The housing market is on the rise and so is the interest in becoming a Licensed Real Estate Agent.
You have seen the late night infomercials explaining how easy it is to train for the Real Estate market, but the truth is selling Real Estate is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a long and difficult journey. Here are the biggest steps in this journey and what it takes for a Real Estate Agent to succeed.
Obtaining Your License
All that is required is about $400 cash, a 75 hour course, passing a class room test and State Test and you will have a license. The course teaches Real Estate terminology and legality. What it does not teach is how to list a property, market, manage public stress, or develop the interpersonal skills necessary to market yourself as a sales agent.
Learning How to Manage Real Estate
Due to the fact that your licensing course has not fully prepared you to become a successful Real Estate Agent, after you obtain your license you will need to seek out a Real Estate Firm that has new agent training to learn the basics of sales.
Your chosen Firm will teach you how to fill in the appropriate information on contracts, schedule property viewings, measure a house, make the necessary connections with contractors, inspectors, Brokers, and other associates you must know to properly buy and sell homes.
This process takes months and typically results in a high number of Realtors leaving the 100% commission business.
Building Your Brand
If you are committed to excellence as a Real Estate Agent, you have a long road ahead of you. You are selling a service, not a product, so once your client closes on a home you are unemployed until you secure your next client.
Real Estate agents work on 100% commission. There are no paid holidays, sick days, retirement plans or health insurance. You need to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You show houses on weekends, evenings and holidays when your clients are off work. You arrange home inspections, work with banks, Brokering services, and a number of other businesses during normal operating hours.
In addition, you have to spend money to advertise your properties and yourself. You must convince people you are the best possible choice to handle the biggest investment of their life. They want to be secured in the knowledge they will have online marketing outreach and not just a sign in their front yard.
It generally takes about 3 years before you have successfully built up enough momentum with your personal brand to have a database of highly satisfied clients who happily refer you to others. If you fail to do this, your business is over.
Ultimate Success Rate
Very few Realtors “make it big.” The National Association of Realtors report the average yearly income earned from sales is $30,000. It requires discipline and extreme dedication to live below your means while you build up your brand and making ends meet in the meantime is a constant challenge.
Due to this hardship, 80% of all Agents leave the profession for other work within the first 12 months of receiving a Real Estate License.
How Linda Craft & Team Succeeded When Others Failed
I built my team from the ground up with years of hardship and perseverance. If I could not pay my bills at the end of the month, I sold pieces of my home furnishings. I committed myself to exceed my clients’ expectations and vowed to never give up.
30 years later, the same level of commitment and perseverance is shown every day at Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS®. We only hire experienced professionals with the same understanding and appreciation for customer service.
According to TBJ Top Brokerage Firm List, the average per agent sales per year of the number one and two firms is 9 sales per year, per agent. Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® highly trained Brokers average 42 sales each per year due to great leads, having the “Best Place to Work” in the greater Raleigh area, and a team whose energy is focused on living out its mission statement and core values. It is the reason Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® is the #1 ranked Real Estate Team in the Triangle.
Choose a Successful Real Estate Team
People who are buying or selling a home in the Raleigh area choose Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS® because of our highly trained professionals who focus on the client and create raving fans who return and bring their friends.
Connect with us today at (919) 235-0007 and let’s talk about your real estate career goals.