I have been researching the real estate business for awhile now and not been able to make the leap.

I have wanted to get into it for over 3 years now, and until now no one has ever supported my idea.

Just newly my wife makes more money and is just now supportive of my aspirations.

also I have a few friends who thinks it's great but the vast majority of my family thinks it's a horrible idea.

I'll either fail miserably or in the fluke that I do succeed it will be at the expense of my family life.

Is it really THAT demanding? Will I never see my family? Will I struggle my first year to make even $40,000?

I swear my family has so little confidence in me they think I should just quit anything and kill myself but somehow I'd screw that up :)

FWIW, I have been able to find a realtor who'll take me with a 70/30 split and no desk fees. ALOT better than my first look into real estate where the broker wanted my to pay $1800 for a tiny semi private office with no window.

I want to make the leap but everyone says real estate is a terrible idea.

I really feel like this is the perfect timing to make the move.

I am unable to find work in my field where $70,000 was the norm.

Since my field is not ransferable my only other options are low paying mfg'ing jobs or trying to start my own construction company.

The construction and contracting sounds very exciting to me, but realistically it is TOO competitive. ALOT of guys who do not know what they are doing are doing it and quoting jobs too low.

They get the work but don't make any money and drive profits down. ( Not to mention give newbies a bad name with their shoddy workmanship )

I don't know?

Anyone?

I think you need to make a decision based on what you think, not what others think. You write alot about your family/friends and your new spouse. If you have no children then now is the time to do what you want to do. The more kids you have the fewer chances you can take. Once you have a responsibilty to feed people you will take fewer risks. I would stop asking your family what they think. They will tell you without being solicited. Even then, it will only be there opinion. You are a grown adult with free will. Just do it. What is the downside? What is the risk? When will you ever have the freedom to do it again? Maybe in retirement, but no sooner.

Best of luck

I say it again and again. If you want stability and NORMAL hours go to work in the commercial real estate field.

I love it!

Real Estate or Construction, in both cases you are opening your business. In either case you need to make sure you have access to enough money to successfuly launch your business and sustain it early.

If your properly financed and have a good business plan it really doesn't matter to your long term success if your family isn't that supportive.

However, I think a big factor in determining early Real Estate success is the size and composition of your circle of influence. If your able to get a lot of your initial business from your COI then you'll do great. However, if your COI isn't supporting you this may be difficult.

Finally, I view Real Estate is a full time job with flexible hours, which is great for attending most family needs.

You can talk yourself out of doing anything if you think about it long enough. In a different business, I used to call it Analysis Paralysis.

Three years of thinking is long enough. Actually, when you don't want to make a decision, time will usually make the decision for you . . . . so that your indecisiveness becomes a decision in itself.

"Time and tide wait for no man." Wait long enough, and your life will be over and then you'll never know.

Have you just been thinking . . . . or have you gone so far as to take the Examination?

When you get hungry, you'll make a decision.

I thought about going into real estate for two years before I did it. The timing just wasn't right, so something was holding me back, although I didn't realize it. But when the timing WAS right - and by that, I mean that I hated my J.O.B. enough and had financial backing (a supportive husband) and felt confident in myself, I made the leap.

For me, it was a fantastic decision, but it was a different market. Not to be a negative-nelly, but some markets are nearly impossible right now. However, I see you're in Canada which I understand is fairly stable compared to the US.

Please ensure that you are financially ready for a career change, and that it's something YOU are excited about doing - not just as a money-making venture and not to be rebellious against all the nay-sayers, but something you truly have an interest in.

I'll add one more thing and please take this in the spirit I'm intending it... if everyone is advising against your going into real estate, maybe they see something that gives them the impression it's not the right career for you. That could be any number of things - and they aren't necessarily bad things - but if these are people who know you and like you and care about you - and they don't think it's a good idea, maybe their opinions are worth considering.

If you had all the money in the world but you were bored and wanted to go to work at something you love to do - and the salary is not an issue -- what job would you do just for the love of it?

[quote=super realtor]I say it again and again. If you want stability and NORMAL hours go to work in the commercial real estate field.

I love it! [/quote]

I've heard amazing things about commercial but it doesn't seem as easy to get into as residential.

[quote=Artiste]If you had all the money in the world but you were bored and wanted to go to work at something you love to do - and the salary is not an issue -- what job would you do just for the love of it? [/quote]

1. Star in porn with busty women : ) LOL.
Seriously, probably building custom homes. but that takes capital.
Hopefully if I do well in RE I will be doing just that.
Kind of a long term plan / dream.

It's not. Residential might be easy to get into but the average annual income is about 18,000. So basically the poverty level.

Nothing worth doing in life is easy so get that out of your head.

My first job at 14 was working 14 hour days at a produce farmers market.

Unloading pine straw,wheat straw,watermelons,pumpkins,flowers,potting soil,cement stepping stones,food trucks,bags of gravel,and on and on.

This job taught me everything going forward was easy.You can either look at something and find 10 reasons not to do it or you can say I will succeed at this and how am I going to get it done.

Mindset and listening to negative people hold people back more than anything.If you hang around people you want to aspire to you will start seeing great results.

If you try hard enough someone will help you out to get started and show you the ropes. Everybody started at one point in the profession.

Well, you could go big or start small.

My family is putting 4 small cabins on a parcel around a lake. There are also businesses nearby that rent small hunting and fishing cabins too. FYI.

[quote=super realtor]It's not. Residential might be easy to get into but the average annual income is about 18,000. So basically the poverty level.

Nothing worth doing in life is easy so get that out of your head.

My first job at 14 was working 14 hour days at a produce farmers market.

Unloading pine straw,wheat straw,watermelons,pumpkins,flowers,potting soil,cement stepping stones,food trucks,bags of gravel,and on and on.

This job taught me everything going forward was easy.You can either look at something and find 10 reasons not to do it or you can say I will succeed at this and how am I going to get it done.

Mindset and listening to negative people hold people back more than anything.If you hang around people you want to aspire to you will start seeing great results.

If you try hard enough someone will help you out to get started and show you the ropes. Everybody started at one point in the profession. [/quote]

My main problem is that I thought I proved to everyone I can accomplish anything.

I have tremendous work ethic and a layer of skin so thick a chain saw would stall out ( maybe a bit much :blush: )

Gone are the days when people encourage each other and comfort them when they fall.

I see fear based rational followed by an " I told you so " mentality.

I love some of the people around me, but I wish I didn't have to alienate them from my life as I pursue a career change.

When I made this post I was hoping others would come forward with their experiences of
when they entered the RE field and say how it was difficult at first but proved to be better in the long run.

You are right when you say nothing is easy!

Something I want to live by and teach my young daughters is you only fail if you don't try.

18,000 eh? Re/Max said it was 134,000 :D

Re/Max is smoking some serious weed.The average in the U.S.A is about 42,000 but that is where 10 percent make 100k or above and the other 10 make about 40 to 50k and the other 80 make about 5k to 20k as they work part time or work full time and make very little money.

In Canada there is no way the average is 134,000.If that was true everybody would be moving to Canada.

I just don't want people puffing the numbers.You can't worry about what other people think.Some people are the 9 to 5 r's who require nothing of themselves except to be ordinary rather than extraordinary.

My mother-in-law is this way and will never understand an entreprenuers mentality. You put up a safe barrier while around them and enjoy their company and then forget about their negative ways and focus on your life.

You can't change them most of the time just how you react to them and how you let them affect you and your emotions and state of mind.

Go back and carefully read the Footnote that must have accompanied that Statistic.

REMAX does not include BPOs as commission toward annual totals, so I have to wonder if they include it in annual income. I wonder if the amount is even reported to International. I would be a Hall of Famer by now if they counted BPO income.

Super makes a good point about the entrepreneurial personality. Someone who doesn't have it will never understand why anyone would want to go into business for themselves, or "approve" of what it takes to do so. There's nothing wrong with that mindset - it's just different from those of us who love the idea of making our own fortunes on our own steam.

Even if you have been successful at everything else you've done, there will be people who think if you don't get a regular paycheck for your efforts, you're taking too much risk with your finances.

I always ask the question "What would David Hasselhoff do." Sometimes you have to channel your inner Hasselhoff. The Hoff will not lead you down the wrong way.

And the Hoff says "JUMP IN MY CAR"

What I have found is that people who work regular 9-5 jobs are envious of self employed people. So, they tell you you're nuts to give up that "reliable" income.
I say if you want to...do it! You'll learn really quick if you love it or hate it!
You get out of it what you put in to it. I have a friend who works from noon to about 4:00. She's had some really good years with these hours, and now that the economy is down, so is her income. But she still does not work any additional time but 12-4.
I, myself, work my a## off. Yep, I'm the nutty one who is available when my clients need me, evenings and weekends. My family is great. Husband fixes dinner when I can't and daughter cleans house when I can't. But in exchange, they each get to buy something with every closing. Working toward an Ipod Touch for my daughter and a new pickup for my husband. So, ya, they don't mind.
Plus, I take them with me sometimes when I preview. This is something they REALLY enjoy!

There are times ALL jobs suck! Mine just sucks less!

i confide in chuck norris

chuck decides what he wants to do and the world lines up the actions to make it happen.

There will always be those that question your decisions. And who cares what they think!! I left a 50K a year job, full benefit package and 13 years seniority. Everyone thought I was nuts. That was 19 years ago and I've never looked back. I would also add that I've never been at that low an income level since. BTY, 2 years after I left the company sold to an out of state company and laid off 1500 folks. Now who's the nut? One thing about real estate is you set your own limits, there's no ceiling on your income (and no floor), but you're in control of both. Ditch the mind set that you need the validation of others cause you don't!! Set your goals and never stop working towards them.

Can I be successful at this RE business and set realistic limits on the evening and weekend workloads?

I am willing to work evenings and weekends, but being able to set limits to remain a family person would be ideal.

So many people do have a good point when they say most the work is weekends and evenings.

Realistically what are looking at in terms of evening and weekend workload?

I asked last week if you had prepared for or taken the Real Estate Examination.

That would be a good first step, and DOES NOT require much of a commitment; but would get that hurtle out of the way.

Whether you decide to pursue this endeavor or not, preparing for and taking the Exam will be a valuable experience, and more productive than this continuous analysis of how profitable this profession might be and whether it will be a good fit for you.

Maybe you've taken the Examination ?

But please do not hurtle through your exam hurdle; you are likely to miss something and make one or more mistakes.



Folks, mark today down. I caught Vermont mixing up his homophones!

That hurts . . . . and your comment makes it too late to go back and edit it now. I guess I'll get over it. Thanks for reading ever so carefully; keeps one on their toes!

You can set all the limits you want, it's your business. But, it really boils down to how hungry you get for business.

People buying houses usually have jobs! The vast majority of those jobs are M-F 9-5. It's not realistic to expect them to take off work to house hunt. However, what you can do is limit it to Saturday's only, and maybe exclude a week-night as family time only.

I, myself, am taking this whole weekend off! I need a break! But of course, if someone calls wanting to see one of my listings, that too may change!

Good luck!

That's what The Hoff wood say!

Originally Posted By: Vermont

I asked last week if you had prepared for or taken the Real Estate Examination.

That would be a good first step, and DOES NOT require much of a commitment; but would get that hurtle out of the way.

Whether you decide to pursue this endeavor or not, preparing for and taking the Exam will be a valuable experience, and more productive than this continuous analysis of how profitable this profession might be and whether it will be a good fit for you.

Maybe you've taken the Examination ?

I apoligize.

You took the time to address my concerns and I never responded back appropriately.
I am preparing for the first examination and scheduled in two weeks time.

I am also taking additional courses with my ( possibly ) future broker that he is offering me every week, and also learning as much about homes as I can. Plumbing, electrical, insulating...

I have alot of knowledge of homes renovations and can tell if any work has been done correctly, or at least have the necessary tools to explore that possibilty.

I am volunteering at the hospital once a week.

I've oganized a group to petition Darien Lake to put in place better recycling ( as I saw NONE when I was there ).

I am also organizing a blood donor clinic and have 128 people attending with me so far for sept 1st. Our goal is to have all these people donate every second month on the first. Maybe we'll maintain our group, maybe we'll grow. But these people are on my facebook and will see my efforts wether they continue or not.

I also am currently working on a date for a sick kids golf charity event next summer which can hold 144 golfers and charitable donations from as many sponsors I can reach.

I would also like to put a temporary winch line at a local hill where families toboggan and serve hot chocolate one day. I'm hoping to have a mic. and a sled building contest which will be announced on the radio( city bylaws are a tough one; may not happen )

I am also one of few who hold a valid black belt in Brazilian Jui Jitsu here in Ontario and am offered a spot on the board.

My club ( not mine; the one i belong too ) is expanding to MMA and I already have blogs slowly building.

Basically, I have a very active marketing plan!

I know I will succeed whatever I do! I just look to you guys for some support.

Is it a big deal I ask a few questions?

I don't find it a little commitment. It's HUGE!

I thought my questions were very valid,,,and BTW. You never even answered me!

I personally am very excited about RE and the connection it affords with the community.

My wife however is concerned about our personal connection being side lined.

The difference between 30k and 100k may be total commitment and 95%.

I'm just asking questions. If you don't want to answer, DON'T! But know that my concerns are valid and if you do have something to offer I'd GREATLY appreciate it!

Good luck, 295 and welcome to the wonderful world of Real Estate, your tenacity will serve you well!

? I thought Vermont 2nd to last post did have something to offer. Maybe go back and re-read what was posted. Also I noticed that you stated you were the only one of view who hold a Blk Belt in Brazilian Jui Jitsu in the Ontario area. Why not supplement your income with teaching at your school or opening up your own dojo at a youth club or gym? With the popularity of MMA you should do decent part-time. This would also add to your SOI.

I very aware of what Vermount offered, and I did ( and do ) appreciate it!

I hope it does not seem that I am ungrateful.

Somewhere I feel he got frustrated with me and I only wanted to assert he does not need to be so.

My address to him specifically about not answering my question ( and I should've been more clear ) was that he never replied about hours of work.

It's one thing to struggle in realty; It's only a job! But to struggle interpersonally with your immediate family is not a route to true success in life.

As far as MMA, on the surface it may seem profitable, but most all the people coming in are kids who have little to no income and everyone seems to "get a break".

Leases are through the roof and getting a decent network together involves carrying costs.

Thank you DelCid ! I suspect many people look at Real Estate and want to equate it objectively to more concrete lines of endeavor. This industry, even in Canada, evolved to provide the maximum service to the greatest number of people among the members of the General Public.

It's a service business. On average, we probably only get paid for about 1% of the work we do. And we do get paid well for that 1%. The other 99% is done for free as a service to the community. Everyone in this business strives to push that paid proportion up and reduce the ratio of the un-paid portion. They are not stupid.

And it's true, some Practitioners actually discover little secrets that help balance the relationship . . . . but no one I have met has discovered a secret that allows them to be paid for ALL their effort. We're all on that continuum between 1% and 99%. Actually, I've known several aspiring Agents who made not even 1% . . . . not even enough to pay for what it cost to prepare for their Exam and obtaining a License; but they had their chance !

The Industry's trick in making us want to work so hard is that we never know for sure which is the 1% of effort that will produce a pay day. If we knew, we would skip that other 99%. But this is a world of uncertainty, and we don't know which tasks will provide a reward . . . . so we have to provide a high level of service to ALL. That's how the General Public benefits from this structure, and why the industry will NEVER lend itself to salaried or hourly workers . . . . they could never be motivated to do as good a job as those incentivized by the prospect of a sizable commission.

Anyone who thinks they can somehow equate Real Estate to a Machinist's Job where an hourly rate and benefits is negotiated by the Trade Union, and the work is automatically supplied by the Employer, may well find that Real Estate is way, way too uncertain. Other people thrive on the uncertainty . . . . everyone is different, and not all are psychologically outfitted to deal with the level of frustration and the deferred gratification that is inherent in Real Estate.

Others cannot deal with the fact that we have more "Bosses" than any other Profession . . . . when you include the individual Brokers; the State Real Estate Commissions; the Nat'l, State and Local REALTOR® Organizations; the MLS Authorities; and the individual Buyers and Sellers who actually hire us as Agents; plus the Customers who have come to expect Full Service, even though they are NOT Clients. It's not for everyone!

And even when we have work, there is NO GUARANTEE that anything we do will produce a pay check. These stupid BPOs are the closest thing to certainty . . . . but even payment for them can be a bit fickle . . . . . as hundreds of Posts on this Forum attest.

No one "has to" work week-ends in this business. No one "has to" work nights. You just have to be on call anytime a Client or Customer is in need of service . . . . and you WANT to be there! And you probably have to plan on doing it in order to get started and to put food on the table. Many think that they will be the exception . . . . and so, many are fooled; they will adapt to the system or be left without a pay day.

If we choose not to respond when a service is needed, then rest assured, the marketplace is filled with other ready and able Competitors who are all too willing to take the chance that this might be their 1%! You snooze and you lose. That's the reality. It's a pretty fair system; but it's an "unforgiving system".

I'll leave it to others to comment about the number of hours in a Real Estate Work Week using more detailed terms . . . . and especially from those who are successful and still are of the opinion that "It's only a job !" But a job that's like no other job.

I just got home at 9:15. would have been home at 8:30 but I had to stop and buy supper to bring home to the hungry crew. Been out of the house since 8:45 a.m...and I worked non stop all day.

If I were you I would still look at commercial firms and go that route.More business hours,family time,normalcy,greater income.

I have owned multiple businesses before in the automotive and restaurant industries. I made tons of money but was miserable.

I don't like working weekends or nights period. When I started real estate and saw how residential was I knew it wouldn't work out.It was exactly what I was trying to get away from in my other businesses.

Then commercial real estate came along.My average closing is 5 to 6 figures a deal in commission.Since I am the broker I keep it all. I specialize in apartment buildings from usually 20 units up into the hundreds of units.

I would not want to do what Perky does although I an glad she is having tremendous success.

So you have to make a choice on what you want in life.

Good luck-I wish you the best

From my experience when I've discussed the topic with people who work 9-5 jobs, some of them think I get paid in CASH and that somehow the IRS doesn't find out how much I make. I had some friends who worked for the government, their goal when they retired (at $60,000 a year apiece paid for out of my tax dollars) was to move to a state with no state income tax and open a little antique store where they could get CASH and not have to REPORT IT, because they couldn't AFFORD to show any more INCOME! (LOL, I can still hear them say it). When I freelanced as an illustrator I had the same misconception about my earnings. In the case of real estate a lot of them still think we get paid 6% and get to keep it all.

^Most people I know think real estate agents get the entire 6%. Never stopping to think, that means the seller would have to pay 12% when it's a co-broke.

My personal favorite is when people (even other realtors) say I get "double commission" when I sell my own listing. I do not - I get "full commission." If someone else sells it I get "half" the commission. Just a matter of semantics but what sounds more like a greedy killing - getting "full pay" or "double pay?"

Many also have no idea that my van is not a company car - it's all mine and I pay all my expenses for it whether I get paid or not. I do not get any kind of salary at all from my broker but yet, many think I do. It's crazy that so many are so misinformed in this world of information!

[quote=Perky_REALTOR]^Most people I know think real estate agents get the entire 6%. Never stopping to think, that means the seller would have to pay 12% when it's a co-broke.

My personal favorite is when people (even other realtors) say I get "double commission" when I sell my own listing. I do not - I get "full commission." If someone else sells it I get "half" the commission. Just a matter of semantics but what sounds more like a greedy killing - getting "full pay" or "double pay?"

Many also have no idea that my van is not a company car - it's all mine and I pay all my expenses for it whether I get paid or not. I do not get any kind of salary at all from my broker but yet, many think I do. It's crazy that so many are so misinformed in this world of information! [/quote]

That's why people SHOULD ask questions, and everyone should be flattered to share the knowledge they have.

If people can restrain themselves from any frustrations of what could seem like endless questions and fill others with knowledge there'd be no surprise to how little other people know.

I agree. The World needs some fixin' !

But where should we start ?

[quote=super realtor]If I were you I would still look at commercial firms and go that route.More business hours,family time,normalcy,greater income.

I have owned multiple businesses before in the automotive and restaurant industries. I made tons of money but was miserable.

I don't like working weekends or nights period. When I started real estate and saw how residential was I knew it wouldn't work out.It was exactly what I was trying to get away from in my other businesses.

Then commercial real estate came along.My average closing is 5 to 6 figures a deal in commission.Since I am the broker I keep it all. I specialize in apartment buildings from usually 20 units up into the hundreds of units.

I would not want to do what Perky does although I an glad she is having tremendous success.

So you have to make a choice on what you want in life.

Good luck-I wish you the best [/quote]

Thank you, definitely worth looking into.

My wife talked to a friend who has a good friend in the commercial side of real estate. According to him business is good and he works way less than the avg. guy.

Can I email you if I have any questions as I investigate more?

[quote=Vermont][quote=Perky_REALTOR]It's crazy that so many are so misinformed in this world of information! [/quote]
I agree. The World needs some fixin' !

But where should we start ? [/quote]

If you want people to be more informed , a good starting point would be to inform them by answering all of their questions no matter how ill you beleive them to be. If you give people the confidence that they can ask you anything, and you really do have some appreciable knowledge than I think ALOT more people would be informed.

Just an example, but if someone acts in any manner that may make others feel like their questions are not valid or worth investigating than people will not come back to that someone.

In my trade, I learned early as an apprentice that you really had to dig at the senior tradesmen HARD to get any info. out of them that you NEEDED.

Some guys you could crack and others were impossible, but all of them did not want to give anything at first.

Some apprentices learned this, some didn't. Those that didn't eventually become licensed to be incompetent even though they served their time and asked the questions.

You're right! This is a crazy ill informed world.

I've always had a saying and I use it everytime I help someone move. "You're either helping or your in the way".

Understand this:

Some questions DO NOT have specific answers that apply to everyone.

Maybe in the tool and die world, and the world of physics and chemistry, earthly elements have specific measurable properties and behave with a level of predictability.

But, in the world of human relationships and marketing, such is not the case. Searching for an answer to the question:

How much will I make in Real Estate and how long and hard will I have to work in order to make it? . . . . is a question that can only be answered by attempting to do it.

That is "your" research project. Five (5) years from now you will have the answer. Until then, your answer will always remain nebulous.

If you get to the point of negotiating an Independent Contractor Agreement, you can ask for a special clause to be inserted guaranteeing you a certain level of compensation in return for a not-to-exceed number of convenient hours.

295- You can pm me a few questions but most of what you will learn will be market specific in commercial.

I am trying to limit my time to 10 minutes a day on this site as I am just to busy to breathe right now.

Everyone and their brother is gobbling up properties on the commercial side right now to get great interest rates and terms with loose financing.

Commercial in my opinion in 4 to 5 years from now will be much more restricted like residential is today at least in the U.S market.

I was licensed in 1995 - my mother still calls and wants to know how business is. Oh please - I am an R/M agent and that number is PUFFED UP. Please remember they are a corporation - geared toward getting agents. I love the big balloon and the brand name recognition and in the old days - just the company behind me meant I was walking out the door with the listing paperwork signed. Now I only list reo and they don't care what company is behind me. Now in answer to the question if I had all the money in the world what would I do? I would love to be a jewel thief but I do not want to go to jail - so if you remove the jail component - I would do it - just for the fun of getting away with it. Kinda like a Pink Panther kind of thing - slick - tons of planning - ya know - Oceans 11, 12 and 13. Seems like fun.

That's why education is so important. I always ask sellers how many houses they have bought, how many they've sold. When was the last time they bought a house and how did they find it. Most haven't bought a house in 20 years and we know how different it was back then: they looked in the paper, called an agent and asked what they had for sale with 3 bedrooms. Some have never sold a house. I explain why it is important that they hire THIS particular Prudential agent. Sometimes I'm going up against another agent in my own office, expecially with expireds.

[quote=Artiste]If you had all the money in the world but you were bored and wanted to go to work at something you love to do - and the salary is not an issue -- what job would you do just for the love of it? [/quote]

I would choose to be a janitor.

Why a janitor?

[quote=Vermont][quote=295yards]". . . a good starting point would be to inform them by answering all of their questions . . ."[/quote]
Understand this:

[b]Some questions DO NOT have specific answers that apply to everyone.[/b]

Maybe in the tool and die world, and the world of physics and chemistry, earthly elements have specific measurable properties and behave with a level of predictability.

But, in the world of human relationships and marketing, such is not the case. Searching for an answer to the question:

[b]How much will I make in Real Estate and how long and hard will I have to work in order to make it?[/b] . . . . is a question that can only be answered by attempting to do it.

That is "your" research project. Five (5) years from now you will have the answer. Until then, your answer will always remain nebulous.

If you get to the point of negotiating an Independent Contractor Agreement, you can ask for a special clause to be inserted guaranteeing you a certain level of compensation in return for a not-to-exceed number of convenient hours. [/quote]

I don't know what your problem is!
I hope you are able to put a fake smile and a bit of [censored] kissing when it comes to your clients.

:rockon:

As with any other business you need to:

1. Take Massive Action.
2. Set realistic, attainable goals.
3. Continuously educate yourself in sales and marketing by reading, taking courses, listening to tapes and attending seminars.
4. Finding a mentor that can guide you.

In the sales process you will want to focus on follow ups. If you get any kind of leads you need to regularly call, send or broadcast your marketing message to them so that they will stay familiar with you.

If you can channel your past work ethic into your real estate business and focus on it, you will succeed.

I just noticed your flippant little comment, which is still deservant of a response:Well, I do know ! I know that I completely lack the skills of a Fortune Teller or Sooth Sayer, and that's what you clearly need. If you thought people on this Forum would be able to predict your future in Real Estate, you deserve a Full Refund ! Your Friends and Relatives apparently know your personality well enough to know how you might fare in a world where your day-to-day activities are not clearly laid out for you by someone else.

In this business, we don't have Shop Stewards who can simply assign our jobs for us, or estimate how many hours of work we have ahead of us, nor explain at what rate we "might" be compensated. As a matter of fact, we have to work just to create our work, by marketing ourselves just to secure the opportunity to contract with a Seller or Buyer to represent them in this activity.

Your production, and income will depend upon your market's Conditions, your Competition, your Training, and your own personal Motivation. Some of those elements will be under your control, and no one else's. There will be no one else to bear the responsibility for success or failure. There are no guarantees.

No one is withholding the answers to you specific questions; but instead of demanding that I roll out some kind of Crystal Ball to look into your future . . . . you ought be studying for that Real Estate Exam that you said was scheduled for this coming week. Be sure to study the right material.

1)Yes, why Amaster? I find it a very interesting choice. I'd be the beer taster at a brewery. Someone's got to do it.

2) It goes way back in the thread and is off topic, but I saw the Hoff was roasted on the TV recently. Unbelievable.

3)Back on topic...295, I am confused...are you a practicing real estate agent currently or are you considering the profession? I was the original responder to your thread and I thought the latter was the case. But as I read through, you indicate times where you have been paid commissions, putting you in the former class.

3a) Nevermind 295...I see now you were quoting a practicing agent without the use of the inlay boxes. I was confused. I have answered my own question. Thanks.

"If you had all the money in the world but you were bored and wanted to go to work at something you love to do - and the salary is not an issue -- what job would you do just for the love of it?"

I would like to be Sandra Bullock's bra adjuster.

Thank You,

Mark

Good one..I was thinking about something else funny to say about that today. Along those lines....I'd faithfully fulfill my duties as a Victoria's Secret Seam Stress Test Observation Analyst. You can't have these things busting on the cat walk. I think my shift at the brewery ends JUST in the nick of time to make my shift at my new job.

Heck, I'd take this job even if I did not have all the money in the world.

I have found WAY too many unsupportive people in my efforts to do more than the average joe...from family, friends, girlfirends and all others - I have found all the above to be unsupportive (not all of the family and friends, but a lot of them).

Think that a major reason for this is because they are not very motivated themselves...what has worked for me is that you need to surround yourself with people who beleive you can do the things you want to and are trying to do...I personally do not speak to my family much about business ventures anymore because they are unsupportive and give negative feedback. Works well for me lol

***disclaimer...did not read entire thread...


most people are employees so the advice is based on thier experiences.

most people have a cap on their salary.

if i listed to people i would be doing data entry on a pc somewhere. instead i work for myself and love it!

i will never work for someone else again unless it pays 500k plus a year for 40 hours and i dont have to respond to anything outside of 9am and 5pm. if i cant find that(and im not looking)...its real estate for me!

As long as you sign with a company that gives you the best training, education and support, teaching you how to grow your business in today's market, you will be fine.

There is a lot of turnover in this industry, but its' mostly from agents that don't know how to run real estate as a business, part timers or sign with the wrong broker. Good luck and don't listen to what others say; just do it!!