Becoming a Part Time Real Estate Agent

[Matt Hendrickson]

I've been a quiet observer on Bigger Pockets for a long while, and I am a huge fan and have learned a ton. I'm 26 and own two investment properties with hopes of acquiring more in the coming years. I'm from Kansas City, live in Provo, Utah for the past 6 years, and am now heading to Idaho. I've been obsessed with Real Estate for about the past 4 years and have consistently debated whether or not I should get my realtors license and sell homes on a part time basis. I know that there are multiple opinions on this subject, and I've read over many of those forms. My question is a little different than simply should I get my real estate license.

I work full-time right now and make pretty good money. I don't feel comfortable leaving my day job to jump into being a full-time realtor. I do, however, want to sell homes on the side. I'm wondering if others do this and are successful selling maybe 5-10 homes a year (which would be my goal). How many homes do you sell on a part time basis? How do you acquire no clients? Is it difficult swinging both jobs? Are brokers ok with having part-time agents? Any other advice or tips?

I think there could be many benefits to getting my license even for my own personal investing. Please let me know what you think!

Thanks in advance,

Matt

[Mike Cumbie]

Hi @Matt Hendrickson

Welcome! even though you have been here awhile!

On a blunt level, getting a RE license is generally very easy and takes a minimal investment (a few hundred bucks). I recommend you take the time to do an online course (75 hours in my state), the minimum cost ($100 for a course, $50 for a course test, $50 for a state test) and just do it. Becoming a REALTOR® and MLS access are a different story, but to be an agent takes a weekend of drinking beer and clicking next.

Worst case, spend a couple hundred bucks, get licensed, find a flat fee brokerage and refer all your clients out to another agent and they can legally pay you for referals.

Just my 2 cents and good luck in whatever you decide!