The core needs in just about everybody’s life are food, water, and shelter. Everyone needs these three things in order to survive. For most people, though, shelter is more than just a tent in the woods. If you’re looking to take the next big step in your life and buy a house, then it’s very likely that you’re going to be seeking help from a real estate agent. Even if you’re just looking to take out a lease on a new property, you may also find something helpful from a real estate agent. Although you may not typically think about it, real estate agents serve a pretty vital role in our society.
The idea of being a real estate agent may seem fascinating to you. You’re able to work with a lot of different people, and your work involves persuasion and critical thinking skills. A real estate agent helps to convince a fickle client to finally settle on a place, and they can also help to search for that perfect place for someone with particularly choosy tastes. You may be discouraged from pursuing a career in real estate, however, due to fear that the pay may not be satisfactory. In this article, I’m going to discuss the average salary of a real estate agent. I’m also going to talk about the factors that affect that salary, and what someone has to do in order to become a real estate agent. Without further delay, let’s see if we can’t learn more about this profession.
Average Real Estate Agent Salary – $39,632
The average real estate agent is paid approximately $39,632 a year, which is certainly a respectable enough amount of money for someone to make. Considering the nature of work in real estate, this is obviously a figure that can change. What can cause someone to be paid more and paid less, aside from their quality of work? First, let’s consider how location can affect the salary of a real estate agent. As you can probably imagine, if you’re someone who deals in land, location is a vital aspect of your ability to make money. Real estate agents are needed everywhere, but they’re much more successful in developing or in-demand areas. A real estate agent should have an easier time finding work in a city like Seattle, Austin, Denver, Boston, or San Francisco. You may also be able to make a lot more money.
Next, let us consider how experience may affect the salary of a real estate agent. Just like with any other field, someone with more experience in real estate is typically going to be paid more than someone with less experience in the field. A real estate agent with more than 20 years of experience can be paid up to $60,000 more than someone with just entry level experience. What accounts for such a large difference in income? First of all, consider the obvious fact that someone with greater experience in real estate is probably more successful in their work. They’re able to close more deals, and so they’re paid more because of it. This is because an experience real estate agent possesses the field knowledge and the intangible characteristics that someone really needs to do well in this field. To put it simply, they’re better at their job.
Finally, let’s consider how education can affect the salary of a real estate agent. In many cases, you don’t even really have to go to college in order to become a real estate agent. However, that isn’t to say that you can’t go to college. Since working in real estate is a very sales-oriented profession, one would do well to study something like economics or business in an undergraduate program. You could also try to seek out a college that has a program meant specifically for people who want to work in real estate. Possessing a college education can make you more qualified for the work that you’re trying to do, which means that you may be able to be paid a little bit more than someone who never went to college to begin with. It’s an avenue worth exploring, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t go that route.
How to become a real estate agent – Do you have to go to school?
So, if you’ve read all of that information above, then you may be interested in becoming a real estate agent. The salary on the tin may not be too impressive, but through hard work and experience, you can make a whole lot more. What does someone actually need to do in order to become a real estate agent. First, you need to have finished high school. Although you don’t really need to attend college in order to become a real estate agent, the mass majority of jobs will require that you have a high school education in order to work there. If you have dropped out of high school already, then you should know that there’s still hope for you yet. You can still look into taking the GED exam, or something similar, in order to earn a high school equivalence. Once you’re done with high school, look into college. As I already touched on, it isn’t a requirement, but still something that may provide you with some upward mobility.
Once you’re done with all of your formal education, it’s time to prepare yourself specifically for work in real estate. In order to work in this field, you need to be officially licensed. In order to receive this license, you need to pass a few tests. At this point in your pre-career, you’re going to want to enroll in some kind of course that will help you prepare for your licensing. If you’re strapped for cash, don’t be too concerned. You don’t need to go to a state university for any of this. Ask around at some of the technical schools or community colleges in your area. Don’t be fooled, though. You’re going to receive a very rigorous education during these courses, an education meant to push you closer toward your dream job. As soon as you’re able to pass the real estate salesperson exam, you’re ready to take your next big step into becoming an agent.
Now, even though you’ve passed the exam, you don’t have your license just yet. You’re going to need the help of a real estate broker, who you will be working on behalf of. Take advantage of any connections that you have been able to form during your schooling, because you need a real estate broker to help you fill out the final paperwork required to have your license issued to you. As soon as you’re licensed, you’re home free! You’re ready to start carrying out your duties, helping people buy and sell houses within your state. It may be a tough time going at first, but with hard work and dedication, you completely have the ability to scale up or scale down your own salary, based on your quality of work. In a matter of no time, you’ll be raking in big money.
