Thinking about getting real estate license (agents, Realtor, listing, sellers)
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I am considering taking a local class at my community college to become a real estate agent, take the test, and become a part time agent. I have a primary career as a quality assurance professional. However, that is the real reason I am thinking of doing this...I have a huge drive for quality, and I want to help others find their dream home (or what could be their dream home) with a quality of service I have not seen for myself when buying a house last year. Also, I am obsessed with housing...I read real estate articles, look at listings, and try to help others find homes as my hobby. I'm not really looking for money, just a way to filter this passion more in a more effective manner. Should a side career in real estate be something to consider?
With your background you may be different but one of the problems with real estate is part time agents.
Scenario (happens consistently and technology can help to a point):
You are riding around showing homes in an area to buyers that could be local or out of town. They see a home on the street you just showed a home on and they say "Can we see that one?". Now although I write down basic information on homes around the ones I show if more is needed I can just whip out my PDA or computer and start digging, technology you gotta love it. In the showing instructions it states to call the agent for appointment or 24 hour notice needed or nothing so you start calling. Now typically more times than not you get a mailbox that has reached it's limit, or a message that states, "I return my calls between 12 and 1 and after 5", or nothing.
Now you can appreciate the frustration level of an agent who has a ready willing and able buyer who you know will withhold their decision until you get this needed appointment to preview or information for today's big question, 'What banks are involved in this short sale?'. Not to mention in my eyes the disservice afforded the seller, marketing is one key to selling a property, ease of agent contact is the other!
Now there are simple ways around this, during the selection process for a brokerage you will put your license with also check out their teams. This helps by having a second point of contact on the listing when you can't be reached.
Hope this helps and if you want to continue to discuss just send me a direct message through my bio here.
And let's not forget the initial costs to become a real estate agent and the ongoing costs - significant, to continue being an agent whether you make one thin dime for yourself or not. It is called "paying to go to work".....and it is only worth it if you are dedicated and honest and ethical. But then again, the true measure of a person is how they handle themselves in times of adversity. Now might be the best time. I became a realtor when interest rates were 16% and creative financing was what you did, not what you talked about. That was about 27 years ago. If you can handle the down times and still not compromise your personal ethics, you will be fine during the good times. But, don't do it part time....can't do anything well on a part time basis.
Location: Issaquah & Snoqualmie, WA (Greater Seattle)
136 posts, read 328,944 times
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I agree... unless your spouse or significant other is an agent full time (meaning that they could cover for you), I just don't see how anyone can be an agent part time.
I think what best demonstrates my point, is... Would you open up a new business and have it only open "part time?" Of course not... you would be open when customers are more likely to need your products and/or services. Obviously, it's best to be available when customers/clients are - which in real estate is "any time." Real estate is definitely a business - I do not agree with the term "career" when it comes to real estate. I think it leads FAR too many down a primrose path.
I can only imagine how embarrassing it would be if a client eventually put it together that I was never available in the morning - that I always said "I'm available after 2pm" or "I'm available any weekend or evening." While they may think you're the greatest person in the world, subconsciously (or maybe consciously) they would feel as though you do not have their best interests at heart - even if you would hang the moon for them.
Financially speaking - working part time in real estate simply does't work, unless you have a spouse who earns all, or a majority of the household income. But even in that case, they may start to get testy when they realize how much of THEIR earnings you're spending on your marketing materials and real estate tools.
After one is tremendously successful in a real estate business, they may have the opportunity to be part time solely from a referral network - but in the beginning, I see it as a recipe for failure.
Trying to do real estate part time is not what I'd call a "career", but if you're inclined to give it a try I'd say "go for it". I think the key is that you said you're not really looking for money. There are niche ways that you can utilize a real estate license, but you'll need to assess those possibilities yourself. I started out part-time with a limited client base and it worked for me. But I was also heavily involved in real estate investing and housing rehab, so I was never looking for it to be my primary source of income. Even today, I get little income from real estate but I still feel that my license is useful since I do so much related volunteer work (buying properties for a nonprofit). Good luck in your future endeavors, whatever they may be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by brandon hoffman if you're intention isn't to give 100% and become a full time professional i'd go another direction for the reasons noted above.
Real Estate is only for FULL TIME FULL SERVICE agents as the market is changing on a daily basis and to be of great service to your clients you must be full time.
REAL ESTATE MUST BE YOUR PRIORITY # !
Being part time cannot bring anything to the table for buyers or sellers as you are truly not committed to the most expensive investment most people make in their lifetime.
Tamara Schuster, Naperville, IL Real Estate Broker
Certified Relocation Specialist
Real Estate is only for FULL TIME FULL SERVICE agents as the market is changing on a daily basis and to be of great service to your clients you must be full time.
REAL ESTATE MUST BE YOUR PRIORITY # !
Being part time cannot bring anything to the table for buyers or sellers as you are truly not committed to the most expensive investment most people make in their lifetime.
I agree with most of that. The one part I disagree with is the full service bit. I think there is a niche for fee for service agents and such. I'm a full service agent but I also realize I'm not for everyone and don't mind the competition.
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