Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action (Scriven & Paul, 1987). Critical thinking is something that we use on daily basis whether they acknowledge it or not. We analyze and evaluate information that we are presented with, and we make and implement our decisions based on that assessment.

In residential real estate sales agents face situations, in which they need to use critical thinking daily. They think critically to make sure that they make sound decisions in regard to guiding and representing clients to the best of their ability. Experience and knowledge helps them evaluate daily challenges and information that comes their way so that they can defend their client's best interest. To defend client's best interest is a Realtor's job but in doing so, he or she need to keep in mind factors that affect real estate transaction and many times he or she needs to serve as a cushion between a customer and the other side. To use critical thinking is important because ultimately all parties involved in such transaction have the same goal - to close it successfully. Critical thinking enables all parties to find a common ground through communication. Many times clients loose the big picture, and agents need to guide them through the individual steps to ensure that transaction keeps moving forward.

There are many aspects of a real estate transaction. Understanding the client's needs and goals, finding the right property, guiding him or her through making the correct offer - or accepting one if it is a seller-client, conducting a physical home inspection, explaining the inspection results and what are the client's options, discussing disclosures and helping him or her fill out the various forms and documents, obtaining an appraisal on the property, and addressing any of his or her questions and concerns. Because real estate transaction is such a complex process with so many parties involved (buyer, seller, the escrow company, the title company, inspectors, appraiser, selling agent, and the listing agent), it is not unusual that issues and problems arise. In fact, when an agent conducts a buyer or seller consultation, which is something that most experienced agents do before they decide whether they can help the client or not, he or she sets the right expectations by explaining the escrow process and various aspects of the transaction that can go wrong. Realtors use critical thinking to evaluate that particular client to see if they are a good fit or whether the client should look for another agent to represent him or her. This may come as a surprise, especially in this flat housing market currently experienced in