Currently I am a twenty one year old who is living in Hercules, CA. I am currently taking Real Estate Principles and will take the exam at the end of the summer. I already have a job lined up if I pass the exam at SORIANO REALTY. I am very excited to start this new career and hope to work FULL time and become a successful realtor. However I am very unsure about some issues and would like some advice if anyone could help me out.

1) Like I mentioned before I have a job lined up for me once I pass the test. It is my girlfriend's family's company, SORIANO REALTY. They have been doing very successful business for 10 years around Hercules, CA (which is a middle class neighborhood). However I am unsure if this is a blessing for me or not. Is it wise to jump into a company that I already know is successful but limited to the area they sell houses in? Is there any tips on what questions I should ask a broker?

2) Everybody keeps telling me that APPRAISALS is the best line of work in realty. So after I pass my test I will be taking Appraisals and Mortgage Loans as my other two classes within 18 months to obtain my Permanent Real Estate License. Why do so many people encourage doing appraisals? What are the pros and cons of doing appraisals. I hear there is more constant work and you can always sell houses on the side with your sales license(I hopefully will obtain by the end of the summer).

3) I use to run a marketing team for Excel communications and am pretty familiar with marketing. However I am not familiar with marketing in the real estate business. What are some of the best ways to start marketing myself and why are they the best? I feel that after researching this topic that advertising is VERY important. PLEASE HELP

I will do ANYTHING to make my real estate career successful. If anybody can help me by responding to this post it would be greatly aprreciated.

An Aspiring Real Estate Agent,
Jon

Well Jon, i am a newbie just like you but what i can tell you from what i have read in this website and others is that you should do your research before you jump in and just join. They might be family but business is business and i certainly dont think you are going to do all this studying and memorizing to limit yourself once you get out there. Oh as far as what questions they were some posts up here as to what questions you should ask i believe in the aspiring agents forum that you should read.
HTH

Make sure you have a good 6 months of reserves before jumping in full time. The only way to really get your name out there besides buying it is to make your contacts, by phone, in person, network, prospect, build your sphere of influence, let them know you're in the business, and after they know don't let them forget (contact at least once every 2 months and ask for referals). Find a niche and hit it hard. You're starting off in a cooling market, it's not the same in the Bay Area as it was the last 10 years, alot of agents are going to quit, it's a fact, so you can't jus sit around waiting for it anymore, you have to go out there and find it! Don't limit yourself because of your brokrage.

1) Horrible terrible idea to work for your girlfriend's family company. Bad bad bad idea. If you can't immediately see the thousands of obvious and unnecessary difficulties there, I can't help you. Work for a national firm, keep your life clean.

2) Real estate appraisal is a career unto itself. It takes about 3 years to become a licensed appraiser, and you have to apprentice for 2 years for very little pay and lots and lots of hours. I'm not saying don't do it. Just that it's a big undertaking. I am an appraiser and a realtor and it is a huge plus to be both.

3) You are putting the cart before the horse. At the outset you will have nothing to advertise except that you are a nice guy. Concentrate on getting competent at the job so the future marketing will have some meaning. It takes 2 years of experience just to learn the basics. Not the school stuff, the real world in the trenches stuff. And oh yeah, expect to make no consistent money for 2 years and have plenty of savings or the largesse of parents to live on until you make it.

You have chosen a lucrative and exciting field, but there will be sacrifice and dedication before the fun starts. But once the fun starts, it starts big!