What can a 17 year old do in real estate before 18?

Question

Im a 17 year old girl and I plan on getting into real estate. I have (what I believe to be) a pretty strong plan from getting my real estate license to house hacking to eventually full on land lording and retiring before I turn 30. I turn 18 in the fall, which is when I will begin real estate school. But are there other things I can do to expand my knowledge until then? I've been reading lots of books and listening to tons of podcasts but I want to do more. I feel stuck because I feel like there's nothing I can do until the fall. I appreciate any advice, thanks!

Bruce Lynn · Answer

How about working for a team in a real estate office today?   You can do everything from answer phones, to deliving signs, lockboxes, flyers.  Can you do social media for them?  Can you create flyers and graphics for them or create their youtube channel and record and edit videos for them?

You can take your classes today and probably take the test the day you turn 18.

Work for a property manager, leasing apartments, answering the phones, scheduling appointments?

Work for a wholesaler as an ISA-Inside Sales Agent...making calls to potential sellers?

Work at the front desk of a busy real estate office....Director of First Impressions.

Ryan Hamaker · Answer

My son is 15 and has started reading multiple books on multifamily investing.  I also take him to my local real estate meetings so he can start getting comfortable networking and talking RE.  I also taught him how to do a cashflow analysis using basic Excel which has been very helpful for him.  He wants to find a deal here locally so I've bene helping him with that.  Eventually this will likely lead to he and I finding a property together and sharing ownership in it.  Are your parents cool with maybe jumping in a deal with you if you can demonstrate some expertise in RE investing.

Ben Firstenberg · Answer

Love your plan and love your attitude my friend. Others have given some great advise here, just want to add a few things I wish I'd known at 17/18

- Read about all kinds of stuff. Try to build some kind of intellectual base. Doesn't matter what it is, as long as it interests you. Luckily in real estate, you don't really NEED to be smart but it sure does help. For young people especially, I recommend philosophy as this is the time in your life when you're starting to figure out how you want to live, which is a really hard question to answer.

- Don't stop training sports. I'd highly recommend martial arts, specifically Brazilian jiu jitsu to anyone but especially young adults. The mental strength that comes from training is extremely important. Martial arts in particular offer an amazing blend of tenacity, confidence, capability and ego control. Also it's super fun!

- "Don't reject the idea that you could have something to contribute to this world, and that the world would be worse off if not for that contribution." -- Quote from a somewhat controversial character so I won't say their name, but I think the message is valid. If what you want is to house hack and invest in real estate so you can f*** off and retire at 30, that's great. But if you're doing it because you don't see anything else out there... don't be so sure.

- Don't wait for "someday". Don't say "I'll do all this work now and then I'll be able to do whatever I want" or "If I just get $X then I'll be happy" or anything like that. I played that game for a long time and it never ends. Find ways to be happy now. Do what you want now and adjust course along the way. There is no someday. "Someday is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you" -- Tim Ferriss

The road we're taking is long, lonely and challenging. But immensely rewarding. Best of luck, we're all rooting for you

Chris Merchant · Answer

I am so glad to see so many young people that are motivated to take their future and grab it by the horns and get into real estate.  I would say try to link up with a local realtor and or investor and see if you can "shadow" them.  Even if it's a realtors office and you're doing secretarial duties it gets you in the industry and soon as they see how motivated you are I am sure they will let you do more and more, as much as they can legally.

Alexander Murillo · Answer

You're awesome. In a few years you're going to be way ahead of everyone else in your high school class.

Here's what I would do:

Find the top real estate sales teams in your area. See which place seems to provide the best education, tools, and training. You can also ask who on the team invests and speak to them about your goals.

Tell them you want to work for them as an Internal Sales Agent (ISA) when you get your license and transition into a full-time agent on the team. If you can qualify for a mortgage to house-hack while working as an ISA, even better.

Master your sales and appointment setting skills and transition to the agent role after a few months. Learn everything you can from the established and successful team and start making money. When you're ready, break out on your own and grow your own business. Or just stay on the team and continue to improve your numbers. Up to you.

Invest everything you don't spend on taxes and the bare minimum living expenses. House-hack often and aggressively (but not blindly or without a proper deal analysis)

Read books, listen to podcasts, converse with people more successful than you every chance you get.

That's what I did after going to college. And now I have a degree that serves me no practical purpose. I would be WAY further along had I started 3 years sooner.

Doug Smith · Answer

I'm so happy to read your post. This is so great! I'm 54 with 32 years in lending. I've been real estate investing for only 15. I always made loans for investors and said "some day I'm going to do that" but I didn't pull the trigger until much later. My wife has a degree in design and knows real estate inside and out. She is a very prolific real estate investor and our 14 year old has no interest in listening to Mom and Dad. Is it OK for you to take the course work prior to turning 18 and then, on your birthday, take the exam to get your RE License? I think you might be able to do that with your mortgage lending (NMLS) license, but I'm not sure. Finding local mentors in different fields (Real Estate Sales, Flipping, Landlording, Lending) might be good for you to do now. If you were in the Tampa area I would have taken you under my wing the moment I ready your post. Go Get 'Em!!!

Corby Goade · Answer

Great advice from Bruce above, better than what I thought of for sure!

The truth is, as an agent, it's going to be tough until your peers start buying houses, so you are a few years away from being stable as an agent, but there's plenty you can do before that.

Keep reading, asking questions, buying top producing agents and investors in your area lunch. Run errands for them, check in projects for them, add value.

Finally- it's never too early to invest yourself. Even if you don't have a bunch of cash or income, look for people to partner with where you can be the labor, dig up deals, show you have some grit.

Good for you for starting so early, you have a long runway, make good use of it!

Konstantin Ginzburg · Answer

Congrats on starting so early in Real Estate. It sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing at your age. Simply continue to read those books and listen to more podcasts like you have been doing. One other thing that you could look into doing is joining a real estate investor association near you. If you could find someone there to mentor you through the industry, that will give you a huge advantage. You would also be in position to network and learn from others in various aspects of real estate such as realtors, lenders, contractors, and property managers. Having a network of such individuals will be extremely valuable to you going forward. Continue to learn and network and you will easily be able to achieve your goals by the time you are 30; very likely before you are 30. If you have any questions, this forum is an excellent place to get answers as well. Good luck!

Hamp Lee III · Answer

Real estate investing is a long game.

The foundation you build now will help you stand tall for years to come.

Make the most of it!

I wish you all the best.

What can a 17 year old do in real estate before 18?

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