How real estate skills can come from anywhere

For many people considering a career change, real estate can feel like an industry reserved for a certain type of person. The polished salesperson, the lifelong property enthusiast or the natural-born negotiator who has spent years climbing the ladder within the industry.

But according to Bayleys salesperson Denise Dry, some of the strongest skills in real estate are often built long before someone ever steps foot into an open home.

And in her case, they came from an entirely different world.

Before joining Bayleys, Denise spent years working in the IT sector as a sales manager and account executive, while her husband Rick worked in software and regulation technology. Property had always been an interest, but a move into real estate wasn’t necessarily part of some carefully crafted long-term plan.

Instead, it came after a major life shift.

“Rick’s job came to an end and we basically woke up one morning with zero income.”

“At that point we realised that in IT, particularly as you get older, it can become harder and harder to secure another role because of all the industry changes and redundancies. We felt like even if one of us got another job, we could easily end up back in the same position a year or two later.”

It was a confronting moment for Denise, but also one that prompted clarity.

The couple had always loved property, had bought and sold homes themselves, and importantly, recognised they already possessed many of the skills needed to succeed in real estate.

“We knew our skills were cross-transferable, so we put our heads down and got our licences done incredibly fast.” Less than two years later, the husband-and-wife duo are thriving in the industry, have already brought on a PA, and say the move has been one of the best decisions they’ve made.

But Denise believes one of the biggest misconceptions around real estate is the idea that people need a direct property background before entering the industry.

“Selling is the same no matter where you work.”

“It’s people, it’s listening, it’s solving problems and overcoming objections. Those skills are exactly the same as what we were doing before.”

THE HIDDEN VALUE OF CORPORATE EXPERIENCE:

On paper, a move from IT sales into residential real estate may seem like an unlikely transition.

But Denise says the corporate world gave both her and Rick a huge advantage when they entered the industry.

Having worked for major global brands including IBM and Microsoft, they had already spent years being professionally trained in sales, communication and relationship management.

“One of the interesting things about real estate is not everybody is formally sales trained.”

“In IT they invest a lot of money into your sales skills. We’d been flown overseas throughout our careers and gone through sales schools in big multinational environments, where they pour a lot into teaching you how to communicate, prospect and build relationships.”

Those foundations translated quickly, and while the products may have changed from software systems to homes, Denise says the core principles remain remarkably similar.

“You still need to listen properly. You still need to understand what someone is trying to achieve. You still need to solve problems.”

The biggest difference she says, however, is emotion.

“There’s definitely a lot more emotion in real estate than there is selling big IT systems.”

“But that’s also one of the parts we really love because you’re genuinely making a difference in somebody’s life every day.”

WHY ALL EXPERIENCE IS RELEVANT:

Denise is adamant that people considering a move into real estate shouldn’t dismiss themselves simply because their background appears unrelated.

“If you’re an engineer, a teacher, someone in hospitality, corporate sales or customer service, there are so many skills that transfer across.”

She says one of the things that surprised her most after entering the industry was how much support existed within the Bayleys network itself.

“There’s always somebody you can call who’s probably come across something before.”

“And a lot of what you do is actually just sensible relationship management and communication.”

That support system, combined with strong systems and processes, helped the transition feel far less daunting.

In fact, Denise describes many parts of real estate as surprisingly structured.

“It can actually be quite formulaic. You do one thing, then you do it again, and over time you become more confident because you understand the rhythm of it.”

THE FIRST YEAR:

Like many new agents, Denise admits the first year came with steep learning curves.

Particularly entering the industry during a difficult economic period where interest rates, the OCR and broader market uncertainty were heavily influencing buyer confidence.

“The hardest part at first was understanding the rhythm of the business.”

“You get listings, then you get sales, then more listings, then more sales. I wanted everything to happen all at once initially.”

Over time, she says they developed what she now calls an “operating rhythm”, which made the emotional highs and lows of real estate feel more manageable.

“People always say real estate is a rollercoaster, and it definitely can be.”

“But once you understand the patterns and processes, it becomes enjoyable because you know what’s coming next.”

Importantly, Denise says she’s also learned to focus on the aspects of the job she can control.

“Good follow-up, good communication, educating clients properly and making sure people have the information they need to make decisions, those are the things within your control.”

MORE THAN JUST BUYING AND SELLING:

For Denise, one of the unexpected aspects of real estate has been just how deeply personal the role can become.

“Behind every property transaction is usually a significant life event. Sometimes it’s exciting, sometimes it’s stressful and sometimes it’s incredibly emotional.”

And often, agents find themselves helping guide people through those major moments of transition.

“People might be exiting a home because of a difficult situation, or they might be moving into a really exciting new chapter.”

“You become part of that journey with them, and that’s something we really enjoy.”

It’s also why Denise believes emotional intelligence is one of the most transferable and underrated skills people can bring into the industry.

“You’ve got to be a calm island in the middle of a storm sometimes.”

“When emotions are high or challenges come up through the process, your role is to help guide people through that calmly and clearly.”

That ability to manage people, communicate transparently and remain solutions-focused is something Denise says many professionals already do in other careers, often without realising how relevant those skills could be in real estate.

BACKING HERSELF EARLIER:

Looking back now, Denise says there’s one thing she wishes she had done differently.

“I probably would have tried it earlier.”

And for anyone currently sitting in another industry wondering whether they could make the leap into real estate, her advice is simple: don’t underestimate the value of the experience you already have.

“People shouldn’t write themselves off.”

“So many of the skills you build in other careers are incredibly valuable in real estate. You probably bring far more to the table than you realise.”