What they don't tell you about real estate is a presentation that comes from hundreds of conversations that we have had with agents and brokers across the nation. Working in real estate is a multifaceted career. One part industry expert, one part marketer, one part sales person, one part negotiator, one part tech support and lots of hard work.

1. https://placester.com/academy

2. How to
get started
in real estate.
Getting started in real estate is filled with lots of options,
competition, and a steep learning curve. No matter what
business you’re in, selling is hard. But as a real estate
professional, the challenge is even greater because
repeat customers are few and far in between. real estate,
after all, is not a gadget or a cup of joe. While a smile and
a pretty face may get you in the door, providing
exceptional value to customers will make you a success.
https://placester.com/academy

3. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
If you want a hobby,
take up knitting.
You may like architecture, a beautiful home, landscape
design, and all the other trappings of real estate. But as
you can imagine, working in the industry is an entirely
different animal. Ask any successful broker or agent and
they will tell you that they put in an amazing amount of
hours just to compete.
!
Agents must wear many hats: advisor, analyst, coach,
marketer, salesperson, designer, team leader, advertising
exec, shrink. The list is long, and being knowledgeable
about each aspect of your job requires time and energy.
https://placester.com/academy

4. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Part-time agents
don’t make money.
While you can make some extra ducats being a part-time
agent, if you were to divide your hours worked into an
hourly wage, you might as well work at Starbucks—at
least they offer health insurance. The fact is, if you want to
be successful, you can’t dabble: you have to commit.
https://placester.com/academy

5. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
You’re in business,
now act like it.
Rule number one in sales: you don’t sell, you don’t eat.
Most agents and brokers are independent contractors,
which means that although they may work in someone
else’s office, they’re not employees. Translation: No
salary, no benefits. You’ll need to think like an
entrepreneur and bootstrap your business until you’re
profitable.
https://placester.com/academy

6. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Find a good partner
to work with.
The office you choose to work in will impact your success
more than you can imagine. You want to make sure there
is a good culture fit. Agencies recruit because they make
money off the sales you make, and some make money
from desk and advertising fees. There is nothing wrong
with any of that. What’s important is finding an
environment where you can learn, thrive, and be
successful.
https://placester.com/academy

7. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Choose your
broker like you’re
choosing a mate.
Researching a good broker relationship will require more
than just a couple of interviews. As much as we love our
broker friends, one of their main objectives is to recruit.
Their agenda is to add you to their team. See if you can
intern with at least three different agencies. Let them
know that you are new to the business, ask to spend a
couple of days shadowing one of their agents. Search the
web for reviews good and bad. Talk to their agents.
https://placester.com/academy

8. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
The good news is,
you can rock this!
With consistency, focus, and some marketing smarts, you
can create a good living as a real estate professional.
There are very few industries where you can broker the
sale of million dollar items without years of experience.
https://placester.com/academy

9. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Did that last slide
make you nervous?
Handling a multimillion dollar sale is a huge
responsibility. Lives and fortunes hang in the
balance of your actions. It’s your job to know
what you’re doing and provide counsel
worthy of a commission. The disconnect
between expertise and value is what gives
real estate a bad name. Dare to be different:
figure our where you can add the most value.
https://placester.com/academy

10. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Face it: you’re an
entrepreneur.
Chief, cook, and bottlewasher all rolled into one. The truth
is, no one is going to tell you exactly how to make your
business successful. The world is littered with failed
businesses. Every decision you make can make or break
your success. That said, start networking, make a
business plan, get a coach, set some goals, and measure
your results. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
https://placester.com/academy

11. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Who needs to
make friends with
technology?
If you can’t embrace technology as a friend, it will
certainly become an enemy. Gone are the days where you
could be a successful agent or broker with a phone and
desk. Business happens online and in the field. Your
customers will demand that you provide them with
information in a form they are ready to consume. If you
can’t do that, they’ll go elsewhere.
https://placester.com/academy

12. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Don’t be a
“secret agent.”
As our friend Sally Lapides says, “let everyone you have
ever met know what you are doing” and “treat everyone
you meet as though they are future clients. You’ll be
surprised to find that many of them turn out to be just
that.” The sooner you come out of the closet in your new
career, the faster you will start to create leads from your
sphere of influence.
https://placester.com/academy

13. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Marketing, branding, and prospecting are at the core of
being a successful agent and broker. The advent of the
Internet has changed the way we accomplish this feat, but
the foundation remains the same. You need a good value
proposition and a unique market focus to earn consumers’
attention. Engage customers where they spend their time
online. Use the tools of the interactive age, from social
media and user friendly niche websites to mobile devices
and data analytics. Be fast, agile, and creative.
!
Wimpy marketers
aren’t remarkable.
https://placester.com/academy

14. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Involve yourself in
the community.
Join your local realtor’s association. Get to know public
officials. Volunteer for causes your believe in. Join a
mastermind group. Participate at your child’s school. You
get the idea. You have to participate in the world to create
relationships.
https://placester.com/academy

15. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Invest in your
education.
Take the time to learn. Find a good mentor. Invest in a real
estate business coach. Attend the appropriate
conferences for your niche. Education and training isn’t
cheap, but if you don’t make the investment, no one else
will.
https://placester.com/academy

16. The Truth About Working in Real Estate
Be yourself.
We’re talking about real estate, so for God’s sake, be real.
You don’t need to become one of the slick agents you see
on TV. Authenticity and integrity rule in this industry. Be
the kind of person that you would like to do business with.
https://placester.com/academy