Becoming a real estate agent or a realtor is a great careerchoice – part-time or full-time.
If you love houses and properties you can consider gettinginto the real estate as a real estate agent. As a real estate agent/ realtor,you will assist your clients to buy, sell, or rent any type of property.
First, before you go on, you don’t have to go to a college/university to become a Real Estate Agent/ realtor.
You can become a real estate agent or realtor at any pointin your life if you want to. But, you can’t just wake up one day and become oneas you have to get licensed first.
Although there is a difference between arealestate agentand arealtor, they both do very similarroles.
As areal estate agent,you are basicallyallowed by the government through the license to assist the public to buy,sell, or rent a property.
To be arealtor, you first acquire a licensefrom the government as a real estate agent and then join a realtor associationin your region. Therefore, the major difference between a real estate agent anda realtor is the association.
When you are in a realtor association, you are under anumbrella that covers other stakeholders in real estate. They include brokers,salespeople, property managers, etc. around the country. Every individual underthe association is ruled and operates under a strict code of conduct/ ethics.
As mentioned, to operate as a real estate agent or a realtorin whatever country you are in, you are required to be licensed.
Getting Licensed.
If you want to become a real estate agent, getting a licenseis the first and most important step.
Just like any other industry that involves serious processesthat include contracts, legal matters, and money, you have to be licensed.
Being alicensed real estate agentgivesyou accreditation and puts you at a better chance when looking and working forclients.
On the other hand, being alicensed realtorincreasesyour credibility in the real estate industry. It also assures your clients ofyour ability to conduct their processes – buying, selling, or renting-ethically.
Know Your Country’s Requirements
Different countries have different requirements for gettinglicensed as a real estate agent. Therefore, get to know what your countryrequires.
You can do that by checking your country’s or town’s realestate association or regulatory board’s website or visiting their respectiveoffices.
Obviously, there are general requirements such as age,education, etc. But, there are specific requirements unique to each regionunder the general requirements.
Once you know what your region/town requirements are forbecoming a real estate agent, you will know what to do and where to go next.
Do a Pre-licensing Course
Real estate is an industry whose operations are governed bystrict rules and laws and getting into it requires knowledge. Therefore, justlike any other profession, you acquire knowledge through a course.
You need to do a pre-licensing or pre-certifying course in areal estate licensing school. Some certified real estate agencies actuallyoffer licensing courses and exams. The same way you go to driving school toacquire a driving license.
This course, just like the requirements, differs from regionto region. In terms of cost, content, hours required for the course, and thenumber of classes needed to complete the course.
You can do the course online or in a physical ‘class’,whatever works for you.
This course will be the entry point to doing a real estateagent licensing exam, thus called the pre-licensing course. It preparesyou for the licensing exam that will determine whether you will get the licenseor not.
Do the Licensing Exam
After attending the licensing course classes, you will berequired to take a licensing exam. Your instructor or trainer will give you thenecessary guidelines you need in regards to the exam.
You will have to pay a fee for the exam and the amountdepends on your region’s requirements.
The licensing exam contains different sections on thegeneral real estate practices, principles, and laws that govern real estateoperations. Again, this differs from region to region.
The exam is set and regulated according to the guidelinesset by the regulatory board and the real estate association.
How you perform will determine whether you get the licenseto practice as a real estate agent or not. However, in case you do not pass theexam, there is always an option for a retake. But, there are regulations on howmany retakes you can have and the period between the retakes.
Join a Real Estate Brokerage
After passing your licensing exam, you don’t get yourlicense immediately, and finding a real estate broker is what’s next.
You cannot operate independently as a real estate agent andthat’s why you need to find a real estate broker. A real estate broker has moreexperience in the real estate practice and is more qualified. Realtors can workindependently and have real estate agents work for them or under them.
To get licensed, you need to be under a broker or abrokerage umbrella where you can be assigned a realtor. Your broker will helpyou file some required paperwork for the real estate regulatory commission/association. Once your paperwork has been verified, you will receive yourlicense to then operate as a real estate agent.
Make sure you find the right broker or brokerage as thiswill really influence how your real estate journey takes off. Get referrals,see what they have done in the past, and what their reputation is in the area.Know the number of real estate agents they are working with, how they promotetheir property and their agents. Find out the type of real estate they dealwith and if they are well established.
When operating under a real estate broker, you oversee thenegotiations and transactions for your clients on behalf of your broker. Youdon’t necessarily receive a monthly salary but you receive a commission forevery sale you make. In short, you represent your broker or brokerage and getpaid for the sales you make on their behalf.
Therefore, as a real estate agent, you practice real estateunder the backing of a broker or a brokerage.
Conclusion.
Being a real estate agent is your stepping stone into thewide industry of real estate.
You can do it part-time or full-time at the beginning. Ifyou choose part-time, consider doing it full-time as time goes on as you getmore experience. Doing it full-time means more hours, more deals, and moremoney.
However, that does not mean you cannot get a lot as apart-time real estate agent. When you plan yourself, manage your time wiselyand make arrangements with your clients, you will do pretty well.
If you want to be more successful in real estate, consideradvancing yourself as time goes by. Consider getting a broker license as thiswill give you more business opportunities and increase your flexibility in theindustry.
Consider getting real estate certifications and designationsin different/ specific real estate properties. The designations can be inresidential property, commercial property, mortgage, and property management,etc. Getting designations increases your earning potential and puts you on ahigher ladder in real estate.
Your career journey in real estate will start as a realestate agent and there are more opportunities ahead. Put in your time andeffort into it and see yourself succeed in an exciting and rewarding career inreal estate.
