Real estate agent

Real Estate Agent · Columbus OH · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

2w

youre going to get a lot of different input here. but generally it comes down to income, and generating it. and spending your time especially as a new agent doing income producing things.

Brokerage really doesn't matter unless you have a specific niche you want to work in and there is a boutique that does that in your market. If not I'd be looking for a team that is highly efficient, has a "system in place" and can plug you into to learn. even if the splits are heavy, getting exposure to the whole process fast will be the best thing to build confidence, and you can always leave the team, but getting in and doing the full process and getting reps fast is the most important thing looking back for me.

[email protected]614-362-2231

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Diana KhanPro Member

Attorney · 10451 Mill Run Cir #755 Owings Mills, MD 21117 · Member since 2024 · 403 posts · 162 votes

2w

Quote from @Eddie Germosen:

I just passed my real estate exam and I’m trying to figure out the best next steps.

My goal is to eventually get into real estate investing, particularly multifamily/house hacking and building a portfolio over time. I also want to use my real estate license as a way to gain experience, build a network, and potentially create additional income while I continue working my current job.

For those of you who have been through this process, what would you recommend I focus on immediately after passing the exam?

A few things I’m specifically wondering about:

• How should I go about choosing a brokerage? What should I prioritize as a new agent/investor?
• Is it better to join a traditional brokerage with strong training, or a lower-cost brokerage where I keep more of my commission?
• Should I focus heavily on learning the sales side first, or start networking with investors, lenders, contractors, wholesalers, etc. right away?
• What should I be doing during my first 6–12 months to put myself in the best position to buy my first investment property?
• Are there specific skills or areas of real estate that you wish you had focused on earlier?
• If your ultimate goal was to become an investor, how would you use a real estate license strategically?

I’m in the Philadelphia/PA market, so I’d especially appreciate advice from people who have experience investing or working as agents in this area.

If you were starting over right after passing your exam, what would you do first?

@Eddie Germosen, if I were starting again with investing as the long term goal, I would not choose a brokerage based mainly on the commission split. I would choose the place that gives me the best chance to actually see deals from beginning to end. Early on, learning how contracts, inspections, financing, title issues, repairs, and negotiations all come together is worth a lot more than keeping a bigger percentage of very little business.

I would also start building the investor side at the same time instead of waiting until you feel like you have mastered sales. From working with investors, I’ve seen that the agents who become really valuable understand why someone would buy a property, what could kill the deal, and what the exit looks like before they ever write the offer. Even if you are not ready to buy yet, start analyzing real properties and following them all the way through closing. That experience adds up quickly. I’d be glad to stay connected and follow your progress. You’re thinking about the license the right way by looking at it as a tool to learn the business, not just a way to earn a commission.

[email protected]240-266-0291

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Michael Eskenasy

Investor · Pacific Northwest · Member since 2026 · 538 posts · 304 votes

2w

If investing is the end goal, I’d make one decision differently than most new agents: don’t optimize your first year around commission splits. Optimize it around information, relationships, and deal access. A license can be much more valuable than “a way to sell houses.” If I were starting in Philadelphia today, I’d use the first 6–12 months to deliberately build a network across agents, lenders, property managers, contractors, wholesalers, small multifamily owners, title, insurance, and local operators—while learning exactly how deals move from discovery through financing, rehab, leasing, and stabilization. That’s a little different from how we approach real estate at ChefreyOS. We don’t look at agents, properties, lenders, contractors, market signals, conversations, and transactions as separate things. We connect them into one intelligence layer so the system gets smarter every time another relationship, property, or signal enters it. So I’d choose the brokerage that gives you the best learning environment and access, not necessarily the highest split. Then treat every showing, conversation, lost deal, lender introduction, inspection, contractor bid, and property you analyze as something that compounds your future advantage. Your first property shouldn’t be the beginning of your investing education. Ideally, by the time you buy it, you’ve already been studying hundreds of deals through everyone else’s transactions. You’re thinking about the license the right way. Feel free to connect — this is exactly the kind of real-estate infrastructure we spend a lot of time thinking about.

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Joseph ScoreseBusiness Member
Banker · Philadelphia · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 633 votes
2w
Michael, great perspective. I completely agree that the value of a real estate license can extend far beyond commissions. The relationships, market knowledge, deal flow, and firsthand exposure to transactions can become incredibly valuable assets for someone whose long-term goal is investing.
I especially like your point about learning through other people’s transactions before buying your own. Every deal analyzed, lender conversation, inspection, appraisal, contractor bid, and closing adds another layer of experience.
Build the knowledge. Build the relationships. Understand the process. The transactions will follow.
Thanks for adding such a thoughtful perspective to the conversation.
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Arman AhmedPro Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 924 votes

2w

Quote from @Eddie Germosen:

I just passed my real estate exam and I’m trying to figure out the best next steps.

My goal is to eventually get into real estate investing, particularly multifamily/house hacking and building a portfolio over time. I also want to use my real estate license as a way to gain experience, build a network, and potentially create additional income while I continue working my current job.

For those of you who have been through this process, what would you recommend I focus on immediately after passing the exam?

A few things I’m specifically wondering about:

• How should I go about choosing a brokerage? What should I prioritize as a new agent/investor?
• Is it better to join a traditional brokerage with strong training, or a lower-cost brokerage where I keep more of my commission?
• Should I focus heavily on learning the sales side first, or start networking with investors, lenders, contractors, wholesalers, etc. right away?
• What should I be doing during my first 6–12 months to put myself in the best position to buy my first investment property?
• Are there specific skills or areas of real estate that you wish you had focused on earlier?
• If your ultimate goal was to become an investor, how would you use a real estate license strategically?

I’m in the Philadelphia/PA market, so I’d especially appreciate advice from people who have experience investing or working as agents in this area.

If you were starting over right after passing your exam, what would you do first?

Congrats on passing! If investing is the end goal, I’d start networking with investors, lenders, contractors, and PMs right away while learning the sales side. The relationships you build early can be more valuable than the commission split. And if PA pricing makes it tough to get your first deal, don’t be afraid to look out of state. Ohio and other Midwest markets can offer a much lower entry point and solid opportunities for house hacking and multifamily.

[email protected]614-418-6081

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LaTarence Dunbar

Lender · Washington DC · Member since 2026 · 65 posts · 17 votes

2w

Congrats on passing the exam. I like that you’re already thinking beyond just being an agent and looking at how to use the license to build your own investment portfolio. I’m actively involved in real estate investing and would definitely be interested in connecting with you. I’m also open to partnering on the right multifamily or house hacking opportunity, so there could be a way for us to learn from each other while working on actual deals.

If you’re open to it, send me a DM. I’d love to connect, hear what you’re looking to accomplish in the Philadelphia/PA market, and see if there’s an opportunity for us to work together.

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Ryan SpathBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Boise, ID · Member since 2017 · 565 posts · 377 votes

2w

Congrats on passing the test! It has a pretty high fail rate, but so does success in this business. You’ll quickly find out that one of the biggest skills is learning how to learn.

I joined Keller Williams because they have great training and, more importantly, there are a ton of agents doing a lot of volume that you can learn from. Early on I wouldn’t be as concerned about the commission split as I would be about who I can learn from. If I were young and starting over, I would probably try to join the team of someone who was doing exactly what I wanted to eventually become. Learn everything you can from them.

I would also learn your market inside and out. Study the MLS every day. You can become a market expert pretty quickly because honestly, not everyone does this. Know what is selling, what is sitting, what rents are, what neighborhoods make sense and where the opportunities are.

Go to every networking event you can and meet everyone. Investors, lenders, contractors, property managers, insurance agents, CPAs, other agents, everyone. I would also learn taxes and how investors use real estate to legally reduce their tax burden. Meet with a lender early and figure out exactly what you need to earn, save and qualify for to buy your first property, then work backwards from there.

If multifamily and house hacking is your goal, I would make it a goal to buy a small multifamily every year if your finances allow it. Your license can be a huge advantage because you’re looking at deals every day, learning how transactions work, building relationships and potentially making commissions that can help fund the next purchase.

Lastly, remember this business is hard and give yourself some grace. It may take six months to close your first transaction. That’s okay. If I were starting over my focus would be pretty simple: find people who are where I want to be, learn everything I can from them, become an expert in my market, meet everyone I can, understand financing and taxes, and get myself in position to buy that first house hack.

[email protected]208-600-2814

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Sam McCormackBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Cincinnati, OH/NKY · Member since 2021 · 1k+ posts · 833 votes

2w

1, I chose eXp strictly for keeping my commission. That's what I prioritized

2, you can do both. There's nothing in the way of allowing you to do both. Meet just 1 person new per week (scheduled meetings at least) and you'll have a ton of contacts in no time, because the people you meet also know people

3, build the best foundation possible. My first full year, I only sold like 5-6 properties, which wasn't a lot of commission (especially after expenses). The first year should be about skill building and meeting people (money makes a difference of course, but not the first priority). Don't expect to get a househack for 1-2 years as an agent

4, I started off with the same thing you're doing, and I wish I would've learned how to be more patient with people. Numbers are important of course, but being patient with people, while still making sure they understand the market, is important. I would write people off constantly because I was impatient

[email protected]859-443-4952

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Ashish AcharyaBusiness Member

CPA, CFP®, PFS · FL · Member since 2017 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes

2w

Eddie, since your long-term goal is to become an investor, I’d choose your brokerage based less on the highest commission split and more on whether it helps you become better at finding, analyzing, and closing investment deals.

For the first 6–12 months, I'd want strong training around contracts, negotiations, inspections, financing, MLS research, and how to work with investors. At the same time, start building relationships with lenders, contractors, wholesalers, property managers, and local investors in the Philadelphia market.

I'd also start underwriting duplexes, triplexes, and small multifamily now, even before you're ready to buy. That gives you a much better feel for realistic rents, taxes, insurance, vacancy, maintenance, CapEx, and what a house hack actually looks like financially.

From the tax side, once you begin earning commission income, that’s active business income and should be kept separate from your future rental activity. If your agent income becomes consistently profitable, an S-Corp may eventually be worth evaluating depending on the numbers. Your rentals, though, should generally be structured and accounted for separately because the tax treatment is different.

If I were in your shoes, I’d use the license first as a way to learn the market and build deal flow, then let the business side grow naturally from there.

Feel free to DM me. I’d be happy to send over a few resources that might help as you build toward your first investment property.

[email protected]941-914-7779

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Joseph ScoreseBusiness Member

Banker · Philadelphia · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 633 votes

2w

Eddie, congratulations on passing your exam. Since your long-term goal is investing, I would look at your license as more than a way to earn commissions—it can become an education and networking tool that helps you build your portfolio.

Early on, I would prioritize training, mentorship, transaction experience, and access to knowledgeable people over simply finding the highest commission split. A great split doesn’t mean much if you aren't learning how to generate business, analyze opportunities, negotiate transactions, and get deals to the closing table.

At the same time, start building your investor network immediately. Get to know investors, investor-friendly agents, private lenders, conventional lenders, contractors, property managers, wholesalers, attorneys, title professionals, and insurance professionals. Philadelphia has a very active investment community, so attend local REIA meetings, BiggerPockets events, and educational workshops and start developing genuine relationships.

If I were spending the next 6–12 months preparing to house hack or purchase a multifamily property, I would become extremely comfortable with deal analysis, market rents, operating expenses, renovation costs, financing, property taxes, insurance, cash flow, and neighborhood-level market differences. Learn to recognize a good opportunity before you have the money or financing lined up to purchase one.

Most importantly, don't separate being an agent from becoming an investor. Use one to accelerate the other. Every property you analyze, investor you meet, transaction you participate in, and financing strategy you learn can move you closer to owning your first property.

I'm active in the Philadelphia-area real estate investment community and teach educational workshops on investor and asset-based financing. Feel free to connect with me. I'm always happy to help someone who is serious about learning the business and building a portfolio the right way.

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Crystal SmithPro Member

Moderator

Real Estate Broker · Chicago, IL · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes

2w

Congrats on getting your license. In my opinion the first thing you should do is reach out to everyone in your contact list from your phone and let them know that you passed the test to become a realtor. Don't ask for any business, just let people know. Then let everyone know who may not be on your contact list on your phone that your into real estate- Again to not ask them for business- just let them know. As time progresses keep folks up to speed on your progress in the business- whether or not you've joined a brokeage or if you decide to pursue real estate as an investor or both. Just keep letting people know.

Eventually enough people will know & business will be generated. There are additional things you should do but this is the simplest for now.

312-681-7487

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Emmanuel Richard

Member since 2026 · 31 posts · 7 votes

2w

Congrats on passing. If the end goal is investing, I’d treat the first 6–12 months as building a pipeline and learning the numbers not just chasing transactions. One thing I’d add is to start building relationships with lenders, contractors, and active investors early, because those relationships can become just as valuable as the license itself. I’d be curious how you’re thinking about balancing that with your current job especially in the first few months.

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Kevin George

Real Estate Agent · Novi, MI · Member since 2016 · 14 posts · 3 votes

1w

Everyone's telling you to pick a brokerage with good training and that's solid advice. One thing I'd add, don't just absorb the training, write it down as you go. Every time you shadow a closing or watch how someone handles an inspection issue, jot down the actual steps in your own words. By month 3 or 4 you'll have your own little playbook that's specific to how YOU work, not just whatever the brokerage handed you on day one. New agents who do this ramp up way faster than the ones relying only on memory or whoever's around to ask that day. Also makes it way easier to train your own assistant or team later if you go that route. Happy to get into more detail on how to set this up if you want.

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