My former neighbor, Harry, is a realtor, and a successful one at that. In spite of the fact that he is one of the shyest guys I know. I went to one of his open houses, and what a difference from the usual spiel you get at open houses. Because of his silence, I asked all the questions and made all the comments. I'm have a pretty loud voice, and his quietness make me speak all the louder, as if I had to shout in order to hear him. It's not that he's not knowledgeable or personable. It's just that he's really quiet and soft spoken. For this reason, people tend to do the speaking for him.
Underneath the silent surface, I know he is in total command of the situation. He does his homework; he know the market. In fact, he calls himself "Mr.______(market), as though he alone represents that piece of earth. I'll bet he can read people better than we can read him. He probably knows which ones are worth raising his voice for and wich ones aren't. If anyone could be described as non-pushy, it would be Harry.
Perhaps Harry expresses himself best on the internet. He has a complex website where he tells his life story and lets us know what his pet projects are. So, he wants us to know that there's more to him than just a real estate functionary. He has a life - he must have a personality - and I know he's making lots of money. I have never felt less threatened by any realtor. Maybe Harry is a model for his peers.
