Why a real estate superagent says thinking like an 'adviser' and not a 'salesman' will bring in better results during uncertain times

• Jonathan Spears is one of the top real estate agents in the country, with over $600 million in career sales, and he's still just 28 years old.
• He manages a team of seven and works primarily in the high-end market in northwest Florida. His team has more than $121 million in sales this year.
• In an interview with Business Insider, he broke down why he advises agents not to make predictions in an uncertain market.
• Clients always appreciate it when you stick to facts, he said, and that builds trust. The same goes for teamwork and collaboration.

Jonathan Spears is no ordinary real estate agent.

At just 28 years old, he has over $600 million in career sales and was named one of the country's top 100 brokers in 2020 by Real Trends, ranked by volume.

Even when he was younger, Spears was a go-getter. At 14 years old, he enrolled in college at Florida State University. He then began his real estate career in 2010 at 18 and has spent the past decade building his expertise in northwest Florida.

Now an agent for Sotheby's International in Destin, Florida, Spears leads a team of seven and has had a promising 2020, with more than $121 million in sales year to date. Some of the keys to his success include hiring to his weaknesses, scheduling out his days, and keeping in touch with both his personal and business relationships.

However, when it comes to what not to do, Spears explained that beginner agents should not make predictions on the future of a marketplace, especially in uncertain times.

"Focus on facts and put away the so-called 'crystal ball,'" he told Business Insider in an email.

As a real estate agent, he said you have to think less like a "salesman" and more like an "adviser" when there are volatile signals for both you and your clients.

Building trust among homeowners and prospective homebuyers is a crucial way to build your clientele and land deals in the future, Spears said. "Be a steady leader with a facts-based approach and a keen understanding of the market that your clients can trust."

Building trust within your own team during uncertainty

With leadership more important now than ever amid uncertainty, Spears' initiative applies not only his clients, but to his own team too, which he relies on to stay ahead of the game.

Though his schedule is crowded with showings, prospecting calls, and follow-up emails, Spears said he starts every day with a 15-minute huddle at 9:15 a.m. that brings the team together to prioritize the day's schedule. The morning is reserved for the most important tasks of the day.

Among the group's collaborators are Spears' assistant, who was hired five years ago to handle the data side of things while Spears focuses on networking. A team manager who focuses on production also finds himself at the heart of Spears' successful operation. "He is paramount to being able to help our team members while I'm out there producing," Spears said.

"I'm very outgoing. I want to be in front of people. I do not want to sit in front of a computer all day and work on systems and processes," he added. "But it's systems and processes that help me properly manage not only all of the relationships that I have, but my team's."

That said, Spears success says a lot about learning the importance of a team, and his advice for industry newcomers follows suit.

"Try to nestle yourself under the market leader or a market leader. That knowledge and understanding is why somebody will hire you," he added. "I was working as an assistant for $10 an hour for the first two years of my career. That time frame was paid education. I couldn't replace it today."