I am currently take a six month real estate course at a local college and am looking forward to studying and passing my licensing exam towards the end of the summer, since my course is six months I need some advice and questions answered in regards to getting a head start in the business.

1) What can I do to get a head start in the business and how can I be proactive?
2) What habits should I start adopting so that I’m successful once I start?
3) What can I do besides taking the course and studying for the exam?

Any other advice would be much appreciated as well!

Thank you

#1. Set up a database of your sphere of influence - people who know you. Get their addresses and phone numbers and other pertinent info in an address book, preferably with a mail merge option (like outlook).

#2. Start thinking about and designing a custom website, leaving room for your brokerage info when you know where you're going to work. Start learning about SEO...learn how to make your site rank well in search engines. (just don't launch it until you're licensed!)

#3. Read, read, read. Check out books from the library about sales and real estate.

#4. start getting ideas for blogging, start to write some articles to have ready to publish once you're licensed. (Active Rain is a great place to have your blog). Start reading other blogs (such as ones at ActiveRain.com, rsspieces.com, and realestatetomato.com)

Thank you!

Any books in particular that I should consider reading?

1)What can I do to get a head start in the business and how can I be proactive?
Be an assistant to an agent.
2) What habits should I start adopting so that I’m successful once I start?
Understand that you are running a business. Have entreprenuerial and leadership qualities.
3) What can I do besides taking the course and studying for the exam?
Join Active Rain, read, ask and perhaps #1 again is good.

How can I become an assistant?

Do I just advertise my availability or do I look for jobs in the paper for a "Real Estate Agent Assistant" job opening?

I agree. You should get in touch with a "top" agent (whatever that means though :-) ) and ask to work for free in exchange of tips and tricks. Look around with her/him and learn on the spot. You might be ready once you get your license...

I agree with the work-for-free concept to learn more about the business. When you officially hang your license, there will SO MUCH to do, so anything you're able to do upfront will help you tremendously. Because you probably don't know much about real estate at this point, you aren't an ideal candidate for a paid assistant job, but being an intern would be great!

Otherwise, here's what you can do to get ready:

1. Start learning your market. Visit open houses on the weekends, find local demographic websites, read local neighborhood newspapers. Drive a different way to work or school and visit different shopping areas. The more you know about your market, the more confident you will be when you start talking to buyers and sellers.

2. Start reconnecting with your friends and keep your antenna up for new relationships. Your friends and acquaintances may very well be the source of most of your early sales. When I say "source" I mean that your relationships with them will bring in business, not necessarily that the people you know today will buy or sell anything.

3. If you like to write, start writing about your favorite neighborhoods. If you go out to eat and have a pleasant experience, write about it. Get into the habit of writing about topics of general appeal in your local area. Then you'll be ready to set up a blog closer to time.

4. Books - depends on your personality and mindset. Most real estate books push hard-core prospecting and it that's your style, there are plenty out there. If you don't like that approach (which I don't), there are a handful of options. Here are my favorites: "Your Successful Real Estate Career" by Kenneth Edwards; "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Real Estate Agent" by Marilyn Sullivan; "The Consultative Real Estate Agent" by Kelle Sparta, and of course, my book.

Good luck!

Another idea, if you are very computer savvy (meaning, you can work the computer flawlessly and can understand a new program fairly quickly...) you may be able to get a job as a secretary in a real estate office.

You will learn a lot of practical stuff such as how to set up files, legal stuff, you'll get to talk to people in the biz. The only problem is that they may not want to hire you as secretary if they know you'll leave that position to become an agent in the future.

As a secretary you'll get to talk to customers (sort of, there are legal boundaries about what you can talk to them about) and other agents, you will get very familiar with the MLS.

When I was a secretary I discovered A LOT about the MLS and that was one big hurdle I didn't have to jump over when I became an agent...so many new agents are CLUELESS about how to enter listings in the MLS (and boy does it show.)

Learn your local forms inside and out. That will give you a lot more confidence when it comes time to explain them to clients hence soothing some of the newbie jitters.

Also, learn your inventory. Visit open houses to get a mental inventory that you can discuss with new leads. I think it is good to have a running inventory in your head of the best houses in every model, style, neighborhood and price range in your area. It is especially helpful when the house you are holding open does not fit thier needs for one reason or another. Try to make an appt right then and there to view one in your mental inventory. By the time you are finished with your class you will have a great handle on the market.

Good Luck!

Thank you (all) for your advice and help!

I want to do as much as possible while I am still in the course because I’m a firm believer of "hitting the ground running". Aside from the advice above, would you recommend anything else in regards to learning, getting a head start and being one stop ahead of the competition etc.

Please let me know.

It is very important to know what to tell your prospects. Find proven scripts, practice them and practice your listing presentation.