Category: Top » Career »


Author: brienz | Total views: 0 Comments: 0
Word Count: 818 Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:48 AM

Should You Become A Real Estate Agent?

If you like money you might want to become a real estate agent. If you like working for yourself and want to make a break from a corporate life then sure, it might be an option. Let's take a look at what being a real estate agent really means.

I'm going to assume since you are reading this that you really want to make it, you'd like to be able to afford the good things in life or you have some other benevolent goal in mind. In real estate sales you can make it. It's possible to realize the sky as your true limit. However, you probably should not do it. You should probably pack up that pipe dream and put it back on the shelf. Here's the one reason why: discipline.

In this business if you don't have discipline you're not going to make it. Being an agent is not about creating wealth through a hobby. If you really want to succeed you have to approach every aspect of it as a business.

Even though it may not be a brick and mortar store front you can see and touch with your hands it has a product and service you have to sell just like a retail store sells goods. Our phrase for getting people into a store to browse is called lead generation. Our inventory is houses that are being sold or about to be. Our service is helping them buy or sell their home.

If we don't lead generate to get people in the store then the customers won't use our service to buy or sell a home, we'll close up shop. If we don't manage our finances properly then we won't be able to advertise and get people in the store or service them if they come. If people come in but we can't service them properly then we've wasted our money and bad reputation spreads faster than good. Every one of these areas requires discipline: lead generation, service and managing our finances.

Everyone loves a large pay day but without these foundational disciplines at work they will be few and far between and we'll more than likely burn our selves out. If these disciplines are at work then we will more than likely be successful and living the life we day dream about.

Lead generation
Lead generation is the lifeblood of any real estate venture. Simply put, a lead is someone who may want to buy or sell a home. It sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Though the real question follows: How do I find people who want to buy or sell a home? It's actually not a direct approach.

Some agents look at it like they have to meet people and that's when they'll either be a lead or not. The real treasure comes when we collect the names, addresses and phone numbers of everyone we know and we stay in constant contact with that person. Keller Williams publishes a statistic that for every 12 people we've met and effectively market ourselves to we should be able to generate 2 sales. As an agent we must be disciplined to meet people and market to the ones we know. This is how we generate leads and if we have our skills honed we'll produce a constant income.

Servicing Our Clients
Do you know what to do to sell someone's home? If you had a buyer do you know how to consult with them to figure out their needs and the best type of home to show them? As a professional agent we should be able to answer these questions and do them well. We must be disciplined in our studying and learning to develop our skills.

Finances
We must run our business based on a budget. We must be disciplined with money management and with our expenses. If we do not then how can we sustain the growth of our business? It's imperative we watch every dollar closely especially with marketing and service expenses. As agents we watch our numbers closely. If we don't then we're only mediocre and who wants to settle for that? This is a very important key to any successful business.

The broker/company you sign on with as an agent should provide ample training on building your own business and it shouldn't cost you a lot to get started. When shopping brokers make certain they provide training on how to start and grow your business.

Selling real estate can be a rewarding career. It's worth the dedication and hard work required to achieve great success. Some agents net over a million dollars a year. Most agents sell a few houses a year and treat it as a hobby. Which one will you be?

About the Author

Brien Satzinger is a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty and specializes in relocating families. Click here to find out how to take advantage of Memphis Real Estate for investment or home ownership.




Related to: ,

Rate, comment or bookmark this article

Seed Newsvine
Rating: Not yet rated
Bookmark this article in your preferred program
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Comments

No comments posted.

Add Comment

Your Name:


Your Email:


Comment

Enter the code shown

Visual CAPTCHA



Popular Articles in this cathegory

1: Investment Banking Salaries: Just How High Are They?
How much can you really make as an investment banker? A comparison of investment banking salaries, per hour, vs. what you could earn with a minimum wage job.

2: Planning for Tomorrow
Following is part three of an interview with Phyllis Slater, owner of Slater Solutions LLC. Ms. Slater has devoted years to providing coaching and concierge services to the working caregiver and aging parent. Visit Phyllis Slater's website simply by Googling the name Phyllis Slater.

3: Bodyguard - The Training And Skills You Need To Become A Bodyguard
The world we live in is becoming increasingly more dangerous by the day The events of September 11, 2001 are perfect example

4: The Sample Cover Letter And Salary Requirement Request
Free templated sample cover letters can have a bankrupting effect on your job search Using a sample that you find on the Internet or in a book is never a wise investment if you are serious about your intentions

5: Resume Writing - How To List Your Certifications and Licenses
Most professionals make a mistake of focusing on experience and education only. As a result, they disregard any additional information, such as certifications they have in their field, that would enhance their qualifications and assure that they stand out from the competition.


Creative Commons License
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Spanish taslation