September means Back to Basics here at Inman. As real estate navigates the post-settlement era with new commission rules, real estate professionals from across the country will share what’s working for them, how they’ve evolved their systems and tools, and where they’re investing personally.

This post was updated Sept. 10, 2024.

As we adjust to the industry changes resulting from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) commission suit settlement, soft skills have never been more critical. Agents will need to master the arts of negotiation and communication like never before when it comes to earning a buyer’s agent commission, getting buyers to understand and sign a buyer-broker agreement, and simply pushing deals over the finish line amid commission confusion.

Soft skills are those that make a person a good candidate for a given workplace, real estate in this case, as opposed to hard skills, which are more like spreadsheets, search engine optimization, email marketing — things that are easy to learn in a classroom.

“Soft skills are non-technical skills that relate to how you work. They include how you interact with colleagues, how you solve problems, and how you manage your work,” according to The Balance.

Empathy, integrity, transparency, coaching, and flexibility are not so easily taught or learned, but they are the themes that come up over and over again when you ask real estate professionals about the makings of an exceptional leader. And leadership in itself is a soft skill.

“Soft skills are as almost as important as hard skills. In fact, they often define success more than expertise does,” according to Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies, which lists communication, active listening, social cues, negotiation, patience and tactfulness as the most crucial soft skills to have in real estate.

But really, if you aggregate lists of soft skills that apply to real estate, there are hundreds. We’ve compiled a list of the most-used soft skills in real estate and paired each of them with advice from the pros — Inman contributors — on how to master it, even if the skill doesn’t come naturally to you. These can take a lifetime to master, so be patient with yourself, and keep coming back for more great advice.

1. Organization

2. Communication

3. Listening

4. Persuasion/negotiation

5. Presentation

6. Problem-solving

7. Emotional intelligence

8. Design

9. Growth mindset

10. Time management

11. Resourcefulness

12. Leadership

13. Conflict management

14. Delegation

15. Confidence and public speaking

16. Dependability 

17. Teamwork

18. Business ethics

19. Motivation

20. Resilience

21. Persistence

22. Self-awareness

23. Cultural Competence

24. Adaptability

What did we miss? There are so many soft skills in real estate. Tell us what you think is critical, what we missed, or what you’re struggling with in the comments section below, and we’ll add to this post with all the resources we can.

Connect with Dani Vanderboegh via email, Instagram or Facebook

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