I want to become a realtor, but I wnat to knwo what the hours are and if the pay is good? I will be raising my baby ...so will I have time at nights and weekends to do this job?
199801
I looked into becoming a realtor a while ago, I'm a SAHM so it sounded good.  Hours wise, its pretty flexible in that you decide how many you want to work, how many clients to take on.   Depending on your financial need, you might just need to sell one house a month.  But what I found out (which is why I couldn't do it) is that it's a lot of start up costs.  You have to pay for the training (usually given through a real estate company), pay for your testing, pay for your licensing and to be on Realtor Boards.  Plus there are annual dues for being on the Realtor boards (which is required by most real estate places).  So here, start up was going to cost about $1700.  But if you can swing that, its really flexible in that you decide how much you want to take on.  But, keep in mind that most open houses are on the weekends, and that most people like to go see homes on the weekends or after THEY get off work.  So it might not be a real scheduled job for you, just flexible in how much you want to take on.  Money wise, its like 7% that you get.  So whatever the sold house goes for, you get 7% of it (in Michigan anyway).  So the money can be very good.
300191
Well lets see these are my Realtor or sales professional sayings and promises.\n \n1. "I will sell your house."  Bull SH&@! They don't sell your house for you they invoke a genius marketing system (a.k.a. multiple listing service)that allows other blood sucking sales professionals to see that they got you to sign a contract saying that they get the commision for entering info into a computer system that takes as long as me typing this answer and then they set back and hope one of their fellow kind lands on someone that wants your house. I think you can do that much.\n\n2. "Just give me 90 days and I/we will sell it."  \n\n  See Previous Rambling\n\n3.  "I will represent you at closing." \n  No they should say I will make sure everybody shows up to sign so I can run my check to the bank.\n\nBeyond my opinion.\nIf all you do is run a newspaper ad for 30 bucks a sunday you will inturn work harder than the average realtor. They mostly are just a pretty face that knows the answers to every question in real estate acquisition. Licenced by the state so the state gets a cut of everything, almost a rackett in my opinion.
603956
I started many businesses for over 5 yrs now, internet and mailorder. I even owned real estate twice, from a Will Trust, and No Money Down Deal. Now, I sold the Will RE and I lost the RE from a bad broker deal, that went foreclosed.  Business is still going after many failures.  But here is my advice.  You can make real estate a good business with DD research and know that its better to buy RE and sit on it, instead of waiting to purchase later.  While it goes up in value, you can always borrow against it for future purchases or for a new business enitity.\n\nAfter my last failed RE deal.  I vowed to learn how to make the type of money from my business first, then I can buy what RE, multiple types...land, Mobile Homes, Condos, Farms, Family Res, etc. and make it worth my time, with much DD effort.  But whatever you decide, make sure it is your passion.  You would have to love doing it, and always fine tune it, to keep it growing.  Learn from your mistakes and never give up with your business.\n\nI have just crossed the path that I set my goal for, and that was to make in the range of $3-5k per month from the internet.  Now I am researching properties in certain areas that I would like to buy.  It took awhile, but I made that first goal successful. Now my next part is the RE of my choice.  It will become easier now, working with a RE management co. to take care of my RE needs as I purchase what I want to rent. So Good Luck and get your feet wet. I am sure you will do just fine.
438319
You should start by contacting a couple of the larger real estate companies in your area.  Most of the big ones will have training programs and recruitment programs designed to help you succeed after you are done with your licensing classes.  Getting a license and knowing how to be a good agent are two different things.\n\nFinding someone to hire you will be the easy part.  Finding someone to train you for success is the hard part.  Real estate is not easy to get started in, you should plan on keeping a part-time waitressing job or something to keep your bills paid while you get started.  If you don't, be prepared to go 3-6 months before seeing your first paycheck.  Most people don't have that kind of savings sitting around.
323406
Hello,\n\nCongratulations on deciding on a long-term decision right at the outset of your career.\n\nBy deciding to buy your home, you will do the following:\n\n1. Stop paying someone else's mortgage.\n2. Build your own equity.\n3. Since you have a good income, you will book the tax benefits.\n4. Fix your monthly payment on living in a home for your lifetime (based on your mortgage).\n\nThe Process:\n1. Check your credit by yourself. Try to work on any cleanup that you might need to do (like some irregularities in payments or any other incorrect reporting regarding your credit history. A good Mortgage agent should be a great help and be able to do everything for you. But some mortgage agents might use this for a rip-off.\n2. See if you can identify your objectives, needs and wants. Like, if you want to live close to downtown, a new home, a nice neighborhood, commute, lifestyle etc.\n3. Find a good Realtor who will help you understand your objectives, needs and wants and put them in perspective so that he will help you identify the home you will want to live in.\n4. A good Realtor should be able to take care of the entire process. You have to zone into your dream home out of the Millions of properties available out there. You will also have to identify your constraints in terms of finances, having a Realtor will give you all these ideas.\n5. It is very important that you pin your requirements, it will make the process of selection very easy.\n6. The process itself.\na. Find a Realtor.\nb. Find a Mortgage Agent.\nc. Find a house.\nd. Once selected, make an offer.\ne. If the offer is accepted\nOrder inspections, title reports, HOA docs if it is a PUD / Townhome.\nFinalize Mortgage.\nRemove Contingencies based on investigations.\nGet ready for sign-off.\nSign-off\nDo a walkthrough inspection\nFund your mortgage\nGet your Keys\n\nYou may want to browse on the internet for some more preliminary understanding.\n\nDisclosure: I am a Licensed Realtor with Century 21 in San Jose, CA.
195397
I think most of the no money down, subject to, and lease option stuff is crap.  Perhaps after you have gained experience you can get deals no money down.  I lived in a college town also and saw the same thing happening in my town.  Rentals were everywhere.  I got started in real estate as a birddog.  I made $500 finding leads for an investor.  $10/ per lead he didn't have to close for me to be compensated.  There are only so many investment opportunities in one market though, so now after much debate I am becoming a realtor. Then I plan on being a commercial broker and THEN an investor. It is gonna take a while. I really think that you need the money/ experience/ connections/knowledge before getting into such a heavy endeavor with such thick legal implications and even scarier liabilities/consequences. If you don't know what you are doing you can get hauled off to jail for 3rd degree felonies with that no money down garbage.  Besides that most single family homes make next to no cashflow, especially with the way interest rates are going up. HARD WORK HARD WORK HARD WORK!
626461
Real Estate does not require a long time to get your license, but you have to pass a pretty difficult state test, just as you would in any study program.  No, it would not take up all of your time.  My friend does this and she also has a second job.  So, it is a way to earn extra money.  Business starts out slow, as you are new, but it builds up after 6 months.  \nA child psychiratrist requires a lot of college--you have to be a doctor!! \nYou could opt to be a child therapist or psychologist.  You could work at a mental health clinic with a normal Mon.-Friday schedule and after you have established yourself and gotten your Masters Degree, you can open your own practice,  even at your home.  So, that way you would be able to set your own hours.  But I do think you have to get a Masters degree to practice at home.  If you do obtain a master's degree in psychology, you can teach college classes--that is what one of my friends does.  She does an online course and it is not hard for you to do, as long as you have someone to show you how to set that up.  So getting a Master's, means more options and better pay.\nyou may want to think about a government job--you get of on holidays and can retire in 27 years, as far as I know.  I am a teacher and I like getting summers and holidays off, plus snow days.  We do have trainings during the summer and work hard, but atleast we do get time off and that is wonderful--plus healthcare and a retirement plan and life insurance.  You may like that.  \nYou could be a LPN or RN, and you could set your own hours.  Nurses are in need and you would not have trouble finding a job.  So, I wish you good luck.  You do have many options.  If you get about 60-70 college hour credits, you can substitute teach no matter what degree or classes you have.  Isn't that neat.  So that means a lot of extra options.  Think about that. --You can get called and asked if you could substitute and you can say yes or no.  Is that cool or what.  Plus you get more money doing that with a degree.  But you only need a certain number of hours to do this, and you have to pass a criminal records check.  So the world is at your hands!! Take a risk and do what interests you .
54527
Sunny is correct in telling you that you need only get your RE license to start selling.  However, what Sunny failed to mention is that these companies (at least the successful ones) will want you to have at least bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Accounting or Economics.  Most of them will want you to have your real estate brokers’ license as well.\nAlso, please don’t be fooled by Sunny’s flippant comments about just taking the classes and getting started.  I’m not saying you can’t do well at it, I’m saying it takes a lot of VERY HARD WORK to make your self successful at it.  I know several commercial brokers, and a few successful ones, and the ones that are successful don’t half ass it, they work 60-70 hrs a week.  The payoff for these few is Huge, I’m talking high six and sometimes seven figure incomes but you have to want it, and you have to work for it!\nI hope I have given you a little bit better insight into the world of commercial real estate.  \nI truly wish you the best!
85009
Yes, they are a cult.  What kind of a question is this?  How many realtors do you see?  I've seen mostly hispanic realtors so I guess it depends where you live.
395454
You make as good of money as the amount of houses you sell and the commissions you get.  It's all up to the salesperson.\n\nI do believe you get started by taking the classses and getting your license.
496728
I am not a doctor, but both my parents are, so although I can not give you a first-hand perspective, I can tell you that it is extremely demanding. My parents worked from 7am-9pm including weekends for the first years of their medical profession (more when they were interns and residents). Their schedule got to be a bit more flexible with time, but it requires 10 years and more to establish yourself as a recognized doctor and build a practice. You must constantly attend conferences and seminars and keep yourself updated with new research findings, practices, pharmaceuticals, etc. It's very demanding and unless you love it - unless it's your calling, I don't recommend it. But if this is really what you want to do, go for it and make it happen.
139019
A good Realtor will act as a transaction manager for all aspects of buying or selling a home.  They take listings, create brochures, ask for showing feedback, present offers and help sellers with negotiations, help find a lawyer and inspector, answer questions, give listing reports, work open houses, show homes to buyers and more.\n\nYou can search for classes in your area by typing (your state) Real Estate Classes into yahoo.  That is how I found the pre-licensing class in my area.  Some community colleges also have real estate classes.  You can also call the broker/manager at local offices and ask them about classes.  A number of brokers also teach at their office.\n\nKeep in mind these classes teach you the law and ethics or real estate.  They don't get into much detail about the day to day life of a Realtor or how to find buyers or sellers.  You learn all that on the job.\n\nAfter you pass the class you will have to take an exam in order to get your license.
585996
I am a real estate broker in Davidson County North Carolina and one of specialty areas is working with investors.  I am also an investor and my husband is a builder/remodeler/investor.  I have been in the business for 9 years.\n\nI have sold many homes to investors for rentals  and for resale.  I also advise new investors in  different exit strategies.  \n\nI would be happy to work with you if you were interested in investing in my area of North Carolina.
478172
Question truly lies in the eye of the beholder. Last time I owned a house was 1990. I sold in 1993. I LOVED house and job.\n     I stopped believing in whoring myself out for hourly wage. When this was first introduced in States back when people fiercely rejected the idea as"selling themselves out as mere chattel 4 slave labour.\n    That info has probable, gone down the "MEMORY HOLE"by now. How ever, at time of 1993 departure. I was earning $16,45. per hr.100% percent benefits and was only months away from the magic 5 year plan.\n    This was great company 2 work 4 because at 5 year. mark. You became salaried with 125% pay raise and company car(personal & weekend were a llowed plus u get company gas card.) all co workers where shoked that I would walk away now, yet things were troubling me, about exploitation of poeple being foced into obscence living/ woking cnditions. So many die and live in absolute poverty. unimanagable in west all so we can get cheap reding glasses & and all else.\n  Although things 4 me were great and kookng better, I opted out of This new Capitaliim. brought in dramaticliy by Thather and the people who  Reagen his lines.Forget loans uless absolute emergeny. and pay back at end of end of each month. Never, ever pay minaimin  balance. u could pay  4 20 yrs, an stillnot have made dent in payment sinced u have been interest only...MARY
27791
I think you should go work for a construction or landscaping crew..  No nights and probably no weekends... plus, you usually get paid a decent wage.
182026
Be prepared not to have a paycheck for a while.\n\nBe prepared to pay for a lot of advertising.\n\nBe prepared to get extremely, and I do mean extremely, social.\n\nBecome involved in any classes/functions that your local Board puts on.\n\nGive a homebuyers class, if you can get someone to hold one for you. You will find a lot of leads there, usually.\n\nGood luck.
377535
Depends on the person.  Two items that affect their income is volume (number of loans they close) and how aggressively they price their loans.  With the real estate market booming and the rates being so low the last three years, loan officers stood to make quite a bit (everyone was buying and refinancing).  Even inexperienced loan officers did well previously. When the market was hot, I saw good loan officers making around the $300,000 mark.  But now things have slowed sales wise and rates have risen (not as many refinances).  Some who made easy money previously have little to no pipeline now.  Its sales - you need to build a referral base and be persistent.  A good loan officer can still make over $100,000 per year.  It can be a tough business (just like any competitive commission sales career).