Real Estate is a very professional occupation, primarily filled with intelligent, ethical, business people. Being successful requires the same level of knowledge and commitment as any other specialized field. We are sales people but not typical sales people. We are not selling a product; we are selling our skill set.

Real Estate agents must be:

• Teachers – educating our clients about the home buying/selling process.
• Advisers – using our knowledge and experience to protect the best interests of our clients
• Negotiators – helping secure the best price, terms and conditions for our clients
• Marketing Specialists – for the promotion of property and self
• Project Managers – Coordinating the numerous deadlines and services providers to get the client to settlement
• Using this skill set helps differentiate us from what is normally thought of as a sales person.

The Good News…

• Work is never “hum drum” New situations always present themselves.
• We set our own schedules and we are completely autonomous (if we wish). It’s nice being the boss with a completely trustworthy staff.
• There’s no salary cap, with effort and discipline, we have a high earning potential

The Bad News…

• There’s no regular paycheck, you only get paid when you successfully go to settlement.
• We spend lots of money, time and effort, with no income, doing the things that hopefully, lead to successful settlements.
• The average real estate agent earns about $50K before taxes
• No paid vacation, healthcare, retirement or any other benefits

In order to be successful, we have to be pro-active people and prospect. Prospecting is doing things you’re supposed to do to meet people and help them buy or sell real estate. We don’t wait for people to just magically find us somehow.

The hardest part of the job, in my opinion, is meeting new people who want to buy and sell real estate. Once I meet them, we tend to bond instantly and everything is very comfortable.

To start a career in Real Estate, you should interview at a couple of different real estate Brokerages to see if you feel comfortable with the office and the managing Broker. That office will lay it all out for you. Some of the things you can expect:

• Take the required National and State classes and pass all of the tests.
• Affiliate with an Broker and enter into a written agreement with them
• Join the MLS system and the National and State REALTOR Associations.
• Pay for E&O Insurance (Errors and Ommissions)
• Get an MLS card (key to open houses)
• Order Business Cards & Signs
• Keep up with continuing Educational requirements
• Most agents have web sites, participate in social networking, have current technology (computers, phones, scanners, etc…)

For me, Real Estate is an incredibly rewarding career. I can’t imagine doing anything else for a living. I’m really good at my job and I earn a great living. One must absolutely have an entrepreneurial spirit to become licensed and it can cost thousands of dollars to start your business.

If you’re considering a career in real estate in Fairfax County or anywhere in Northern Virginia or Maryland, contact me. I would be more than happy to answer your questions and even put you in touch with a career counselor that I know and trust.