Find Out How You Can Make Real Estate Work for You

Real estate is hardly ever a first career choice. Few people go straight into real estate from college; most come to the industry after years in another profession or taking time off to raise a family.

The appeal of real estate for working professionals and parents returning to the work force is the low barrier to entry. Real estate courses online are a flexible way to enter a new career as you continue to work or raise a family. The real struggle often begins when you’ve first earned your real estate license.

You’re an independent contractor and you need to start making commission checks quickly. You need to learn how to find clients, how to close deals, and how to build your business. Below you can find 3 secrets that will help you succeed when you first become a real estate agent.

In your first year as a real estate agent, one of the toughest things to do is build your client list. There is some debate in the real estate industry about whether open houses are useful. According to a 2011 survey by the National Association of Realtors, fewer than half of American homebuyers use open houses in their search.

Why are open houses good opportunities? They are the perfect place for new agents to meet new clients. When you’re trying to build your client list, hosting an open house is a great way to meet buyers who are actively searching. Don’t forget your business cards.

Never Turn Down a Client

When you’re getting on your feet, never turn down a buyer or seller, even if their budget won’t give you the biggest commission check. Income is income, and more importantly, if you can make a client with a small budget happy, that’s going to translate into enthusiastic word of mouth.

There will come a time in your career when you can be choosy about clients. Your time and the resources you put into each client cost resources. However, you will also learn that budget isn’t the only indicator of whether a client is a good idea or not. For example, higher-end buyers and sellers often aren’t as motivated to make a change, and can wind up requiring a lot of showings without any pay offs.

Stay in Contact with Past Clients

It’s no secret that repeat business can keep you in business. There are multiple ways to stay in touch with past clients, from coffee dates to monthly newsletters that include market updates, just-listed cards, just-sold cards, and personalized holiday cards.

There are plenty of ways to stay in touch with clients – some agents even find the best way to keep repeat customers is spending some money on lunch and coffee dates.

If you’ve been thinking about real estate but you’re not working in the industry yet, you can become a realtor in no time with an online real estate license school. Anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit who wants to work independently in a career with no cap to your income should consider real estate.

Learn about how to get your real estate license with a school. They offer real estate license courses online created by real estate professionals. Get ready to complete your state real estate exam with great study resources and start your career as a practicing real estate agent in a matter of months.