually prepared for problems and has sharp problem-solving skills to identify the source of a problem or risk and develop a way to address that problem. Problem solving and risk management skills are key to a successful career in either a sales or property management role, and even more so as a real estate business owner.

If you are a tradie looking for a career change, or know a tradie who is, click here to find out how to get into a career in real estate