A great career that you can start in only a few weeks

Florida Real Estate Sales can be an extremely rewarding career. As a Sales Associate, you are essentially your own boss, but with a manager who makes sure you have plenty of support. Your earning power is unlimited and you can set your own hours.

If you have great people skills, a proven sales ability, consider yourself to be a self-starter and the idea of becoming an entrepreneur appeals to you, you just might want to consider a career in real estate. Beyond just selling houses, today’s real estate profession offers a number of different career choices, each focusing on a different aspect of the business.

The First Step

For anyone interested in breaking in to real estate sales, the first step is to get licensed. The licensing exam is actually the culmination of a training course, and includes both general and state-specific information.

Once you obtain your license, you must go to work for either a commercial or residential agency, as a real estate agent. You cannot sell real estate on your own until you are a licensed broker. As an agent, your job will be to represent the seller and find a buyer for his or her home. Commercial real estate agents represent business owners selling or leasing office buildings, stores, malls and other types of commercial property.

Advertise

A successful agent will learn as much as he or she can about the potential buyer and match his or her needs with appropriate property. Knowing what the customer wants and how much he or she can realistically afford to spend helps make sales happen. A big part of the job is attracting buyers to the properties that you have listed. This is done through advertising, canvassing, and following up the leads.

Commissions

Although agents work for an agency, they are essentially an independent entity, and split any commissions with that agency. Because real estate agents are paid on a commission-only basis, you will, most likely, not see much in the way of income for the first six months. Use this training period to build your contact file and learn as much as you can about the market in which you are working. Remember, although you are working for a specific broker, you are actually running your own business and are responsible for generating your own income. The effort that you put forward will directly affect your earning potential.

As a beginner, expect to start at the bottom and work your way up. You will be assigned the “graveyard” shift and be expected to make cold calls and follow up on leads. The name of the game is obtaining listings. When a property is sold, the agent who sells it splits the commission with the agent who listed it. If you sell a property that you have listed, obviously, you will make more money. You also may spend some time with another agent or broker, attending open houses and other events.

Building your Reputation

As you build your reputation, you will get more referrals – both buyers and sellers – and potential customers will call you directly. Over time, your skills will get sharper and your closing ratio will increase. As your sales increase, obviously, so will your commissions. It is at this point that many people make the decision to take the next step in the business and become a broker.

Duties

The duties of a real estate broker are similar to those of an agent. Brokers list and sell property but their duties also include supervising agents, advertising, and detail work of the agency. In order to open an agency, the proprietor must be a licensed broker. To become a broker, you must take advanced real estate courses as required by your state, and then pass another exam. As with agents, each state has its own rules and regulations regarding becoming a real estate broker.

People will always need houses in which to live. A career in real estate offers individuals the chance to control their own financial destiny as well as to build entrepreneurial skills. There’s money to be made. All it takes is drive and ambition.

Best of luck as you complete your educational and career goals. I will work hard to fulfill your future needs.