As a salesman, there’s always the real estate vs car sales debate to keep you guessing which one is a better fit for someone like yourself.
Real estate and car sales offer unique income, career advancement, and job satisfaction opportunities. But both industries are quite different, and the path best for you depends on several factors. Among other things, the deciding factors include your skills, interests, and personal preferences.
This article will put one against the other to explain the real estate vs car sales debate and help you make an informed decision to choose the right career for you.
So with all that said, let’s begin.
Table of Content
Comparing Real Estate vs Car Sales
One way to determine whether selling cars or selling real estate is right for you is to put one directly against the other. That way, you gain essential information to help you make an informed decision. So, let’s start by looking at each industry and the skills and qualifications necessary to succeed.
Car Sales
Car sales is a fast-paced, high-energy industry perfect for skilled negotiators and those who love interacting with buyers. In this industry, you’ll spend most of your day on the lot, showing cars to prospective buyers and negotiating deals.
The earning potential in car sales is significant, with the most skilled salespeople earning six-figure salaries. However, the income is highly commission-based, so your earnings will depend on your ability to close deals. Therefore, the more deals you close, you’ll earn more money. First, let’s look at the five skills and qualifications necessary for becoming a successful car salesman.
5 Skills And Qualifications for Car Salesmen
The skills and qualifications necessary to become a successful car salesman are:
Excellent Communication Skills
Car sales require effective communication and the ability to articulate the benefits and features of a vehicle to potential buyers. These skills will help you persuade potential buyers to buy the car you believe is best for their needs.
Negotiation Skills
As a car salesperson, you’ll be negotiating deals with buyers daily. That’s because the price put on the car is always negotiable. Naturally, buyers will be eager to bring the price down, and it’s up to your strong negotiation skills to ensure you make the best deal possible for all parties involved.
Customer Service Skills
A good car salesperson is patient and friendly and goes above and beyond to meet their client’s needs. Their job is to make customers feel welcome and comfortable while shopping for their dream car. In many cases, your customer service skills will determine if potential buyers want to do business with you.
Product Knowledge
You can’t be a car salesman without knowing about cars. But even with strong product knowledge, buyers will appreciate going above and beyond to explain the vehicle fully. Therefore, to be successful in car sales, you need to deeply understand the vehicles you’re selling, including features, specifications, and pricing.
Sales Experience
We all have to start somewhere. If this is your first time in sales, you will be disadvantaged. However, having car sales experience is not necessarily required. But having previous sales experience can help develop the skills needed to succeed in car sales.
Real Estate
On the other hand, real estate offers a slower-paced environment but with a longer sales cycle. As a real estate salesperson, you’ll spend much of your time working with clients, searching for properties that meet their needs, and helping them navigate the home-buying or selling processes.
The earning potential in real estate is also high, with top salespeople earning six-figure salaries. But the income is also largely commission-based. In real estate, your success will depend on your ability to build a strong network of clients, develop a reputation as an expert in your area, and provide excellent customer service.
So right off the bat, both industries are similar but different. Let’s look at the five skills and qualifications necessary for becoming a successful real estate salesman.
5 Skills And Qualifications for Real Estate Salesmen
The skills and qualifications necessary to become a successful real estate salesman are:
Excellent Communication Skills
Like any other sales industry, real estate sales require effective communication with clients and other professionals in the industry. The better communicator you are, the easier to convince people to purchase a property. Moreover, having excellent communication skills will help you network in the industry.
Market Knowledge
A strong understanding of local market conditions, property laws, and regulations is essential for real estate sales success. Unlike car sales, real estate agents and salesmen must be aware of these conditions and regulations to structure deals properly.
Negotiation Skills
You’ll negotiate deals with buyers, sellers, and other professionals in real estate, so strong negotiation skills are key. Again, the price of a potential property is flexible, so agents rely on their negotiation skills to bring the price down for potential buyers or keep their grounds for potential sellers.
Networking Skills
Building a strong network of clients and professionals is crucial in real estate. Agents always network, and it’s up to their networking skills that determine how large a network they build. These contacts will come into play all the time. So agents rely on their digital Rolodex to get the job done.
Real Estate License
While sales experience is handy, real estate agents must be licensed by official bodies to work in the industry. This largely depends on the state you’re in. Some states require agents to obtain a real estate license to work as a salesperson, while others don’t. This typically requires completing a pre-licensing course and passing a licensing exam.
Conclusion
Choosing between car sales and real estate sales depends on several factors, including your skills, interests, and personal preferences. Both industries offer excellent earning potential and opportunities for career advancement. Still, the path you choose will depend on whether you’re comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, are skilled at negotiating, and have a passion for helping others.
Whichever industry you choose, success will depend on your ability to work hard, build strong relationships with clients, and provide excellent customer service. We hope our real estate vs car sales guide gave you the clarity you need to make the right decision.
FAQs
Is it Worth Being in Car Sales?
Working in car sales is an excellent way to earn a steady monthly income and supplement your income through commission sales. The very best car salespeople earn six-figure salaries, but the income heavily depends on how many cars you sell each month. To summarize, if you have communication, negotiation, customer service, sales skills, and car knowledge, working in car sales is well worth it.
Is Real Estate Sales Difficult?
Much like working in any sales industry, real estate sales is a competitive industry where your ability to sell properties will determine your success. As a real estate agent or salesperson, your job is to help customers navigate the buying or selling process for properties. So naturally, real estate sales isn’t difficult if you have the necessary skills to achieve your client’s goals.
Is Real Estate and Car Sales the Same?
Real estate and car sales are similar in that both jobs are related to sales. However, working as a real estate salesperson and a car salesperson isn’t the same. Real estate salespeople sell and buy properties for their clients, while car salespeople sell cars.
