Should you become a real estate agent?

Start with the income structure

You are paid when a transaction closes. There is no salary, no guaranteed hours and no paid time off. Early on, the gap between starting work and being paid for it can be months. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.

What the daily work actually is

• Prospecting and following up — the largest share of the job, and the part most people underestimate
• Showing property, often evenings and weekends
• Preparing market analyses and listing presentations
• Writing and negotiating offers
• Managing contract deadlines, inspections and closing logistics
• Continuing education and staying current on law and market conditions

Who tends to do well

People who are organized, self-directed, comfortable with rejection, genuinely interested in housing and local markets, and willing to deliver news a client does not want. Charisma helps less than follow-through.

Questions to ask yourself

• Can I cover my expenses for six to twelve months without commission income?
• Am I comfortable generating my own business?
• Can I work evenings and weekends without resenting it?
• Do I want to learn contracts, financing and municipal process, or do I just like houses?

Questions to ask a prospective broker

• What does your training actually consist of, and who delivers it?
• What is the full fee structure — splits, caps, desk fees, technology fees, transaction fees?
• How accessible is the broker of record?
• What happens when I have a contract question at 7pm?
• What is expected of me, and what happens if I do not meet it?
• How many agents does the broker supervise?

Those are fair questions to ask us, too. Ask them.

Next steps

If the answer is yes: the licensing process. If the answer is "maybe": Career Night exists for exactly that.