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Realtor enjoys his role, finds it challenging
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Sparks has had many occasions to show this sign. In fact, he has twice broken the record for the price he got for selling Slave Lake properties.
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Jim Sparks looks over a realty document prior to signing it. Realtors must take courses and be up to date on what’s happening legally and in the housing market.
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This map of Slave Lake is an indispensable tool for realtors such as Jim Sparks.
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Theresa Seraphim
for Spotlight
This is the latest installment in a series of articles about various occupations.
Jim Sparks is enjoying his “lot” in life.
The Slave Lake realtor, who works for Century 21, is in his seventh year at his current occupation, which he began in Calgary.
“That’s … a real high-tech market. I learned a lot (and) had some time to get my feet wet,” says Sparks.
Sparks’ father was a well-known grocer in Slave Lake and, Sparks says, it was in helping him that he learned about doing business deals and reading people.
“It’s insight into the deal – you’ve got to look at the whole scenario,” says Sparks of the realtor’s role.
“Intuition does have a role, and knowing people.”
Sparks, who has lived in Slave Lake for most of his life, got into realty because it gave him some flexibility to be with his young family.
“My kids were younger and the time I spent with them was important,” he explains.
Having said that, says Sparks, it’s important for a realtor to be flexible, because plans sometimes have to be shifted to accommodate clients.
However, Sparks loves his job.
“The most rewarding (aspect) is being able to help the people, putting their minds at ease. The rewards come from happy clients.”
The challenges come from the fact that a realtor must be a self-starter, shown by perseverance and motivation.
“There’s nobody here to motivate us.”
A realtor’s typical day, says Sparks, revolves around chasing leads and looking for new business, information from which can come from many sources. Resting on one’s laurels will only help the competition.
“When we get a deal going, there’s lots to look after,” says Sparks. This includes finding out what the buyer wants and can afford (not always the same thing) and finding a balance between seller and buyer.
“You market yourself, you market your listings and you even market your buyers to the seller,” says Sparks.
“(A realtor) has to take their job seriously and pay attention to details and technology and look for different ways to market property.”
Sparks says although people assume anyone can be a realtor, and rake in money, that’s not the case.
“We don’t get paid until those keys are released,” he stresses, adding the commission is only a percentage of the house price.
To get to that point, however, a potential realtor has to take courses (Sparks did his through Mount Royal College in Calgary), which lead to being licensed, and do annual upgrading.
That person also has to have a professional attitude.
“There is a formal code of ethics that we need to follow,” Sparks stresses.
A realtor also has to be totally committed to the job.
“You can’t do it part time – it won’t work,” says Sparks.
Although this year’s market had a slow start, it has turned out well for him, becoming Sparks’ best since he left Calgary.
He believes buyer and seller will be more even in the future.
“I’m seeing more of a balanced market in the next year or two,” says Sparks.
The future will also include an imperative for realtors to stay on top of technological advances.
For example, the former practice of pulling down a book of houses from a shelf and showing them to buyers, doesn’t work anymore, says Sparks.
“Eighty to 85 per cent of buyers have already researched the Inter- net (before coming to the office),” he notes, adding most communication today occurs by email.
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