Becoming a real estate agent at 18

[Sam Bob]

Hi everyone at BP! I’m 16 almost 17 right now and am planning on getting my real estate license before I graduate high school. For background I’ve been interested in the finance space since I was 14. Since I can’t really invest on my own as of right now, I’ve just been saving money (about 5 grand from a summer job). I’m planning on working again this summer to save even more while still having fun and being a kid haha. Any thoughts on how to get into the space (internships, classes, recommendations, etc.) would be greatly appreaciated, thanks! I’m looking forward to becoming an actual investor :) ,

Sam

[Bruce Lynn]

Good for you.

Wish I had been that smart when I was 18.....

Couple of different routes I think you can take...depending on your interest.....one is work the next 3-4-5 summers for different trades.  Work one summer/holidays/weekends for electrician, then a plumber, then HVAC, then maybe framer.  Learn Spanish along the way if you can.   You will then either be able to do a lot of work yourself as the years go on, or be a better customer, and a more knowledgeable sales person.   You'll probably always have work no matter the economy...and you might even make more money than you could other places if you have some nice skills there....or actually work enough to get a journeyman license or master license.

Second route if you're more office guy is start doing the assistance work for a real estate team....you can probably run circles around all of us doing software and internet stuff.   You could even start your own business doing this.  Could you make 100 youtube videos for an agent for $1000?  Create their youtube channel, shoot the videos, edit them and post them in a month.  Lots of agents might pay you to do that.  You could probably make $10,000 in a summer doing that with some hustle.   Create another 100 TikToks and Reels videos for them for another $1000.   You could do this weekends and evenings while you are in school too.

You could set up someone's marketing system...clean their database, call all their customers for them, get all the updates like IG, FB, email, addresses etc, then put them on marketing campaigns, respond to inquiries etc.  

If you are a glutton for punishment....then go work for an investor doing inside sales.....calling for dollars....negotiate with them for a piece of the action...1% of a deal for buy and hold investor or whatever % makes sense to you...so you build some income or capital.

If you like commercial....go in as a research assistant...either building databases or creating presentations for them.

[Mike Eichler]

Totally do it! I got my license at 19 and I love it, Ive been in the space for about 2 years now. I started off unlicensed just helping out an STR property management company at 18, just learning the tricks of the trade. I now own an investment property myself and help others too. Becoming licensed was the best decision I have ever made!

[Drew Sygit]

Start calling real estate brokers to see if you can get a job at their front desk answering phones and go from there.

[Jack Tulloch]

Sam - I would suggest going to real estate meet-ups in your area and potentially seeking out a mentor. Having someone to bounce ideas off and ask questions to will be extremely beneficial. Your head is definitely in the right place. Good luck on your journey!

[Dan Sheeks]

Hey @Sam Bob

Bigger Pockets has a book that is PERFECT for you! It's called First to a Million. It answers all your questions, including the ones you don't even know you have yet. :-) www.biggerpockets.com/teen

I wrote the book just for young people like you - young motivated hustlers who want passive income and early financial independence! Check it out.

Also, reach out to me if you want some individual advice. I'm a high school business teacher in Colorado, so talking to teens about this stuff is what I do all day, every day. Always happy to help out!

Best,

Dan

[Eliott Elias]

Get out in the field and learn on your own. Knock on doors and learn the art of selling, no need to get caught up in the technical side of real estate. 

[Erick De casas]

Do it! It'll open so many doors for you.