How to Start a Career in the Real Estate Industry

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Do you find yourself admiring houses as you drive down the road? Could you look at house after house trying to assess their value and current real estate market trends? If this describes you, you may be interested in a career within the real estate industry. Furthermore, if you are a real people person and like to socialise, working as a real estate agent may not feel like work at all.

Real estate agents are responsible for assisting people during the process of buying and selling homes. They may also help with leases of homes, buildings, or even land. There are both residential and commercial real estate agents so you have a choice of which side of the market you would like to focus your career. Residential real estate agents specialise primarily with homeowners and commercial real estate agents handle transactions involving office spaces and buildings.

There are many services a real estate agent provides for their clients, which include, making sure the clients have all of the necessary information needed to set selling prices for their properties, how to make appropriate offers on a home they are hoping to purchase, and how to best negotiate a deal in order to have a favorable outcome.

Earning potential is literally unlimited for real estate agents due to the fact they work entirely off commission. Sell a few houses per year and easily make a modest salary, however, the opportunity is there to make a substantial salary if you so desire. The harder you work and the more sales you handle, the more commission you make. Employment opportunities exist within large real estate firms or you have the choice of opening a private office. Working hours are flexible and not your typical 9 to 5 day job, you can set your own hours around a schedule that works for you and current clients.

Formal education in real estate will prepare you for this exciting career. This field of study will help you learn the different aspects of buying and selling real estate, including how to appraise properties and market them properly using specialised tools, fliers, and virtual tours. You will also learn about property management, how to interact with landlords, how to both maintain and protect the condition of rental properties and multiple business practices such as, managing risk and confirming information regarding properties.

Programs are available at local colleges and universities as well as online to best suit your budget, lifestyle, and the amount of time you have available to devote to course study. The most common types of programs offered in the real estate field include certificate programs, diploma's, and advanced diplomas. For on campus programs, consult your local community college or university for a list of available courses and curriculum however, if you need more flexibility and freedom in your studies an excellent option is online courses offering real estate in home study.