If you’ve been paying any attention to the housing market today (or are friends with anyone who has), you’ve probably seen the serious seller’s market that’s been going on lately. That’s gotten more than a few people interested in real estate as a career. If you’re one of them, there are a few things you’ll need to know about the path to becoming a real estate agent.
Make Sure It’s For You
A career as a real estate agent isn’t necessarily for everyone. You must be comfortable talking to other people and have great people skills. You’ll be largely responsible for finding your own clients, so you’ll have to be okay with finding your own leads and following up on them. If you want the structure of the traditional 9-5, a career as a real estate agent may not be what you’re looking for. You do have unlimited earning potential, but you’ll also have to take on the responsibilities of being self employed, since you’ll be an independent contractor. For some, that works really well. For others, not so much.
Enroll in a Real Estate Course
Once you’ve decided that becoming a real estate agent is a good career move for you, the next thing you’ll need to do is to enroll in a real estate course. This is one of the key steps towards getting your license, which you’ll need in order to start practicing as an agent. Don’t just sign up for the first course you find though. The real estate course must meet your state’s requirements to be valid. Make sure the course will fit the bill so you can make sure you aren’t wasting your time or money.
Get Your First Clients
After you’ve completed your course, passed the exam, and secured your license, you’ll need to work on getting your first clients. In some cases that may mean signing up to work with a brokerage. Some brokerages may help you find leads, but you’ll probably be on your own for the most part. Work on building your online presence, talk to people in your network and let them know you’re looking for clients, and build your network by focusing on people who work in industries that would bring them to interact with people who could be future clients of yours.
Becoming a real estate agent may seem like a good career path, and for some people it is. It’s important to note that it’s not necessarily one that’s for everyone, and it will take some effort and dedication on your part. If you’re willing to put in the work though, you can make a successful career for yourself as a real estate agent.
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