Is a Career as a Real Estate Agent Right for You?

According to the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), there are approximately two million active real estate agents in the United States. Whether or not you would do well in the field depends on several factors. If you're interested in signing up for real estate training, here are some qualities you will need to succeed in your new career.

You Have Excellent Research Skills

If your first instinct when pondering how to become a real estate agent is to open Google and find out, you have the desire to research necessary. A good real estate agent will know how to sort and find the correct information that a seller or buyer needs to make their decision. If the buyer wants to know if the wainscoting is original or if that hardwood is oak or teak, you should be comfortable researching it.

You're Punctual to a Fault

Nothing sours a sale more than potential buyers sitting in their car, waiting for the agent to arrive to show them a prospective house. As a real estate agent, you'll be expected to be punctual to a fault. The buyer expects to be shown the house on time, and the seller wants to know when they can return to their property. Whether it's a showing or a signing, you can't be late.

You're Intimate with the Area

You will need to know the tow or section of the city you're selling in very well in order to be a successful agent. Getting into real estate career takes dedication, and you need to know where the school district line is drawn, what streets are down-wind from the paper mill and which areas are known to be a bit sketchy. You will need to know where the stores are, what streets terminate in a dead end and where the local churches are. Your clients are going to ask you these questions and more. If you're not intimate with your selling area, you may come across as clueless or uninformed to potential clients.

You're Comfortable with Technology

Real estate agents are expected to answer emails, create gorgeous pictures that highlight the property and type up snappy descriptions on the MLS. If you struggle to take a decent photo or have problems accessing attachments in emails, you're going to have a hard time interacting with your clients and potential buyers or sellers. You can always brush up on these skills by seeking out the community college or asking a close friend to walk you through them a few times.

You Have an Eye for Detail and the Honesty to Voice Concerns

If you're representing sellers, your ability to see their overgrown patio and nicotine-stained walls is imperative to the sale. Nothing is gained by remaining quiet about these potential issues. The same can also be said if you're representing buyers and they are asking for your input about a potential home.

Real estate is an exciting, attractive field. By knowing whether or not you have what it takes to succeed, you can also take an online course to make the best decision possible for your future.