It seems that the dress casual trend that’s really taken hold in the office world over the last decade is starting to make inroads with real estate agents too. In particular this is true with the necktie being less of a default choice when putting together an outfit for men. Dressing more casually wouldn’t be anything you’d likely include in a list of smart tips for realtors, but more than anything it’s just interesting to note how frequently you see realtors and people in other outside sales-oriented careers choosing to go without a necktie.
Many agree that a nice collared shirt with dress pants or even khakis along with a nice pair of shoes and stylish coat looks sharp on a man who’s also well groomed. The same goes for women, and many female realtors make a point of not ‘over-doing’ it with makeup and other considerations. It’s a refreshing change to see the flexibility in attitudes towards a realtor’s attire!
Now your vehicle of choice – that’s an entirely different matter. You might want to rethink that subcompact, and no realtor drives a 2-door. Period.
I remember reading a discussion forum for realtors once where a man related how he’d gone to meet with a client dressed very formally. The homeowner – a younger man – said jokingly that he “looked like he was going to a funeral.” Now it is true that older clients will be more receptive to the traditionalism of a suit and tie, but a number of different studies over the years have indicated that younger professionals and creatives are much more open-minded and don’t put a whole lot of stock in your attire. They’re going to be much more interested in what you can do for them as compared to how you look. You could even say that you might have more cred with them if you have tattoos, and it’s really not a stretch to say that!
Ed Babich is a realtor at KellerWilliams in Port Coquitlam, BC, a suburb of Vancouver. He’s quite renowned for his slogan – “The Guy with No Tie” and of course we wouldn’t be mentioning him here in our Real Estate Leads blog if he wasn’t a successful realtor. Ed worked as a journeyman tradesperson in the field of Thermal Engineering as a Heat and Frost Insulator before becoming a realtor, and Ed has lived and traveled throughout British Columbia and is familiar with many areas in Greater Vancouver and the Province.
You can be sure his slogan has appealed to many prospective clients just because of the way it indicates him as a realtor for the everyday working man. Well done Ed, very insightful and a perfect description of who you are as a realtor!
What are your thoughts on attire for both men and women realtors? We think you should dress as you see fit, and of course utilize ever real estate lead generation tool you can including realestateleads.ca
