On a busy day in February, Jordan Cohen carves time out of his demanding schedule to sit down with RE/MAX News to discuss his new book, “The Agent’s Edge: Secret Strategies to Win Listings and Make Your Fortune Selling Real Estate.” His phone is abuzz with clients contacting their real estate agent but also with friends and colleagues texting him well wishes as they learn of the upcoming release of his debut book, published by HarperCollins Leadership. His focus, however, remains on the person sitting in front of him, and it’s the first glimpse into the habits and strategies that have helped make Cohen, with RE/MAX One in Westlake Village, California, the six-time No. 1 RE/MAX agent in the world.
Cohen, as unassuming and unfiltered as they come, starts the conversation by pointing out there’s a lot of things he’s not: He’s not a trainer. He’s not a coach. He’s not a public speaker.
Jordan Cohen sells real estate.
And, as his client roster of countless celebrities and more than 150 professional athletes indicates, he does it well. So well, in fact, that he closed more than $300 million in sales volume in 2022 as an individual agent and has been recognized with almost every award RE/MAX offers, including the Special Service Award for 2022.
Now, he’s written “The Agent’s Edge,” espousing the lessons learns, tactics employed and sometimes glamorous (sometimes not) anecdotes that prove hard work, humility and perseverance can be invaluable in real estate. The book – which has been read, highlighted and shared among the RE/MAX News team – captivates the reader with its authenticity and candor, but remains a page-turner thanks to its real strategies and proof of implementation.
image-20240102-034052
Cohen, always with a smile and self-deprecating humor, provides a glimpse into his world as he discusses his career, the honor of being an author, and why he remains devoted to the real estate industry.
How does it feel to put pen to paper and share your knowledge in “The Agent’s Edge”?
It’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever done, to be honest with you. When I was approached to write a book, I was nervous at first. And then I said to myself, ‘You get only one chance to do something great and to leave a legacy.’ There are nearly 2 million of us that sell real estate the same way. So for me to be able to translate being a real estate agent into being an author is overwhelmingly exciting, second only to having kids and getting married.
Your book largely focuses on your listing presentation. Why?
I strongly believe that’s the most important skill a real estate agent can have. So much focus nowadays is placed on lead generation, social media, and videos. But all that doesn’t mean much if you can’t get in front of a seller, compete, and win in a competitive interview situation. I strongly feel that if you have a powerful, unbeatable listing presentation, real estate becomes fun. It becomes exciting. You’re going to push more for the interview. I write a lot about my listing presentation – it’s all the stuff I’ve developed over 32 years.
Why are you choosing to share your secrets with other real estate agents?
I sell real estate. I’m in the trenches every day. I’m not a trainer. I’m not a coach. I’m not a public speaker. I haven’t been to a real estate seminar in 25 years … because they didn’t resonate with me. It just wasn’t my style. So, I decided to come up with my own style. I stopped going to seminars and realized that I need to develop what’s going to work for me, and that’s what I did. Now, I can say, I wrote the book on it. All I’m doing is helping real estate agents better maximize their own listings.
There’s an undertone of optimism throughout “The Agent’s Edge.” What is your driving force and how do you stay positive?
I’m confident in what I’m saying and I know what I’m saying like the back of my hand. I practiced it and rehearsed it and performed my listing presentation so many times that I have the utmost confidence in it. Once you have confidence in what you’re doing, you’re just going to be better at it.
Do your strategies translate out of the luxury California market and into other markets around the globe?
100%. In fact, this was never going to be a luxury real estate book. The percentage of real estate agents across the world who sell luxury real estate is incredibly small. I wrote this book for brand-new agents, middle of the road agents, and experienced luxury agents, or even for people who are thinking about getting into real estate. It’s a roadmap for real estate agents of all levels to be better professionals in order to compete and win in any situation.
You’ve been with a RE/MAX brokerage for more than 20 years. Why do you continue to choose to align with the brand?
I like my Broker/Owner [Keith Myers]. I like the support. But I love the RE/MAX network. I love the fact that I’m able to say that we’re in over 110 countries and territories, there are more than 140,000 of us all working together to try to sell each other’s listings. It’s a family atmosphere.
Recommended For You
Get RE/MAX News delivered to your inbox! Sign up for News Alerts in the footer below.
Written by KATHARINE DAVIS
