Small market size...
I have decided to begin the process of getting my real estate agent license in Kansas.
I want to help others on their path to home ownership and help our lives by gaining an edge in our own investing efforts.
But, we live in a small market (population around 12k) about 45 min south of Kansas City. (Ottawa, KS 66067 - if you want to look it up)
My questions deal with the size of our market and the logistics of actually making a career out of being an agent in a small market.
My local market:
As I look at Realtor.com this morning there are 107 properties for sale in my zipcode. 48 are homes rather than lots/land.
Expanding the search to within about ten minutes drive adds about 30 more houses to the mix.
In my town there are five brokerages and a few that list properties that are located in nearby cities. The ones in town average about eight agents each.
The median price of homes listed is $115k. I believe that number is a bit skewed upwards by some higher priced homes. A more realistic number for homes I feel I would want to be involved with is closer to 90k.
Questions:
1. Is the market too saturated with agents to actually be able to make a living here?
2. To agents in small markets - how far away do you normally conduct business? Is a 30-50 min drive too far to list homes/help buyers purchase?
3. How far away is your office? Does it matter how far it is?
4. How far are you located from the homes you are involved with?
I appreciate anyone taking the time to answer. I realize that you get out what you put in to this career and that it is possible to make any situation work - but sometimes it isn't realistic from a time vs money standpoint.