The very first thing one needs to realize is to must become a student of markets. Not products. Not techniques ... the first and the most important thing one must learn is what people want to buy.
As A Real Estate Agent I Have To educate my Sellers & Buyers.
A lot of educating has to be done on both sides of the equation to get sellers to understand and accept a real market value of their property. They also have to be helped to come to terms with the probable opportunities cost in delaying the sale until sometime in the future.

On the other hand, potential buyers need to be taught the realities of their actual position in the market. They can easily overestimate their own market leverage if they come to the table with misconceptions formed by what they've heard or read.
Opportunities Multiply When They're Seized ...