Deciding to become a real estate agent and do this on a daily basis is a huge decision you have to think thoroughly! Therefore, in order not to make the mistake of your life, let’s clear out some of the most common misconceptions related to this profession and some of the steps you need to take to make your dream come true!
Basic steps to become a real estate agent!
- Age: At least 18-19 years old, depending on the state
- Resident of the country
- Pre-license education (complete a course)
- Pass the license test
Myth vs reality: How to be a real estate agent!
#1: Everyone can do this job!
Well, in theory, anyone can try to complete a course and obtain a license, but this job requires more than that. There’s a huge difference between a successful real estate agent who loves his/her job and someone who dislikes his/her profession and gets from one failure to another.
This is why specialists point out that only those who do this job from pleasure and love working with people, are those who thrive and survive in this market! Becoming successful is extremely difficult irrespective of what profession, we’re talking about, and real estate is no exception to the rule!
#2: This job is easy!
How to be a real estate agent? At a first sight, some may say that this job seems to be the perfect job that anyone can do, however, things are not quite that easy. The competition is fierce and you need more than just luck to close the deal; you need knowledge, training and experience too!
Becoming a real estate agent, means, first of all, hard work, dedication and commitment! It takes time and a real desire to become a successful professional too. This is why, few real estate agents get to say – ‘Yes, real estate is indeed a perfect industry for newbies!’
On the contrary, a successful real estate agent works hard for every dollar! The number of hours spent with each client, the level of stress and involvement may scare off newbies in this industry! What more can you say if the market is unstable and you have to deal with difficult clients that have impossible requirements too?
A fact is certain – you need to get prepared to make efforts and be as productive as possible. Remember: the job is commission-based!
#4: ‘I work when I want to!’
Although it is true that, generally speaking, the daily schedule of a real estate agent is flexible, if we go a little bit further into the matter you’ll see that a real estate agent’s working hours depend on his/her clients’ schedule. As a result, it is understandable to state that a real estate agent normally works when everyone is off, that is to say on weekends and after hours!
From another point of view, having a flexible schedule doesn’t mean that a real estate agent can take the day off whenever he/she wants. Wrong! A professional real estate agent usually has daily business meetings, Open Houses or has to attend viewings. It’s about a daily schedule, you know?!
#5: The house will sell itself!
False! As a real estate agent, you have to make sure it is ready for the market, advise your clients, showcase it, market it and then close the deal! The perfect real estate agent will work his/her tails off to meet every client’s needs!
All in all, before you begin believing every nonsense out there about how to be a real estate agent, research the topic and make the difference between what is myth and what is reality! And as a rule of thumb – When something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t!