All this talk about PT vs. FT; what does this forum consider FT and PT. So if you work 40 hrs on your real estate business; is that consider FT?

Thanks,

Brad

40 hrs FT
33 hrs or less PT

But most realtors work FT and then some!

A very wise person told me always remember to:
Work smart not long!

My definition of part time is an agent who has another primary career that he or she fits a real estate career around. Full time means (to me) that the agent considers his or her primary career to be selling real estate; any other jobs he or she may have are secondary and even expendable. It's not a matter of hours worked - I've worked fewer than 30 hours a week at real estate, but was definitely full-time.

Why do you ask?

The reason I ask is because I own another business that is being opperated by a partner and employees. I am considering this field as another business opportunity; which I will be spending full-time hours on. So am I full-time? Can I advertise as a FT agent?

You can advertise any way you want and you don't need to mention whether you're full time or part time. As long as you're available when your prospects and clients need you, you're full time!

I have never seen anyone advertise as a "part time" agent. Never.
Nobody has to know that you have another job.

Just say you're an agent and you'll devote your full attention to them. (and do it!)

If they want to go out when you are obliged at your other job or whatever it is...then just say "I'm sorry, I already have that time scheduled. How about at 3pm instead, or would Tuesday be better?"

No need to tell them WHY either. Just say it's scheduled.

It doesnt matter. So many FT agents suck such big ones that any decent PT can blow them out of the water if you know what youre doing. It helps if you work a shift that is compatible. For me I worked third shift and not everyday when I started out so it worked for me.

HAH! Merkaba, that's priceless. In our area (resort-ish) there are a ton of retirees who decide to double- and triple-dip by getting into Real Estate.

So they sliver off another slice of our pie while our tax dollars help pay for their pensions and retirements.

Used to drive us crazy in the office days (now home-based) when these retiree guys would steal every lead they could get their hands on then b*tch and moan about stuff, and we'd want to scream "GTFO then! Go rake your leaves or something! Go fishing for cryin' out loud--just be retired!"

We like many of them personally, of course--some are super people. It's just the principal of the thing.

It should not be a hobby just to have something to do cuz you're bored and don't want to stay home with your wife.

Sorry to all retiree/Realtors out there! This is not a slam to everyone. I'm sure our market is a bit different. People retire here for the cool resort enviornment, so why can they not enjoy it after working their whole lives to get here?

Well I'm over 66, could but don't collect Social Security, and plan to keep working real estate for the foreseeable future. I don't think the amount of business I do as a one person operation is severely limiting anyone else's ability to feed their family. Some people would probably consider it "part time" due the schedule flexibility. They don't see the hours spent other times that I feel amount to more than what some "full time" agents spend on their business.

I will not be retiring to the Carolinas, Florida or Arizona. We built this house 8 years ago and are here for the duration.

Holy Cow.

Trush, I am not a retiree but I am totally offended. Not that it matters, but sheesh!

Wow.

I'd rather just see ALL the incompetent agents get out rather than stay in muddying the waters and making us all look stupid with their ineptitude. The incompetent agents range in age from just out of high school to old folks who probably closed the first real estate deal ever...and every age in between.

I for one don't plan on "retiring." I know that we will NEVER ear enough social security to survive on. And don't forget those retirees have been paying into the system since they were young. So it's not like they're leeching.

Wow.

I understand the desire to get rid of incompetents. It really has nothing to do with being retired. Being able to work and bring in money is an important thing to a lot of people - not everyone savors or even wants constant vacation.

i agree with jennifer as far as how to best define "full time." Heck, I only worked 3 days a week from about May until end of September in 2007 and I am "full time."

Being that I was not born flame-retardant, you may count me as completely chastised and humbled.

I was relaying our experience only, and noted that I understood this did not apply to everyone and I pre-apologized to retirees everywhere.

It was in reference to the previous poster who had said that many FT agents "suck such big ones."

We've never held jobs that will afford us pensions nor retirements either, and we therefore also plan like many others to be Realtors forever and ever, amen.

But it'll be our first and foremost real career, not our "something to do" job. One of the retiree/agents we worked with actually bragged about his situation.

I'm sorry. I should have used the FT restaurant owners/workers, mortgage people, bankers, builders, retail owners, etc. in our market who treat RE as their PT gig as an example instead.

(Wow, my first flame-back. I must be a real forum member now!)

My own personal view as to whether one is "PT" or "FT" is how many deals they've closed w/in the last 12 months. 8 or more is FT, anything less is PT.

Volume really shouldn't be taken into consideration due to the varying avergage home prices across the country.

JMHO.

It wasn't a flame. (At least how I understand flames). IF I had said you were an ignorant jerk or something, that is a flame.

I just strongly disagreed with your summation of retirees working, especially since my parents worked well into their 70s and they didn't sponge off the system and they worked hard for their money just like anyone else does. They didn't take money from younger people by working any more than you or I do.

Incompetent people come in all ages, and I guess I'm protective of older people (knowing my hubby is only 5 years away from an AARP membership...ha ha).

It was not intended as a flame - just a very strong opinion on your very strong opinion.

KT,
you can't really do # of deals as the litmus test for FT/PT. In the commercial world it is not unheard of to have less than 8 deals close a year yet you can still close many millions in deals in just those few closings.