With the rise of home improvement and real estate TV shows, real estate has become an attractive career option for many. If you’re interested in pursuing a real estate career, here are five things you should know about the industry.
Hours
Real estate is not your average 9 to 5 job. Because your schedule revolves around when others are available, most likely you’ll be working a lot of evenings and weekends. Be prepared to be working at all hours throughout the day, seven days a week.
Relationships are Everything
The key to a long and successful career in real estate is to have a strong list of clientele. The best way to build this is to establish strong relationships with excellent customer service. Don’t be scared to reach out to your friends and family as potential clients or referral sources when starting out.
Know Your Market
Become familiar with the neighborhoods in the area you’ll be selling. What kind of style of home is found in each neighborhood? What are the amenities? Learn about the demographics that make up your city; is there a large student population or is it an older crowd? Real estate isn’t a single industry; it’s a collection of local and regional markets.
Do More Listening
Listen to the older agents in your office and learn from their past mistakes and successes. Their learned experience is incredibly valuable to a fresh-faced agent. Also, listen to your clients. It is easy to talk a potential sales ear off about the features the home has. Instead, listen to what they want out of a house and tailor your pitch to their interests.
Have Patience
The average real estate agent only sells one or two homes in their first year. Establishing a business will not happen over time. Understand the challenges you’re facing are normal and expected in this business. As you learn more about the industry, you will become more successful and trusted in the field.