please, give any input you can! I'm thinking of going into real estate and I was wondering if anyone is in that field. I know Kathy is but I'm not sure if she visits the site anymore. I don't post much either (working two jobs, had to call in sick today to get a moment to myself!) Any advice or two cents would be great: do you enjoy the field, would you go into it again, etc. How are the hours? Thanks for your help and good luck to all who are expecting or want to be. We are holding off right now....
Whew, made it...July 27th was our one year anniversary!!!
JennRenee
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Re: I know we've been through this before, but
No advice for you, but Happy Anniversary!
Misha
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Re: I know we've been through this before, but
Jenn, I'm in real estate but I do commercial not residential. Real estate in general is a great field but the most successful agents are those that are real go-getters, don't mind long hours, and have the drive and ability to keep themselves motivated without much help from superiors. The good aspects of the field are: meet lots of people, flexible hours (but I believe in residential there are a lot of weekend and evening hours), great pay and a wonderful sense of accomplishment where you see the results directly in your paycheck. The not so great aspects are: deals take a lot of time so the pay is not always immediate (if you are just starting out it helps to have a few months savings to bide you over til your first deal is done), sometimes long hours, and many agencies don't have a great support system in place for newbies. Before you make the decision to make it your career, my suggestion is to think honestly about the type of person you are, some people are naturally hungry for work and have no problem going out and finding it, others are happy following the lead of others and doing their best when given direction. Neither one is necessarily better, just different but for real estate the successful agents fall into the first category. My husband went and got his license and started working for about 2 weeks and then realized he hated weekend work and is not really very self-motivated so it didn't work out for him. Good luck with your decision.
Suzanne
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Re: I know we've been through this before, but
My Mom was a real estate agent for 15 years.. its tough cause you no longer have weekends to yourself anymore, you are working when everyone is not because thats when they want to see the houses after work and on the weekends. she hasnt been in the business for quite some time but they do give you a % of the sale of the house, like 2-6% i believe....if your ok with those hours than this is a great job, you get to look at houses, and make your own hours in between appts you can get things done.. hope this helps you
anna
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Re: I know we've been through this before, but
Hi Jenn, I know what you feel like at a standstill and at a crossroad where you kinda wanna make that decision asap ! I was going to take the RE exam this past spring, and gave myself some time to think it over (my posts should be on this board, maybe back in April, you can search for them). The pros for me were: make your own hours (im 7months prego so that was ideal for me in the long run) and i can say i'm a go-getter type and a TALKER and people person, so I figured sure, lemme go for it.
The more i thought it over, the more i thought i might not be the right type of person for it because, I wasnt thrilled with working 'on my own' so much, I'd much rather be in a more sociable environment (socializing is like a DRUG for me ! ) and have a more predictable schedule. (and predictable income)....
It's really a personal decision, theres great potential for good money, but you just need to weight the pros and cons...
PS - (The choice I made was to finish up my Masters in Education starting next spring!) I think it's my calling, Ive been 'Thinking about it' for too many years ! I gotta act on it already.
Good luck in whatever you choose !!
Kathi
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Re: I know we've been through this before, but
I'm here and I'm still a real estate broker in Manhattan despite the worst two quarters (Jan - June) I ever had! Perfect timing considering I'm in contract on a house!!
I'll second what Misha said as to knowing if this is what you *really* want. The more driven you are, the more money you'll make. Quite frankly, it's not what I want anymore.
I have met amazing people in this industry while working to find them a home. It really can be rewarding, both emotionally and of course, financially. The biggest advantage, IMO, is the flexibility in the number of hours/days you work. I was able to complete a degree as a result of making my own schedule!
On the flipside, there are disadvantages as well. Expect to have a month (yes, month) when you have zero income....then the next month you could have 5 closings and buy a car. Remember, that you're self-employed, an independent contractor. We still pay taxes , medical insurance, double FICA (you have to pay what an *employer* would pay), supplies, education....etc., etc., etc. My accountant just loves me!
I hope I didn't scare you!! It truly can be a rewarding occupation, in many ways (especially when the economy is great!), but you have to be willing to make sacrifices, like working weekends and evenings, and working the first several months for little, or no income (until you build a client base and *actually* close - ah, yes...love the closings that take forever...)
Best of luck in whatever you decide! If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to try and answer them!!
