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Real Estate?

hi guys, im thinkin of becomeing a real estate agent i juss wanna know some stuff before. What are some aptitudes you need to have to become a real estate agent? What are some interests required? What is the wage? What can you do to prepare yourself for this career choice?

Public Comments

1. It depends on what state you are looking to get licensed in. Every state has different requirements like you have to do a 75 hours of classroom training with taking the state test. Some interests you have to have to do this is definitely being a people person. You deal with people day in with calls, showing homes etc. Also in this business you need to be available. If you aren't available at the drop of a hat, most people will go to someone who is. You pretty will work 7 days a week. You dont have a set wage in real estate, you basically work off of comission. The money you make depends on whether you are the selling agent or listing agent, with that you either set the commission or you get a commission from the listing broker. Then most brokers take fees off of that. So it all depends. I would just say to prepare for this you need to like dealing with people, can go at anytime, and willing to work hard to get started.
2. go to realtor school and earn your diploma...it will explain everything.
3. I think the other advice is spot-on - it definitely helps to be a people person. You might also evaluate how well you handle rejection, because you very well might encounter it. Interests should definitely include housing (of course), but other than that, you can kind of custom fit your job to your interests, because you can use them to improve your marketing strategy. Wages are based on commission in most places, usually a percentage, so the sales price directly affects your income. You are an independent contractor, which means you pay for everything, and you have higher taxes. However, you can also deduct many business expenses. Many places also allow you to have a flat fee rather than a percentage commission, if you'd rather do that approach. My biggest piece of advice for preparing to enter the industry is to save up money. I would say at least 3 months worth of expenses saved up. There are a LOT of up front expenses - membership fees, business cards, education, etc, so be prepared. I was not, and it really made my entry slower. Not only are there a lot of expenses up front, you most likely will not be making any money for at least several months. Real estate really is an exciting career field - if you're interested in it, i say go for it, but be prepared! Good luck!