Because I love it and I love helping people. There's a rewarding feeling being able to give the keys to a home someone just purchased and knowing you were an integral part in helping them acheive a dream.

I kind of fell into it. I was looking for a career change and my kids were getting older. I wanted to be accessible yet I wanted to do something just for ME too. Something I could be proud of. I wanted to be good at something, anything that wasn't directly related to my parents or my children or my husband. So while my husband and I were looking for a house we met this Realtor. I was so impressed by her and how fun her job must be that I started looking into what I had to do to obtain license. I decided it would be a smart thing to do until I decided what I really WANTED to do. Went to school, took the test, never looked back. I absolutely LOVE going to work every morning.
I used to dread Monday mornings knowing I had to go to work. Then I became a Realtor. Now I can't wait for Monday morning. I'm good at what I do, and every year I work I double my business. I LOVE IT. I never thought I'd absolutely love it like I do. I lve negotiating, the thrill of the listing hunt, and the challenges. The REO and BPO end of the business is my favorite and I'm hoping to learn the commercial end soon. I'm planning on getting a Brokers license when my youngest is a little older. I hope to have my own office in ten years.
There's only one thing I can think would be better...and that's making a career out of my hobby. Someday maybe. But if RE is as good as it gets for me I'm just fine with that.

I wanted to be a Realtor as a kid watching the Realtor that helped with my parents home. I tried to join up when I was 18, but WOW, I could not afford it. So I went on to school and took a job in the IT field and worked through college. 14-15 years later, several companies later, I was still in the IT Field and not loving it. I did what I had to do and put my time in, sitting in a cube. Then my department merged with another department and I had to interview to keep my job. I kept it but I needed to get A+ and Cisco certifications. My wife also worked for the company as well, and had to interview. I knew then that the company really could care less, we were just numbers.

So I signed up for the A+ classes at night. I saw that the RE Classes were next door. So on the first break I walked over to the RE Class and asked the instructer, it was that or shoot myself, and I do not own a gun (LOL). He agreed and the next morning I dropped the A+ certification and started RE Classes secretly (only my wife knew).

It was not until I passed the License Test that my co-workers found out. I took my boss out for a beer and told him I was leaving. He asked how much I wanted to stay, I told him I needed a Career change not a raise. I agreed to stay on for 4 weeks to complete some projects and interview my replacement. That was 3 years ago Tomorrow.

This is a great business to be in because there are so many different ways to make money and the start up costs are very minimal.

My reasons:
I like architecture but don't want to be a architect.
I like building homes but don't want to be a contractor.
I like marketing but don't want to be a marketer.
I like web design but don't want to be a web designer.
etc etc..
Real estate encompases a lot of different professions which is why I was drawn to it.

Sorry cant pick one The reason I got into real estate is because it allowed me the flexability to be with my son and since it was the one thing I was good at I figured why not.

I'm nosy.

I like to see what everyone elses house looks like inside..

Tired of working 2nd & 3rd shift 7 days a week for corporations that didn't care about me. Even though I made really great money, the lack of control of my success because of the limitations imposed by others made me desire to become my own boss. Looked at several business opportunities before deciding RE investing would be the most enjoyable, and becoming an agent would make the most sense. I could have spent money on infomercial get rich quick schemes or some other lame brain scheme but after studying the code of ethics versus the business model some investors use, it became apparent to me for the sake of my ethics/upbringing, the best option was to become licensed and take my oath. I didn't come into the business thinking it would be easy and I would become a millionaire overnight, I did my research and saw the odds were against me. But I knew that I was willing to work longer hours than most, and that could be the key to my success. Being realistic about the time, money and income possiblities is essential. I still see/hear new agents expect to make it big right away, ignoring the statistics of what happens to most agents in the first several years.

Well way way back when I was sixteen I thought wow I would love to be a Century 21 agent the ad was on the TV ok this takes me back to the stone age of black & white TV. Now 2001 I finally become an agent. No I don't love houses because most of them stink,(I think how do people live this way) I enjoy the hunt, I enjoy the challange, yes LOL I enjoy the agonoy of defeat makes me a better agent. Do it again yes, why, god sometimes I wonder brings me back to the challange, no real estate is not House Hunters on TV its real emotions. As an agent you wear many hats just to keep your seller or buyer sane, oh and yourself too.

I love competing and thats why I am an agent!

wanted to sit around and look busy without actually doing anything.

Yep loving nature (landscapes), architecture, ppl, etc is a common reply to this post, and I feel the same way. This is something that has been in my heart to do for a long time. I just waited for a long time to pursue it. I have read real estate books as far back as I can possibly remember, dont remember most of what they said now, been so long ago ( I got distracted with drycleaning for many yrs there ) but when you have a passion about something it never goes away, and its never to late.
So I'm actually gonna go for it now :). Try my hand at it, I just pray for a good mentor. Luckily for me my husband has a good job which will allow me to commit long term -- financially speaking.
I hope its all I've dreamed about -- realistically. Sure we all dream about the money, but for me its just something about the house and the ppl, and just wanting to bring the two together.

My wife always always has a list of homes she thinks we should go preview.

Like Perkey Realtor said - Never a dull moment! what I like about real estate is that it is ever changing. In 15 years I have been in business it has never been a bore. I love the research it takes to do a fabulous job for my clients. There's always something new to keep me on my toes. I came into real estate because I wanted to help properly educate buyers and sellers to make the best decisions possible. Unfortunately not all agents do what is best for their customers. Like I always tell my clients "I'll show you YOUR options, not mine".

The freedom, the money, and I love houses.