The business of residential real estate is first and foremost a sales profession. It is often said that good salespeople are also good listeners. A good salesperson must listen to what clients and customers have to say and then be able to read between the lines to understand what they are really saying. In almost all cases people know what they want, even if they're not very good at articulating their desires. You must be able to listen and discern the nuances of people's words in order to be successful in real estate.
Real estate is hard work.
Many would-be salespeople are attracted to the business with the mistaken notion that it is the road to easy money. Most successful real estate agents work long hours, often more than sixty hours per week for several years, before achieving real success. If a transaction fails after sometimes months of work, the agent does not get paid. In order to succeed in real estate you must be able to assume the personality of a teacher, psychologist, accountant, manager, public relations officer, marketing executive, interior decorator, landscape designer, and bureaucrat. During the course of a successful real estate career you will interact with the entire spectrum of human personalities, from the pleasant and punctual to the annoying and obnoxious.