How to Know if Real Estate is the Right Career for You
Being a real estate agent is a truly exciting career path. You get to meet new people, spend a lot of time outside the office, and you get to help clients make one of the biggest decisions of their lives in buying or selling a home. But, how do you know if becoming a real estate agent is right for you? Will you enjoy this career path? Here’s how to know if real estate is the right career for you.
Do you like to be your own boss?
One of the biggest aspects of being a real estate agent is that you are essentially your own boss. You’ll probably work for a brokerage company, but, by and large, you will be setting your own hours and making your own decisions about how to move forward. If you are a go-getter who can stick to deadlines and achieve goals, this could be a great career path for you.
Are you willing to work unconventional hours?
If working the normal 9 to 5 doesn’t appeal to you, real estate is a great option. You can sleep in and work when you wake up or you could even wake up really early to work and then enjoy your day however you want. But, also keep in mind that many house showings will occur on evenings and weekends. As long as you’re willing to give up some of that time, and don’t mind foregoing the traditional route, you could really excel in real estate.
Do you mind being paid on commission?
Real estate salespeople do not get paid on salary, nor are they paid hourly. The only pay that they receive is a commission from the sale of a home. They will get somewhere between 1.5% to 4% commission on the price of the home. This can seem like a hefty payday once you make a sale, but just keep in mind all the time and effort it took to get just one sale. If you don’t mind being paid on commission and aren’t intimidated by getting sales to get paid, this could be a great track for you.
Are you a people person?
Do you like helping people? Helping someone buy a house means you are helping someone with the largest financial transaction of their life. You have to be invested in them. You have to be willing to help, to answer their questions and soothe their fears. If you are great with people, this will be a breeze. If you don’t like dealing with people one-on-one, being a real estate agent might make you nervous. Not only do you have to deal with clients, you will also have to be in touch with all the different entities that make the sale go through. There’s certainly a large amount of paperwork to be done as a real estate agent, but much of your work is also person to person, so decide now if that’s something you enjoy.
Real estate is a great industry to get into
Working in real estate is a dream come true for many agents who are able to work as much or as little as they please and can have a great work/life balance. Getting into real estate is relatively easy, there’s exponential growth potential, and no cap on earnings. Finally, people are always going to be buying and selling homes, so the real estate market will never die.
If you are considering becoming a real estate agent, learn what it takes to pass the North Carolina state exam and get your license at Sea Coast Real Estate Academy. We can help with the necessary classes and information to get your career in real estate rolling. Contact us today for more information on the classes that we offer to real estate hopefuls and real estate professionals.