On Friday, July 23, a little after 9 p.m. in Tokyo, tennis player Naomi Osaka lit the cauldron at the 2021 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony, officially beginning the planet's biggest sporting competition. On the other side of the world, thousands of miles and over 13 time zones away, real estate agents in North America brewed their morning coffees and prepared themselves for another day of home-selling.

On the surface, there might be few differences between Olympic athletes in Tokyo, with their incredible sporting qualities and the most successful real estate agents. But dig deeper, and you'll discover both cohorts share the same characteristics. Persistence. Perseverance. An innate desire to win. Dig even deeper, and you'll notice the entire ethos of the Olympics is eerily similar to that of real estate sales: Train, work hard, and you'll eventually win. Here's what the Olympics reveals about selling homes.

Preparation is Key

Athletes often forgo the Olympics because they might not be "ready yet." What do they do? They work harder and train longer. Then they come back in four years, win a gold medal, and make their countries proud. The same principle applies to those agents in your market. The best ones don't fall at the first obstacle but push through the pain barrier and make it to the finish line. 

Sometimes, becoming a gold-medal agent is a marathon, not a sprint. Offers fall through, contracts are voided, and the people they're helping suffer disappointment. The best local agents might not have always been superstars, but they've worked on their weaknesses and spent time preparing. Good agents identified their weak spots and learned how to jump over the biggest hurdles to exceed their clients' expectations. They genuinely care. They discovered how to price local real estate competitively. They knew their numbers. They knew their market. Today, the most successful agents network with local industry influencers. They build long-lasting connections and take tips from the top sellers in their teams. It's not always what they know but who they know. If you're looking for an agent that has prepared themselves the best they can, look for these things:

• A comprehensive, omnichannel marketing plan

• A transparent pricing strategy

• Several 5-star reviews from past clients

These are the agents who go above and beyond.

Hard Work Pays Off

Real estate agents don't win gold medals, but there are winners and losers in this game. The agent who gets her seller top dollar for their home and hits their expectations out of the park (or the stadium or the tennis court) gets rewarded. She's the Usain Bolt of the office — the one everyone respects. 

She's the one you want to sell your home. 

How do agents become winners? Through hard work, of course. Like the most celebrated athletes, the most successful agents spend years perfecting their craft and fine-tuning strategies to help more people. No one becomes "Agent of the Month" overnight. It takes months, sometimes years, of practice. 

Take Ben Caballero from Addison, Texas, for example. Guinness World Records has him listed as "America's No.1 real estate agent" after selling an amazing 3,556 homes in 2016 — seven times more than his nearest competitor. Ben achieved this accolade from years of hard graft. He learned new skills, provided value to his audience, and kept his eye on the prize like an athlete. If real estate were the Olympics, his name would be at the top of the medals table. 

Your real estate agent should have success stories and a proven track record in your market. Work with an agent that shares Ben's dedication to local real estate and helping their clients.

Setbacks Won't Ruin Future Successes

Almost every Olympic athlete has stumbled along the road to victory. Finnish long-distance runner Lasse Viren fell in the 10,000m final at the 1972 Munich Games but got up, dusted himself off, and won the gold medal in a world-record time. American gymnast Paul Hamm recovered from an accident on the vault at the 2004 Athens Games but recovered for the 2008 Beijing Games. These athletes never gave up on their dreams.

Agents might have a hard month and ask themselves if real estate is working out. The best agents don't let such a setback ruin their future success. They're dedicated to helping their community. They understand that real estate goes through peaks and troughs.

The best local agents also celebrate their achievements. Did they win an award? You'll see that honor on their Facebook page. A bulging portfolio of 5-star reviews? It's available on our website.