I think that starting a career as a real estate agent without an existing income is financial suicide.

I have read many posts on this forum and others by long time agents that say part time agents rarely make it and you should only start out by giving it your all. The fact is that most agents part time or full time dont make it.

To save up a years income and then just blow it your first year waiting for your new business to pick up is just irresponsible and a waste of money!

The fact is that MOST business's in this country are started part time and only go full time when it supports it! Why shouls real estate be any different?

I am not an agent yet, but I own and have owned several successful business's over the last 15 yrs that were started part time. One agent I have used in the past is a full time police officer and consistently makes over $20K yearly part time. When he retires he will go full time and Im sure his income will go up accordingly, but for now he is building his sphere of influence.

I think it really depends on what your job is if you can start being a part time agent. If you tend to have full days off during the week that are predictable like for example a firefighter then it could be done. Or if you can have afternoons off or mornings off it could work. I'm a farmer and a realtor, but as a farmer I'm very flexible. But even then I find I don't want to really work with buyers in the summer unless they are really good ones. No one tells me to be anywhere. But for example a teacher. No it wouldn't work even though a teacher can have 2 and a half months of in the summer. That's sometimes longer then one deal takes to go from under contract to closed.

I hear you that it would be more difficult to succeed if working a 9-5 but it is possible. The officer I know works 7-330 and he is obviously not available physically during the day to show/list but he does accept phone calls/texts and is able to fax/email during work hours, so he is able to conduct business.

To start out with, if this is all a part time agent is able to do, then so be it. At least they are getting there feet wet and are learning on every transaction they complete. I just dont understand why I see other agents saying you cant do this part time?

I know competition sucks! But in almost any business there are part timers that take away from the big guys.

How can he also be attentive to being the Cop that the TaxPayers are paying him for ?

I suppose that's no worse than being in the Donut Shop. I'm not here to change the world.

I won't argue this, I'll just keep it simple. You do this part time, you will fail. You are not "competition" for the full time agents, just another bad practitioner we have to pick up the pieces after when you don't have time to do the job right. A few, very few, highly talented individuals will move on to a full time career after a part time start in real estate. You are most likely NOT in that group. The overwhelming, and I mean 95% plus majority of part time agents, come and go, maybe do a few bad deals, then move on to mediocrity in the next field they "dabble" in.

I do agree about your 95% statement that most will come and go but I dont agree where you say "You do this part time, you will fail". My agent has proven that wrong. I am sure many top producers have started out part time. Not many people have a years income saved up to be able to start full time. Believe me I DO have the money to do it if I needed to but Why would I? When I am ready to get my licence I will do it while also running my other business.

Also you say "You are not "competition" for the full time agents, just another bad practitioner we have to pick up the pieces after when you don't have time to do the job right. Another untrue statement. ANY listing or buyer in your area is a potential client. If a part timer gets the business then that is one less client that might have called your number. How can you say that they are not "competition"?

Not everyone has the the finances, as you said.

Myself, I'm trying to bank as much money as I can before taking the state exam, which should be sometime in April. After that, I plan on staying on at my current job part time to keep some cash flow going until I feel I can sustain myself.

I figure working 4-5 days in RE versus 6-7 for a short while isn't your standard part-time start.

I'm sure neudot would disagree, of course.

Because to be considered competition, you would have to some chance to beat me out for a listing. Trust me, not happening. If your mother was listing her house, and we both did our presentations, you'd be an unhappy son with free time on your hands.

For me, being a part timer is not effective if you are not belong into the team. Having team is very helpful especially if you are only a part time agent.

You can have part time agents that have no other job and you can be a full time agent while holding down another job.

The best thing about being in real estate is that you can work very flexible hours. There area lot of thing you can do as an agent that can be done at 2am.

That being said if your are holding another job you need the flexibility to be available to clients to show houses or make offers when they want to. But the most important thing is that you are willing to working on your real estate business at least 40 hrs a week despite holding down another position.

Some of our local Franchise Offices have rules that require their Agents to be Full Time Practitioners. One just let someone go because she wanted to be a Part-Time RN, so she had to leave and go to a competitor. Few Offices allow someone to just hang their License there just on the off-chance that they may someday get a Listing or make a Sale.

I think Vermont is maybe a bit different from other parts of the Country. Prospective Licensees don't interview the Brokers, as some on this Forum suggest is par for the course, the Brokers interview the Applicants. Some Offices still, despite the bad market, employ performance quotas.

Part-timers, nice people that they might be, would probably never stand a chance in meeting a Quota for Listings or Sales, and would be seen as dead wood.

This debate is never going to be resolved, just like the one about what kind of car to drive.

Fact is, there are incompetent full time agents, there are very capable and excellent part time agents. There are idiots on both sides (in fact, I think a LOT of agents are idiots...lol)

But the key question is: are you going to be available during key times? Will you be available during normal business hours to talk to title agents, mortgage brokers, and attorneys? Are you going to be available when buyers need to talk to you?

Or, are you going to be strictly a listing agent? A listing agent with good inventory could do it part time if there is ample support staff at the office to handle everything for you. You can do a lot of your marketing during "off hours" (posting stuff on websites, social media, etc.)

However, getting any salable listings as a part time agent is difficult, let alone listing enough pay your expenses and leave you with money left over to live on.

The only requirements my broker has is if you want floor time you have to do two open houses per month and attend meetings and caravan. No quotas, and floor time is not required; it's an option.

Dave

I'm with Perky, this debate will never be settled, but who cares if you start full time or part-time, it's if you make it to the finish line of a successful career.

When I entered real estate sales it was part-time, part-time because I was an executive with a blue chip corporation and 60 hours was the low average week. But it's possible to adapt and adjust.

Two points I want to make. First, part-time allows you to find out if real estate sales is right for you without driving the train off the track. Too many newcomers have too many misconceptions about the business, active part-time will allow them to test drive the career.

Secondly, as I've said too many times before, most full-timers are really part-timers. In my particular area, 5% did 90% of the business followed by 15% that did most of the remaining 10%.

When I first joined the business back when dinosaurs roamed the earth the guy I called my mentor that started as an agent in 1909
told me the old saying, "one third are coming, and one third are going, and one third are making the money, you decide what third you want to be in by what you do." And that applies full-time, or part-time.

I agree it will never be settled. There will always be part timers and there will always be the full timers that dont want any part timers to give it a shot. As for me I will probably wait until I relocate in a couple years to give it my shot, but when I do I will have more than one income stream to offset the slow start.

Nonsense, I hope everybody starts part time. When I'm up against that type of agent, they lose, I win. And don't think for a minute I don't stress that in my listing presentation. I explain to the seller that the FIRST question they should ask any agent walking in to their home should be: Are you a full time agent? Or a dabbler? And I characterize part timers that way on purpose, because that is generally what they are. I have never lost a listing to a part timer, and I probably never will. The argument may go on, but the numbers are the numbers. 90%+ of all part time agents fail and leave the business. Which is not unusual in any area of life. Those who grab a job by the balls and become the best (the few) always trump those who "play it safe" (the many). In that respect, real estate is no different than anything else.

I've been trying to hold my tongue, and I feel I can't any longer.

This is a forum for people who are aspiring and working hard to become agents in the field that you have also chosen to make your living. While I understand that there are times where reality checks and whatnot need to be made, I for one can no longer stand the negativity.

People come here for guidance and support, not to be torn down. The tone of many of your posts in this forum - in both this and other threads - seem to me to be ridiculously negative. Instead of being productive, you're just coming off as a condescending jerk.

Just my two cents.

Reality is the best available guidance and support. If you don't want to read reality, there is no shortage of cheerleading available for your entertainment and edification. Just my three cents.

There is a difference between reality and venom, and the line between them isn't that fine.

Being condescending is neither guidance nor support.

Best bet for you is to skip my posts altogether. Read what you want. Post what you want. It's really quite simple under a free system.

I'd ignore the messanger, take the advice under consideration and seek a second and/or third opinion. I happen to think the advice is pretty accurate if the beginner intends on being a primary income earner. If your spouse carries the weight, then a dabble do ya.

Also consider, which professions would you consider entrusting your needs to a part time practitioner? Doctor? Mechanic? Beautician? Accountant? Painter? Carpenter? Dentist? Lender?

Hello everyone, while I am new here. This is what I have found ? out. I have noticed that the OP is from NY. I am not sure if you are from New York State or New York City? I have just begun in the last six months in this industry. I have seen agents who were teachers,etc working in Manhattan who worked the summer who did very well. However, they worked FULL TIME during the months that they were available.

Now, New York City is tough enough. Attempt to do this on a part time basis will prove disastrous.

As for your statement about saving up an entire years wages to only blow it as being irresponsible. This is my take on that; if you have a years' salary saved up, you will not have the concern of closing a deal hovering over your head. This would allow you to focus squarely on becoming the best agent possible. My greatest source of concern and failure in this business starting out was not being able to focus due to needing to close a deal now.

Just my two cents worth.

Just one more thought, when I started part-time I was listing homes full-timers were trying to list and I easily offset their I'm a full-time agent argument with my broker will be my partner in this transaction and he is full, full-time. Plus if you list with an agent with 10 listings and he actually works 50 hours, he will only have 5 hours to devote to you each week if he is serving each of you equally, while I will be devoting 15 or more hours just to you plus my brokers hours. Oh, OK, where do I sign?

Actually, I only had about 1 out of 20 ask me if I were full time early, but not later,especially after several months when I had a track record and client satisfaction letters. After 6 months I knew it was going to be a career and I quit my executive job but still took another job where the hours were 3am-11am, so for several years I was "part-time" but still the top producer in the company.

And I'm sure that group of full-time agents going inactive were complaining that those part-timers were stealing their business. Yes, that's possible, I wasn't desk bound sucking up the coffee waiting for a hot prospect to call or come in the door, I was out hitting the suspects and drumming up business, how dare I do that, after all one of those prospects I found might have called the desk sitter instead of using me. And I'm sure you have heard the cry of the forlorn desk sitter, the broker isn't advertising enough, if he advertised more maybe I would convert one of those calls to a deal.

That's a great fantasy! All self-congratulatingy and all. Bravo...

Perhaps you should moonlight some "Rock Star" or "Millionaire" coaching on the side. Just don't forget to declare all that income...

I would definitely start part time, I just got licensed in 08/10 and its hard to make money starting off, especially in this economy. I was going to start off part time, but shortly before I took my exam, I got laid off. So I was forced into it full time. 4 other agents and myself got licensed and started full time within the same 3 months, only 2 of us are left. One quit completely, and the other went back to work to support herself and is now doing RE part time. The other agent who is doing it full time has a wife who is a nurse, so she pays the bills.

Start part time and get a fill for it. The only bad thing is most training, meetings, and classes are during the day. But if you find a good mentor who will teach you once a week in the evening it won't be to bad.

In this business its not like you just get into it and start making money. I know a couple of others who saved up money and lived off their saving, only to find out it wasnt enough, then they have to go back to work or borrow from family for a little while.

Fantasy, No, lived it. The year was 1965 and I had been investing since I turned 16 in 1955 with my older brother. Father was a builder/contractor so I was no stranger to real estate.

Plus you probably hadn't started wetting diapers yet, and it was a much different game. MLS just starting to be accepted, most agents still using the open listing approach that had been in use since decades before. I was lucky enough to meet a guy that started in the business in 1909, he became my mentor.

That posting was to let newcomers know it is OK to start part time and test drive the career. They don't need to hear all the other BS from other agents trying to dissuade them. Full time does not insure or guarantee anything.

Self-congratulatory, maybe so, I'm proud of what I did, and the IRS got every dime plus some. Now going into retirement, I'll just take insults in stride and remember they came from someone from Jersey so it doesn't mean much. New york yes, Jersey no.

Everyone's situation is different. I had to start out part time since I was transitioning from a job and into a career.If you start out part time and manage to find an office that accomodates part time agents, be STRONGLY advised that you should have a SOLID plan to go fulltime. The time, money, education and training and time management it takes to operate as an agent isn't worth staying part time very long...I am now fulltime and was able to hit the ground running once all my ducks were in a row.

I consider it unethical to be a part time real estate agent without disclosing it to all potential clients. You are dealing with one of the largest and most important transactions in peoples' lives, I think they have a right to know you are "test driving" the career, as you put it.

Unethical, that was good for a laugh. Using that criteria, 75% of "full-time" agents should make that disclosure.

Why not take it further, Mr Seller, I only did 4 deals last year but the other guys trying to get your listing did 24, I'm not #1, I'm #428 but I really do intend to try harder and get better. However since this is your most important investment why don't I just take the listing now and put one of their names on it. What the heck, I'm full time but I don't really want to earn more money and build a real estate career when there are more people out there more successful then me.

Also you forget the broker in this equation, no way I'm going to leave a part, or full time agent, out to dry while my company is listed on the listing. Plus when early in my career I became the acting sales manager for the largest brokerage in the area I found the part time agents to be about on par with the average full time agent which was disturbing.

Plus this is not a 9-5, m-f business and most agents can get help if needed, and concentrating on listings didn't really really call for mandatory weekdays. I can't recall his name but the number one agent in the country and for C-21 started part time his first few years and became #1 in his office.

I only spend about 30 hours a week doing "real" work because I'm efficient enough to earn enough money to support myself during that time. I spend a good deal of my time, then, playing tennis, golfing, and working on my oil painting skills.

Oh, and I also have three kids, so I spend a lot of time with them (and my wife, of course). We go to the big regional park nearby every Thursday after school to feed the ducks. Sometimes we go on Saturday too and spend hours there picnicking.

Oh, and I also participate in charity, school, and church activities that benefit my community. My volunteerism could potentially cause scheduling conflicts should I need to do showings/open houses/etc.

Oh, and I also occasionally do ad-hoc consulting work for my previous employer, since I retain a unique set of knowledge and skills that they still find valuable even though I don't work there anymore. Depending on the project, sometimes the hours almost amount to having a "part-time" job. My consulting fees are quite lucrative, though, and the people there are a lot of fun, so it doesn't really even feel like work.

Oh, it also turns out that I get most of my business by referrals through my tennis/golf buddies, parents of my kids' friends, charity/church group members, and contacts at my aforementioned previous employers, so I really never go out and do any prospecting activities.

So, considering the above, at what point am I no longer "full-time" and at what point should I therefore be "ethically" required to disclose that to my clients?

(Disclaimer: The above statements are not accurate, just used to illustrate a point.)

Andy, don't ask me ask Navarac.

Your making my point exactly, the number of hours worked each week does not equate to competence, or how well you arrange to get the job done, and with today's technology it would have been even easier.

When I was part time I never had a listing expire and the full time agents kept telling me your listing them to low. My broker told me to forget them, and use hindsight, and the closed sales, to see how well I did for my sellers. Well I did, and found I was getting prices in the top half of the solds, so I didn't change a thing at that time.

I just read through this whole thread. It is very interesting; some of it quite blunt and opinionated. Some of it very thoughtful & encouraging. All of it appreciated by more than just myself I'm sure.

I am getting ready to find a Broker & set for the training that leads to the test. I will be going into RE part time because I've fought to long to get where I'm at just to throw it over a cliff.

My personal feelings are that a move like this should be done thoughtfully & with a plan. I understand that not everyone is in the position to operate like this but I am one of the fortunate ones to be able to choose.

Once I take the test I will work part time to get some knowledge under my belt. The plan is to go full time in from 6-12 months.
I don't have any bills other than a small mortgage and incidentals like heat & lights and what-not. I will set aside enough cash to carry us through 9 months with no income from my side. My spouse has a full time job; so that will help as well.

I know this is not in agreement with some here but is with others. I believe that this is a debate that can go on infinitely and never be resolved. The posts will go on to be as different as the people involved in writing them.

However, they have been a great deal of help to me in making my decision. Even the ones that don't agree with my current plan of action. They made me weigh, in my own mind, the pro's & con's of going part time to start out with.

Thanks to all the professionals that have weighed in here,
gus