Pros and Cons of being a Realtor while investing...

[Deantee Monroe]

I am curious to hear some of the pros and cons that experienced investors have had while also being a licensed Realtor...

As a new investor, I (of course) have a ton of questions about the business, but one of the few questions that continuously presents itself in my mind pertains to me acquiring my GA Realtor license. I know that this isn’t a “necessary” step in order to be an investor, I am just curious to know how the experience has been for those of you who have ventured in both.

[Cassi Justiz]

There really isn't a con to having your license as an investor. The only big con would be the expense associated with acquiring and maintaining a license. You are also held to certain standards and have to disclose that you are licensed when buying/selling property.
 As far as the cost, it can vary pretty drastically by state and brokerage. In my area it's usually at least $2k for first year expenses and $2-$3k per year to maintain depending on the brokerage expenses. If you aren't doing at least a couple of deals a year or working with other clients, having your license may actually end up costing you more than you benefit from. 

I also would never recommend a new investor get a license without getting at least a property or two first. You don't want to go through the effort of getting your license only to realize you don't like real estate at all.