When you make your own hours as an agent does, time management is essential so you don’t feel even more pressured to be working all the time. To ensure you find time for some of your hobbies with no distractions, you can find ways to incorporate those you and your team enjoy that also benefit your business.
“Real growth happens when you stop treating your hobbies as mere downtime and start harnessing them to spark the connections that fuel your business,” Chirag Shah, founder of Chirag Shah Coaching, told RISMedia. “In a world overflowing with ‘me too’ marketing, your personal interests are the secret sauce that set you apart and make you memorable.”
Reading
The hustle means that activities like reading can be a challenge, since sitting still can let your mind wander back to your real estate career. So, treat the reading as time spent on your business.
“Hobbies aren’t distractions from work; they’re your most underrated strategy for standing out, building trust and creating long-term client loyalty,” said Shah, and reading is a perfect example of a business-friendly hobby.
There are plenty of business books out there for you to sharpen your real estate knowledge. Even if you don’t end up taking specific strategies from a particular book, it’s useful to know what others in your field are reading.
Audiobooks also allow you to enjoy a book while on the go (aka when driving to and from open houses all day), so pick an audiobook to keep you company in the car.
Writing
You can read published real estate professionals’ words, or—if you have a passion for writing—you can put something out there yourself. Start a real estate-focused blog or an email-delivered newsletter; find your niche and make that your hook. Are you versed in macroeconomics? Then make the newsletter’s premise about econ analysis. Do you have a particular client niche? Then share their stories and tips for how to work with them.
Attracting readers is another way of networking. One can pay dividends if they share your writing with their own circle. “Your best marketing tool isn’t your logo or listings—it’s the story you share through the hobbies that keep you inspired and authentic,” said Shah.
Interior design
If you want a listing to sell, make it look its best. Marie Claire Ntam, a Compass agent in Maryland, offers an extra personal touch with her knowledge of interior decorating.
“My passion for interior decor has seamlessly evolved from a personal hobby into a profitable venture, complementing my real estate career,” said Ntam. “By offering decor advice and services to clients during the pre-marketing phase and after closing, I’ve enhanced the appeal of single-family homes and multifamily developments, leading to quicker sales and higher offers. This endeavor has not only provided an additional income stream, but has also resulted in valuable referrals from satisfied clients.”
Stay up-to-date on design trends, know how to implement them and, if you’ve got another hobby for photography, show off the listing’s new decor. In this digital age with listing portals and virtual open houses, pictures—and what they include—are more valuable than ever.
Community passion
Any community event, from public sports teams to volunteering, can be a network opportunity if you make it so. But Jeff Goodman, a Brown Harris Stevens agent in New York City, has found a unique way to organize those opportunities—group walking tours, reflecting his passion for his hometown and brand as the “Quintessential New Yorker.”
“I LOVE New York, and I LOVE New York History,” explained Goodman. “I don’t give the tours, as I am not a tour guide; I partner with an expert. I don’t charge for the tours, but pay for them myself. At my receptions, I have sponsors who buy snacks at a local bar or restaurant, where my dozens of guests mingle and schmooze after the tours. The content of the tours is more of a personal interest of mine, and connecting people with one another is also a wonderful thing to do that I enjoy.”
If you aren’t getting what you want out of attending networking events, make your own and tailor it around a genuine, shared passion. Finding what that passion is could be a great way for team collaboration, too.
