If you are outgoing, entrepreneurial and self-motivated, real estate could be a career for you. Real estate brokers and agents help buyers make the biggest purchase of their lives—buying or selling a home. This is a complex undertaking fraught with fine print, laws and tax code, so clients reach out to the expertise of brokers and sales agents.
Real estate agents help two kinds of clients: Those who sell, and those who are ... buying. Agents help sellers develop a price and show the property to interested prospective buyers. For prospective buyers, real estate agents look at their budget, financing options, and personal taste—and find the dream home to match it. They then arrange all the paperwork and other formalities from beginning to end, translating complexities for their clients in a way they can understand. A strong business sense is only one part of the real estate equation—great people skills is another
A license is required to become a real estate agent or broker in every state. Brokers differ from real estate agents in that they are licensed to own their own real estate business. A high school degree is required for licensing, but many agencies prefer to hire agents with some college education as well. Degrees in Real Estate Studies are becoming more popular among distance learners, as the flexibility of the online format allows students to work around the notoriously unpredictable schedule of real estate agents. Degrees focus on business fundamentals (finance and economics), as well as specific issues in real estate, including Land-Use Planning, Environmental Issues and Hazards, and Real Estate Finance.
Despite the recent downturn, real estate jobs are expected to grow 14 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Real estate is an industry in which some individuals may flourish, making well into the six-figures each year, or it can be part-time work, bringing in modest extra income. Almost every real estate agent also receives sales commission. Other than plentiful job opportunities and money, real estate tends to be an emotionally fulfilling field.
