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Broker Spotlight: Cole Slate
Name: Cole Slate
Title: Broker-owner
Experience: Licensee and Realtor since September 2012
Location: Northeast Florida / Jacksonville area
Brokerage full name: Slate Real Estate / SRE Property Management
Rankings: Top 3 percent office in northeast Florida
Team size: 31 producing agents
Transaction sides: 186 year-to-date (Jul. 25, 2023)
Sales volume: $77,530,887 year-to-date (Jul. 25, 2023)
Awards: (please include links for verification)
- 2017 Northeast Florida Association of Realtors Humanitarian of the Year
- 2018 Best Buddies North Florida Community Hero
- 2022 Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40
How did you get your start in real estate?
I actually didn’t put a lot of thought into it. I knew I loved people, and creating relationships. I wanted to “get paid to network.” Everyone needs a home, so I got into real estate.
What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate?
I wish more people knew the grind that goes into being successful in our business. Real estate is very personality-driven; so we have to get past the people who think they could do our jobs better than us; for free (FSBOs); the people who aren’t very respectful due to everything they “know” from social media, Zillow and HGTV; and the incredible misconception that all Realtors are the same.
What’s your top tip for freshly licensed brokers?
Just because real estate isn’t a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat it as such. Whether you’re Day One in the business or Year 10, there is always something to do in real estate, whether it’s database management, marketing, classes, trainings, networking, events, open houses or property previews. Do not complain you’re not reaching your goals if you are putting in less than 50 hours per week.
What makes a good leader?
Practice what you preach. Do not be a hypocrite. Your agents and industry colleagues aren’t going to respect you if you aren’t walking the walk that you try to teach. Lead by example.
What’s one thing you wish every agent knew?
The contract. If every agent invested the same effort in knowing their local Purchase and Sale Agreement as they do social media and selfies, our industry would be in a much better place, with a lot more happy customers and clients, due to more transactions getting to the closing table.
What else would you like readers to know?
Always treat others better than you want to be treated, and everything will work out like it should.
Know someone who should be featured in an upcoming Broker Spotlight? Nominations, please, to brokeredge@inman.com.
Christy Murdock is a freelance writer, coach and consultant and the owner of Writing Real Estate. Connect with Writing Real Estate on Instagram and subscribe to the weekly roundup, The Ketchup, in either newsletter or podcast form.