Moving or joining the property ladder is important for a number of people, therefore estate agents are always BIG business. If you’re interested in the property market and want to turn your passions into paid work, becoming an estate agent could be your next big career move…
Did you know that the UK estate agent industry is worth around £1.1 billion? With experience and growth rate of approximately one percent per annum in the five years leading up to 2019. So, if it’s time for a career change and you’ve always been interested in properties, why not consider starting your own business in the lucrative sector? Continue reading to find out more on how to become a successful estate agent.
Are You Right for the Job?
Becoming an estate agent involves communicating and meeting with a range of different people. Therefore to be successful in the world of estate agents, you will need to possess excellent people skills. There are lots of other personality traits that would also be beneficial to the role that include hard working, knowledgeable, honesty, passion, organisational skills and a number of other skills.
Gain Experience
By having past experiences in a related field, or a customer service based background would definitely increase your chances of getting employed.
There are a number of rules and regulations that need to be followed, so by gaining experience in the legal sector would also be helpful. Confidence within the local property market and area will also help including information on where the medical practices, emergency services, schools and shops are.
Get Qualified
Having some relevant qualifications may be advantageous, this is why it’s a popular career choice for individuals from all walks of life, including recent graduates and those who simply fancy a career change.
If you did want to gain a specific qualification, you could complete a Level 3 CPC Certified Estate Agent Diploma and the Estate Agency Training Course. You don’t need any previous experience to be accepted onto these courses.
You can choose an estate agency you like the look of and work your way up. Start off helping with viewings and working on Saturdays and then, if you show dedication and commit to training, you could move up the ranks in no time.
Be Aware of Challenges
To become a successful estate agent it’s important to be prepared for the challenges of the job before you start. Becoming an estate agent isn’t always a 9-5, Monday – Friday job, you may have to work overtime or weekends when it’s busy. However, this often means more sales, therefore more commission.
The job can also involve lots of multi-tasking. When you’re not trying to make sales, you’ll be following up leads and doing a number of other jobs, so if you struggle with organisation and time management, this could be problematic.
Showcase Your Personality
As you don’t need any specific qualifications or training to become an estate agent, it’s important that your personality and passion shines through. At the end of the day, you’re helping people make one of the biggest and most costly decisions of their lives, so it’s important to show drive, passion and empathy.
Therefore, when being interviewed for the role, make sure to come across the right way. Think about what your ideal estate agent would be like and channel that. With that being said, make sure it feels natural and you’re not trying to be someone you’re not. Otherwise, you risk being unhappy and unsuccessful further down the line.
Social Media Connections
Social media is great for networking, keeping up to date with industry news and participating in discussions. Estate agent recruiters will often check social media for potential candidates. It’s a good idea to create a LinkedIn account, show your interest in the subject and get your name out there. Doing this will prove that you are serious about your career and are doing everything you can to become a successful estate agent.
