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Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

You should dress appropriately for your market and clientele. If you work showing expensive condos in Manhattan, attractive business attire might work. If you mostly show large parcels of mountainous land, work boots, warm pants and a jacket would work. You should look professional, but what that means is different from place to place.

Jan 29, 2022 04:40 AM
Ambassador
2,697,266
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Hi, Charles. 

   This excerpt is from a blog post that I wrote:

 Dress for Success.  People judge you by the way you look.  Even if your area is laid-back, casual, or rural, you must be well-dressed and well-groomed.

Jan 29, 2022 06:11 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,159
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

I dress for success but also comfort and dress for my audience per say. I like to be comfortable, i like to dress according to weather and know when to turn it up and when i can let it be. 

Jan 29, 2022 05:08 AM
Ambassador
4,893,274
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I don't worry about it, I am very casual and people seem to like that about me.  When I am meeting with clients I dress nicely but not in a shirt and tie or anything like that.  If clients are going to expect that, they aren't clients that I want to work with anyways so they lose out on my expertise and will likely work with someone that dresses nicely but doesn't know what they are doing, haha.

Jan 29, 2022 04:19 AM
Rainmaker
1,087,302
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Yes. No. It depends on the work to be performed.
I would dress more professionally to meet a seller at a listing appointment than out on a site meeting a surveyor! 
I always caution clients when we are walking dirt, CLOSED SHOES and LONG PANTS please . . . it's the desert and who knows what critters we might encounter?

Jan 29, 2022 06:36 AM
Rainmaker
5,230,033
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

I always dress professionally... two decades in the corporate world before the concept of casual Fridays ever entered anyone's mind instilled that in me. I am a professional and I want my clients to see me as such. No different that my expectation the my attorneys, accountant, doctors, etc. look professional when they meet with me.

 

Obviously, a lot depends on environment and context... but one can look professional without necessarily being over formal.

Jan 29, 2022 06:11 AM
Rainmaker
5,402,682
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Yes! You need to present the image required of the location whether it be suit and tie (pants suit or dress for women) to business casual. If you don't fit it you will be out. There are a few exceptions, but not many successful ones.

Jan 29, 2022 04:09 AM
Ambassador
3,399,584
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I dress for the occasion. Who am I meeting and where? 

Clean, well-groomed. Go light on cologne. 

I've met with people who looked like they just climbed out of bed. Don't do that! 

As important as attire, be prepared. It does not matter what you are wearing if you are not prepared.  Be professional. Always. Leave a potty mouth in the locker room. 

In my area, most attorneys wear suits but not all the time. Doctors, CPAs do not suit up in my area. They dress casually. 

Jan 29, 2022 09:24 AM
Rainmaker
1,528,424
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Yes.  Functional and for the clients you're working with.  Don't wear a 3-piece Armani suit to show a dirt lot.  Don't wear jeans and a "Who's your Realtor?" shirt to a multi-million dollar home.

I work with investors and the homes I show are usually a good "huff and a puff" from blowing over.  Sometimes hoarder houses, sometimes rat infested, sometimes with smells you can never un-smell.  I tend to dress in easily washable pants and a shirt I won't be sad if it gets damaged, when showing those homes.  I've had to wear an ANSI rated hard hat for one home!

 

Contrast that to if I go on a listing appointment or am hosting an open house, it's usually jeans and a sport coat.

Like in comedy (or public speaking in general)... know your audience.

Jan 29, 2022 09:01 AM
Rainmaker
1,622,952
Gary Frimann, CRS, GRI, SRES
Eagle Ridge Realty / Signature Homes & Estates - Gilroy, CA
REALTOR and Broker

I believe one should.  It is a reflection of how one views themselves and signals to your peers you mean business.

Jan 29, 2022 06:54 AM
Rainmaker
651,031
Buzz Mackintosh
Mackintosh REALTORS - Frederick, MD
“Experience, reliable, leadership”

Dress for success and project a professional image keeping in mind the clients and setting you are representing. Successful REALTORS are good chameleons!

Jan 29, 2022 06:16 AM
Rainmaker
2,274,580
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

     First impressions matter. And clothes are not optional Charles Ross . Make it neat, clean. Suit and tie professional for closings. Getting house listings. Jeans, a jeep in four wheel drive and dressed LL Bean warm and rugged for woodlot listings, farm property offerings.

     Depends on the environment and what the buyer, seller expect. At the end of the day, no matter how you are dressed, it becomes fully apparent if you know what you are talking about and will help or hurt a real estate sale.

Jan 29, 2022 05:47 AM
Rainmaker
746,263
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

You should dress in a way that works within your market and your client base.  For instance, in an urban area, a suit makes sense.  If you are selling farm property, jeans and boots makes sense.  Dress in a manner that demonstrates to your clients that you know your business.

Jan 29, 2022 08:21 AM
Rainer
195,689
Karen Climer
Demetree School of Real Estate - Orlando, FL
Teaching people to pass the real estate exam

You should dress in a way that makes you feel good.  If that means you wear a suit, do that.  If that means you wear jeans and a polo, do that.

If you are comfortable in your own skin (and you own clothes), you will do better because you will seem real.  There is nothing worse than someone who is trying to be someone they are not.

You also want to fit what you are selling and your clientele.  A long time ago, I sold real estate at a resort wear and we had to wear business dress, jackets, suits.  The idea was that we would present an image of professionalism and success.  You can't sell someone on how great a Florida vacation is when you are standing in the 100 degree weather looking at a pool and a tennis court sweating to death talking to someone who is wearing shorts and flip flops.  It is incongruent.  Later the company switched to pants or shorts (depending on weather) and a company polo.  It worked much better.  

Jan 29, 2022 06:37 AM
Rainmaker
8,057,428
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

You should project a professional image.

Jan 29, 2022 03:14 AM
Ambassador
1,472,185
Susan Emo
Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

Yes.  Dress for your shape first and foremost, lol  Then your personality, your market/clientele and dare I say it - your age! 

Jan 29, 2022 12:20 PM
Ambassador
3,633,799
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Charles every area has their own unique dress look.  Here in Phoenix I'd look pretty silly dressing to the max as nobody does - except attorney that are headed to court.  It's more 'business casual' here.  And in some parts it's more the cowboy/girl look which just means boots and jeans and maybe a fancy hat!   Dress what feels right to you!

Jan 29, 2022 09:41 AM
Rainmaker
1,863,792
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

yes like a professional. I know that often times I can't tell who is who as everyone is in workout gear. Not my idea of business.

Jan 29, 2022 07:21 AM
Ambassador
2,105,758
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home again, home again...

More and more, since "the incident", they insist that I wear pants.  Go figure.

Jan 29, 2022 07:04 AM
Rainmaker
1,266,138
Peter Mohylsky, Beach Broker
PMI. Destin - Miramar Beach, FL
Call me at 850-517-7098

Dress for success, what ever that means to you.    It’s a great book to read as well.  Old but great.  

Jan 29, 2022 04:42 AM
Rainmaker
5,773,924
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Charles,

We did in commercial real estate.  Ron wore suits and ties, ad I was appropriated business dressed.  We were dealing with high end retail and business people.  You dress appropriately for your area.  Here is Santa Barbara County, it is business casual--nice shirt, slacks--casual dresses for women.  A

Jan 29, 2022 10:16 AM
Ambassador
3,205,211
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I'm super casual and dress for comfort.  I mean I'm "neat" and "clean" but I'm not in a dress up kind of market and I'm not a dress up kind of girl.

Jan 29, 2022 08:31 AM
Rainmaker
2,822,036
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Yes you should dress for success. We should all be walking/talking advertisements for our industry. Include hygiene, manners & good examples

Jan 29, 2022 07:23 AM
Rainmaker
5,951,839
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

I dress for my client, showing million-dollar homes is more upscale than my investor buying properties where you need a shower after showing!  

Jan 29, 2022 06:55 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

"a certain way"
You bet. When I help a seller PACK, I dress a certain way.
When I am meeting a brand new client. I dress differently.
When we are taking a boat tour of the area, I dress for a boat tour.
Applying such latitude is directly related to the level of care one offers.
Many run a 'no touch' business and as such can dress exactly like their business card. There is certainly nothing wrong with that.

Jan 29, 2022 06:38 AM
Rainmaker
934,089
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

Yes and I base my attire on weather, the client, and the activity. When I first got my license in 1991 I wore dress suits with heels in the hot Florida sun. Times have changed. I dress professionally but not in heels and suits.

Jan 29, 2022 12:40 PM
Rainmaker
1,596,915
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® CRS,ABR,PSA,RCS-D, ePRO
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
Serving Coastal San Diego, Veteran's & Seniors

It truly matters not these days. Dress how you feel you're at your best. Don't dress for others. They buy into your competence and character more than your suit. I did the suit thing for the first 10/23 years of my career and I do much, much, better business now with exposed tattoos, earrings and a Tommy Bahama shirt. But, San Diego is a very casual city. 😎

Jan 29, 2022 11:06 AM
Ambassador
3,227,251
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
The best agent in Southern Utah!

Professional attire depends on whether it's residential property or land. I dress accordingly for work in clean-no wrinkled clothing and comfortable shoes plus good hygiene is a must for a day's worth of showings. Short shorts or skimpy tank tops are a turn off and that goes for both men and women! LOL

Jan 29, 2022 11:05 AM
Rainmaker
1,404,070
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

In my former career as a bank manager I wore a suit and tie every day. When I started in real estate, my BUSINESS habit, along with a closet full of suites, led me to dress like I had as a banker. After a bit of time being around other agents and dealing with very few clients who dressed as "business people" I realized that my dress code could change.

Now, it is collared shirts and casual pants and that go well in the suburbs of the Bay Area.

Jan 29, 2022 07:17 AM
Rainmaker
5,118,566
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello Charles, I dress for my clients, but try to dress up most the time.

 

Jan 29, 2022 08:28 AM
Rainmaker
915,733
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

If you mean professionally, then yes.

Jan 29, 2022 12:06 PM
Rainer
155,387
Anthony Kirlew
Group 46:10 Network @ eXp Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Helping You Make Fiscally Sound Real Estate Deals!

I say, dress professionally based on the circumstance. In AZ I know many agents who wear shorts and sandals... that's just not me. I typically wear jeans, a button-down shirt, and dress shoes. When I was in Maryland, it was "suit and tie" most of the time.

Jan 29, 2022 01:36 PM
Rainmaker
1,641,043
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

I dress according to the occasion. Different types of property, weather, and clients dictate the appropriate professional attire. 

Jan 30, 2022 11:56 AM
Ambassador
6,598,303
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Professionally, like in your profile photo.

Jan 29, 2022 05:58 PM
Rainmaker
780,579
Tony Lewis
Summit Real Estate Group - Valencia, CA
Summit Real Estate Group Valencia & Aliso Viejo

I can't speak for women but for men, yes.  Pant, Shirt, Shoes & Socks at a minimum.

Jan 30, 2022 04:31 PM
Rainmaker
2,236,141
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

I have a lot of Logo Shirts

Jan 29, 2022 06:16 PM
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