If you are looking for a job you have noticed that job market is soft as a marshmallow. The number of college graduates who can’t find a suitable job and advance their career is record high. The only sector that is hiring is real estate and it’s not because it’s booming, but because real estate agents work on commissions, which means if you can make it in this market you can make a living. Is real estate easy? No, especially not today but it could become a source of living for a self-driven individual. Just like with any careers starting in real estate requires a learning curve; if you are a newbie to real estate prepare to study hard and work hard because it is a very competitive industry. You should see yourself as a business owner because you are fully responsible for your success.
Getting Started in Real Estate
- Learn about responsibilities of a real estate agent. You will find out that this is not your typical nine to five job. You must be flexible in your schedule; you will have to meet your clients at different times in various locations. This means you have to have a reliable transportation and be able to put some extra mileage on your car.
- Get licensed. Attend real estate classes. There are plenty of courses offered by local colleges and real estate associations. You can even get sponsored by a broker. In most states you don’t have to have a college education to become an agent, however the high school diploma is a must. You will have to pass a written real estate agent exam and afterwards you can select a real estate broker you would like to work with.
- Find a good broker. Being a freshman real estate agent you want to find a broker who is willing to show you the ropes. You can learn a lot from your broker about the real estate compliance, paperwork, finding new clients and closing your deals.
- Learn, learn and then learn some more. The very first year you are unlikely to become an agent superstar although it is not out of realm of possibility but it is wise to invest in your career in terms of knowledge. Learn from your broker, learn from senior agents, learn from a transaction coordinator who will be processing your paperwork, learn from a loan officer and most importantly learn from your own mistakes and chances are you will make a few.
- Be persistent, most licensed agents quit the very first year because they are not making sales. The first year is the hardest and it is likely that you will have to get a second job or ask for a help from your family.
- Working in residential real estate may propel your career into other related fields, you can become a commercial real estate broker or residential real estate broker, you can become and appraiser, a coordinator, a mortgage broker or a loan officer, or an escrow officer or perhaps a real estate investment adviser. Real estate industry offers many careers.
So why would you want to consider real estate as a job opportunity in such difficult market? Consider this, in a slow economy there is a lack of jobs in all industries and real estate offers a solid potential for ambitious people who want to establish themselves as professionals. And if you can make it in a slow market you certainly have a potential for higher income in a solid market. Since real estate is a multi-branch industry you have a high likelihood of transitioning into related fields and landing a new job. Also, real estate knowledge can help you to start a new, realty related business.
