So You Want to Become a Realtor…
I get asked about this all the time!!!!
At events.
In my DMs.
From people at coffee shops.
From friends of friends who “love houses” and think this looks fun…..
Fun Fact– THREE of my clients have become Realtors – AFTER we worked together (I must make it look SOOOOO fun!!!!!!!) PLUS of course Miss Bailey followed in my footsteps.
And I always say the same thing: Real estate can be incredible.
But it is NOT what most people think it is – and it is certainly NOT LIKE TV!
The appeal is REAL:
✨ Flexibility
✨ Unlimited income potential
✨ Control over your schedule (haha or your schedule controls you!!!!)
✨ The ability to build something that’s yours
✨ Deep relationships with people during major life moments
You get to HELP:
First-time buyers feel confident
Families upsize
Seniors downsize
People move through divorces, loss, promotions, new beginnings
It’s VERY VERY meaningful work.
And if you love people, negotiation, problem-solving and momentum — it’s energizing. Loving houses is really just a bonus 😉
There’s nothing quite like the heart warming texts, cards, pictures, HUGS and LOVE you get from clients during, after and even many YEARS later…..
The Parts No One Talks About
There is NO salary.
You can work 80 hours this week and earn $0.
You can work with someone for 6 months or 6 years – and then they buy or sell with someone else.
You can be negotiating offers at 11:00 p.m.
AND ….. if you follow my posts – you know I have done deals on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve – at weddings, birthdays and celebrations – on the plane, in my car, on vacation (even during Survivor!) and the reason I don’t get my lashes done anymore – is I can’t be off my phone for up to 3 hours!!!! 😉
You are self-employed.
You pay your own expenses (everyone says you can “write it off” but you have to pay for it first with REAL money!!!)
You cover your own marketing
You pay brokerage fees
You pay board fees
You pay licensing
You pay taxes
You pay for your car/gas/cell phone (oh how I miss the days when I had a company credit card, a FREE phone and a car allowance!!!!)
And you do NOT get paid – unless something closes. There are days/weeks/months/years that feel amazing. There are days/weeks/months/years that feel quiet. You need financial discipline and emotional resilience. Then you happen to have a good year…and the pressure to do it AGAIN – can be overwhelming!
SACRIFICE is just part of the job….
You WILL miss:
Weekends / Evenings / Spontaneous plans / Time “off” when the market is hot and you need to show a house hours after it listed!
You are “on” when others are relaxing, reading, working out, shopping, sleeping!!!!
You will carry stress quietly. You will think about your clients at night. You will CARE about those people. You will FEEL their stress, their disappointment, their frustration…but you will also FEEL THEIR JOY! You WILL make MISTAKES. You WILL disappoint someone – or drop the ball – or be TOO BUSY being BUSY…not on purpose of course – but you simply can not be what everyone needs/wants every minute of the day…
It’s NOT a hobby. Good agents can not do this job “part-time”. It’s not just “posting pretty houses on Instagram.” Real estate is contracts, liability, negotiation, strategy, marketing, psychology, crisis management and CONSTANT LEARNING.
I often wonder if people think I am being NEGATIVE in my honesty……..
But Here’s the REAL TRUTH!
If you’re wired for it???? It’s the BEST JOB you could ever ask for and I LOVE it!!!!!
Real estate is not glamorous. It’s relationship-based, reputation-driven, emotionally heavy work. But when done well…It’s deeply rewarding. And I don’t ever REGRET choosing it!!!
If you or someone you know is curious, ask me questions. I’ll always give you the honest version — not the Instagram highlight reel.