What to Know Before Starting a Career in Real Estate

Are you thinking of beginning a career in real estate?  Maybe you have just graduated college and are thinking real estate is the perfect job for you, or you are looking for a career change.  There are some things you should know before signing up for the real estate course and embarking on this venture.

Licensing

Before becoming a real estate agent, you will need to take a state/national licensing course which includes about 100 hours of class time.  You will need to pass the course exam, and then also pass your state and national exam.  The course and studying for the exam are time consuming and can be costly.  You want to make sure that you will commit the time needed to study for the course and pass the exam.

Finding a Broker

After passing your national and state board exam you will need to find a broker within a certain amount of time of passing to start your career.  Don’t wait until after your test to start looking for a broker.  During your course it’s a good idea to research brokers and interview with them.  You will want to know what they have to offer you as far as mentoring and support during the beginning of your real estate career.  It’s also important that your broker will offer training and all the items you will need to get your real estate career off the ground. Interviewing potential brokers will take time and is a very important step in the success of your career.

Commission

The commission a real estate agent is able to earn is probably one of the most appealing aspects of the career.  It takes hard work, endurance, good people skills, the ability to make connections with people and a solid knowledge of the real estate business to make a good living from selling real estate.  The potential is there to make a lot of money, but it will take a while to become successful.  Commission rates vary from broker to broker so that is also something you need to consider when interviewing.

Selling real estate has many benefits such as making your own hours and working with people to make their dreams come true.  Unfortunately, it is not like other careers where success and money making comes immediately.  You want to make sure before launching your career in real estate that you are prepared for the lean times.  If you are dedicated and ready to work hard real estate can be a great career for you.