Real Estate Relationships: What They Don’t Teach You in Broker School

By Carlos Alexandre Rozwadowski

There’s no textbook for this part of real estate.

No licensing course teaches you how to sit across from a nervous first-time buyer and talk them through the “what-ifs” of taking on a mortgage. No class covers how to handle the raw emotion of a seller saying goodbye to a home they raised three generations in. And no instructor gives you a blueprint for the dinner-table conversations, hallway handshakes, or last-minute favors that quietly make this business go round.

You learn all of that out there—with people.

The Moments That Matter Aren’t in the MLS

Over the years, I’ve worked with thousands of buyers, sellers, agents, investors, and vendors. Some of the biggest deals I’ve ever closed didn’t start with a formal pitch or a scheduled call. They started with a conversation over coffee, or a handshake at a community event, or a “Hey, can I pick your brain real quick?” after a training session.

That’s something I remind every new agent who joins Century 21 Premier Real Estate: You’re not here to just “sell homes.” You’re here to build trust.

You’ll be surprised how often a genuine moment, a laugh, a thank-you note, a thoughtful gesture—leads to something bigger than any lead-gen campaign ever could.

Clients Become Friends. Colleagues Become Family

I’ve still got thank-you cards from clients I worked with over a decade ago. Some of those people became repeat clients. Some referred their kids. One dropped off pastries at our office last month, just because.

And then there’s my team. I’ve watched agents go from rookie licensees to top producers. I’ve sat beside them through hard years and big wins. I’ve shared dinners, strategy sessions, and life milestones with people who started out as co-workers and turned into lifelong friends.

This industry is a contact sport, and the most valuable contact you’ll make is human.

There’s No Algorithm for Relationships

Me with the awesome Century 21 team

Technology has changed real estate a lot. We’ve got better tools, smarter data, and AI that can write the perfect listing description (allegedly). But what tech can’t do is care.

It can’t remember your client’s dog’s name. It can’t pick up on the hesitation in a seller’s voice when they’re second-guessing letting go. It can’t sense the relief on a buyer’s face when they walk into the one.

That’s your job. And it’s the best part of it.

So Here's What They Don’t Teach You—but Should:

• Your reputation is your referral network. Build it slowly and protect it like gold.

• Showing up matters. Not just in the office. At events, at closings, at moments that aren’t required.

• People don’t remember your stats. They remember how you made them feel.

• The business follows the relationship—not the other way around.
  

Final Thought

The longer I’m in this industry, the more convinced I am that real estate is people work. If you treat it like that—if you slow down enough to connect, to listen, to care... you’ll find yourself building more than just a business.

You’ll build a life around trust, loyalty, and community.

And honestly, that’s worth more than any commission check.

– Alex Rozwadowski CEO, Century 21 Premier Real Estate