Starting Out as a New Real Estate Agent

I though I would share my experience and what I have experienced with other new agents in starting out in real estate.
First and foremost, I believe that some pre licensed and newly licensed agent are not fully aware of what it actually takes to be not only be a successful agent, but an informed agent. Real estate is not for everyone, most new agents think they are going to make it rich selling houses and have fun working with their clients. Maybe television is the blame for this misconception, or a misleading recruiter at a real estate company. Regardless, making sure someone you know if fully educated about the field before they decide to make a career change.

The drive to become an agent.
For myself, I choose the real estate path because I've been involved in the industry at a young age, given I am only 20. My family has been involved in real estate for over 27 years. It was an easy choice. I was able to enter the field with a decent amount of knowledge that I have learned over the years. For some of the newer agents, some may not have any prior real estate knowledge, which isn't horribly bad, but would put them at a lesser advantage over others. I have had multiple peers join real estate and quit their jobs thinking they were going to start selling and listing homes right off the bat. I wish I had gotten to them sooner!

I'll Be Rich!
One of the biggest issues with new agents is what they believe they will make their first year. $100,000; $200,000? Most likely not. There is nothing wrong with setting goals, but learning how to set smart goals is key. For myself, I decided to set the number of sides I wanted to complete my first year. I wasn't going to be too concerned with the amount I was going to make. Gaining actual real estate experience and working with a number of different scenarios was what I was after. 

Where are my Clients?
The most important factor in real estate; The customer. Where is the client who will buy the house from you come from? Family? Friends? I've talked to too many new agents either starting out or thinking about getting their licenses and their answers are is usually the same; "The company will give me my clients." If only they knew! Most do not understand that you have to work to get clients, work to sell or list with those clients, and then work on maintaining relationships with past and current clients. Not saying I haven't received a few company leads, but that isn't where my business comes from. I choose to work as a buyers agent with an established team in my area. It gives me a chance to work IN my real estate business as well as have a decent supply of leads to work ON my business.

In Conclusion. 
I absolutely love real estate and wouldn't want to be doing anything else. I also enjoy seeing new agents join the field, its seeing them fall out after a few months is whats disappointing. We should all work together to educate the general public and people interested in joining the real estate industry. Everything aside, real estate is a growing field, lets make sure everyone has the proper knowledge. Every single one of us as agents are who the public enguages with, lets make sure it a positive interaction.
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