SILVAR  :  Newsroom  : Real Estate Articles

Event Coverage

Keys to Success: Listen to Clients, Know Your Product, Adhere to Code of Ethics


Image about Keys to Success: Listen to Clients, Know Your Product, Adhere to Code of Ethics

Friday, March 21, 2008

To be successful in the business of real estate, you have to listen to your clients and their needs, you have to know your product and the market, and if you want your clients to return to you someday, it is very important that you adhere to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. This is the message top producers of the Cupertino/Sunnyvale District stressed at their presentation last week.

The panel at last Thursday's Cupertino/Sunnyvale District tour meeting was moderated by District Council Member Bill Moody of Referral Realty and District Council Member Niki Maroko of RE/MAX Real Estate Services, and featured top producers Roberta Murai of Coldwell Banker, Wayne Haraguchi of Referral Realty and Carolyn Miller of RE/MAX Real Estate Services.

Murai related how embarked on her real estate career in the mid-1980s and sat in an office for nine months with no business. But she persisted, and by 1990, despite the down market, she was able to establish solid customer base of referrals.

"We are selling homes. You need to know what you are talking about," Murai said.

Haraguchi, a former CPA, first dabbled in real estate part-time and got into the business full-time in the 1990s.

"It was tough," Haraguchi recalled. He remembers spending a lot of time knocking on doors – as many as 5,000 doors one year.

"You need to provide good service to your clients. Do the best job you can. People notice that," he advised. "If a house isn't good for my client, I will discourage them from buying the house. I always look at it long-term. When they buy a home from me, could they sell it the next time around and, would they come back to me?"

Miller, who in June will be in the business 28 years, said the key to her success is developing long-term relationships with people and listening to her clients.

"Relationships are something you nurture and grow. I've known many of my clients for over 20 years. What you do today will impact what you can do tomorrow," said Miller.

Miller added, "You need to listen to what your clients want. You need to know the inventory. Go on tour. If you don't see these homes, you better know about them. With the Internet these days, buyers can know more than you, so you must know your market."

Here are other tips the top producers shared:

* Read disclosure packages carefully and pay attention to detail.

You can't write an offer if you don't know the product. It is critical to your career.

* Use inspectors who are thorough and whom you can trust.

Using inspectors who are careful and thorough makes the transaction smoother, and will give your buyer an extra level of comfort, and raises the level of trust between you and your client. Without trust, you cannot feel comfortable about a transaction.

* Be current on all the forms.

Be concise and up-to-date on the latest nuances and changes. You need to be well-versed on all the PRDS forms because they are updated regularly.

* Live up to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.

If you keep the Code of Ethics in front of you, it translates into the relationship you have with your client.


The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, email , or phone (408) 200-0109.

» Back to Event Coverage

Site Navigation