How to Become a Realtor
Before you decide for certain that you’d like to become a real estate agent, take a good look at the real estate in your area, as well as the real estate agencies in your city to see how successful each of the agencies are. Be sure to observe any ‘for sale’ signs that you may see in your neighborhood or on your way to work, and pay close attention to the types of homes that are on the market most often in your area.
Next, you’ll want to contact a few of the real estate agencies in your area-it could be the agency you bought your home or business from, or real estate companies that you’ve heard good things about. The key to becoming a realtor is not only being aware of your competition, but getting in touch with people that can help you. Ask if you can take a look at some of the brochures that the agency has to offer, and walk through a couple of homes that are for sale to get a feel for how you should present a home to potential buyers.
Once you’ve decided that becoming a realtor is definitely something that you want to do, you will have to enroll into real estate school. Each state has different regulations for how many hours you’ll have to be enrolled (usually about 21), and you can even take your classes online for some states. After you complete all the real estate courses, you’ll have to take an exam that will determine whether or not you are licensed to be a real estate agent.
If you succeed with the exam, become a realtor, and find that you are enjoying your job but want a little more responsibility, you can study to become a real estate broker. This usually requires about 30 hours of instruction, and you will have had to work for a real estate brokerage firm for at least a year before applying for your license.
Even after you receive your real estate license, you’ll still need all the practice and support you can get to make sure that you are comfortable with your job, and that you have what it takes to attract potential buyers to a home or office building that you are selling. You should focus on making your property warm and inviting, and should appeal to the needs of people that you think may need what you have to offer. For instance, if you’re selling a rather large home in the neighborhood, you may want to advertise the fact that the home has a large front and back yard, which will be appealing to families with children. If you are putting an office building on the market, you’ll want to mention the location of the building and how convenient the location is to downtown.
For more information on how to become a realtor, or the specific requirements for your state, you can check online for further regulations at sites like www.realtor.com and www.remax.com. You’re sure to find answers to your real estate questions, as well as suggestions for how you can enroll in real estate school.
