After more than forty years in the real estate market, I have found that the most important sales are not achieved by talking more, but by understanding people better.
Our work is not just about selling apartments, plots of land, or projects. Behind every signature is a family, years of saving, dreams, sacrifices, and often, the most important investment of a lifetime.
That's why, when I learned about the principles of persuasion from psychologist Robert Cialdini, I confirmed something that experience had already taught me: people buy when they feel confident, not when they feel pressured.
These six principles represent an excellent guide for those of us who make a living by advising people.
- Reciprocity: first serve, then sell
People tend to reciprocate when they receive something of value. In real estate, that means providing guidance, sharing useful information, explaining the market, or helping a client even if they aren't ready to buy. The more we help before the sale, the more trust we build.
- Commitment and consistency
Big decisions start with small answers. Questions like: Are you looking for a home for your family? Do you want to invest? Or is security a priority? help the client identify what they truly need. When that happens, the decision stops feeling like a sales pitch and becomes a logical next step.
- Social proof
People feel more secure when they know others have already made the same decision. That's why testimonials, completed projects, other families' experiences, and project progress are so valuable. Nothing builds more trust than a satisfied customer.
- The authority
Authority isn't conferred by a position; it's built through study, preparation, and consistency. When an advisor masters the legal, financial, and technical aspects of a project, they inspire confidence. The client doesn't expect us to know everything, but they do expect us to be prepared to guide them effectively.
- Sympathy
People prefer to do business with those they trust. Listening, showing empathy, and maintaining an authentic attitude strengthens the client relationship. I've seen people switch projects for a better advisor. Often, the client buys as much from the advisor as from the project.
- The scarcity
The last available units, an introductory price, or a limited-time bonus help the customer understand that opportunities are fleeting. But there's one essential condition: the scarcity must be real. Creating urgency might generate a sale today, but it destroys trust forever. What these principles have taught me, I've learned to summarize over the years as follows:
- Reciprocity opens the door.
- Sympathy builds the relationship.
- Authority generates trust.
- Social proof reduces fear.
- Commitment brings the decision closer.
- Scarcity drives action.
However, after four decades in this profession, I believe there is a seventh principle that does not appear in any book and that experience has taught me every day: Integrity.
You can master every negotiation technique and know every closing method. But if you lose credibility, you lose everything. I've seen salespeople close many deals in a short time and disappear from the market. I've also seen advisors build decades-long careers because they chose to put ethics over commission.
I've always believed that our business isn't simply about selling properties. It's about helping people make one of the most important financial decisions of their lives. When we understand that, we stop chasing clients and start building relationships. And relationships, over time, generate something far more valuable than a sale: trust.
If someone were to ask me today what the most important asset of my career has been, I wouldn't answer that it was the projects I sold. I would answer that it was the trust that hundreds of clients decided to place in me. Because, in the end, sales come and go.
Reputation remains.
And perhaps it's worth pausing for a moment and asking ourselves: what kind of reputation are we building today in every interaction with our customers?
I'd like to know your opinion. Do you think ethics is still the most important factor in building a solid career in the real estate sector?
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