Financing Sarah

5 Steps to Become a Real Estate Agent

The job of a real estate agent is great for people who are well organized and love being around other people. Their clients expect the agent to provide advice, these clients are looking to invest a large amount of money, which requires lots of paperwork, the client might not understand the regulations and laws regarding property purchasing. Clients need support and a sense of security. A realty agent will be a mediator between the seller and the buyer, they know the rules, listen carefully to clients, answer questions clearly and have patience.

To get started:

#1 Get Your Resume Together

Update your resume by correcting any obvious spelling and grammatical errors. Include active verbs to describe yourself, your skills, knowledge and ability; movement is key to gain reader interest. 

Focus on the positive aspects of your life that relate to the job and the industry. Apply those aspects to your resume. Write what you believe in, what you want to achieve in the job for the first 30-60 days and beyond. Include personal activities like hiking, reading club or a hobby you love. All these descriptions are links to common interest and create conversation or talking points for the interviewer to develop an interest in you.

#2 Educate Yourself

It’s preferable to have a statement of attainment or a full licence before going for a job interview. One reason is it looks great on your resume, and the other is if the employer asks you “Are you ready to start?” you can say yes which increases your chances of getting a job.

Whether you are school-age, young, mature or unemployed; real estate is accessible to many different people from all walks of life.

There is no experience required to start learning real estate or start the real estate qualification course however, there are requirements to apply depending on where you live. Look at the legal requirements to make sure you can fulfil those before applying.

#3 Land a Job Interview

  • Research the agency
  • Check out the number of signs they have in the area
  • Grab a brochure and read about the properties and remember this for your interview
  • Check out the agency website and read up on the services they provide, the team that provides them and any terms or service standards they aspire to. Reading and understanding those will be important for your interview.
  • Look at the agency on Facebook or LinkedIn because sales, property management and owners display their likes, dislikes and vision for their business. You can get a feel for what’s going on and what drives them in marketing, business as well as company values.

#4 Determine What Role You’re Interested in

Be prepared for the agency to offer you any of these roles. I would recommend being willing to start anywhere in the business. Learn all aspects of agency while becoming fully competent in a mixture of office functions. Grow your skills, and you will be able to serve client needs better. If your ultimate goal is to work for yourself then you need to know every aspect of the business. If your goal is to work for an agency long term then get very specific about a few aspects you enjoy and focus on that to be the best at your job.

#5 Practice a Successful Mindset

Do you want success? Look around you. Look at the people who are unsuccessful and how they expect things given to them. Those who don’t succeed are usually unrealistic, negative, don’t respect themselves or others; they have bad attitudes, and think that the world owes them a living.

The excuses are many and there’s a real lack of responsibility. Personal accountability is key. Accept total responsibility right now and you will succeed.

Learn from your customer interactions. You must desire to understand client’s needs, wants and requirements. You must ask questions and learn to know what they want better than they do, that’s going to differentiate you.

Remove negative barriers from the people you meet, make the sale or earn a property under management through active listening, taking notes, rephrasing and confirming what has been said. People love affirmation. The more you give, the more you get in return. You are serving the community, provide a service that is professional and ethical. The benefit will be returned to you and everyone around you for decades to come.

Education:

Decide if you want to complete an associate or bachelor’s degree program

A college education can help experienced agents move into careers in risk management, working as actuaries, or other positions that require postsecondary education. Having a background in business and finance can be a tremendous asset to agents.

To differentiate yourself from your competition, understand Insurance, or even sell it.

Pick a specialty

Agents can sell many different kinds of insurance, such as property, casualty, disability and personal insurance. These are referred to as “lines of authority” in the industry. Agents must receive licensure for their particular line of authority. Knowing what type of insurance, you want to sell is an important step in the career path.

Complete pre-licensure requirements

Pre-licensure requirements vary from state to state, but they are a mandatory step toward earning a license as an insurance agent or broker. For example, California applicants for casualty insurance must complete 20 hours of general pre-licensing education, as well as 12 hours of education in the state’s ethics and insurance codes. Students should check with their state’s insurance department for pre-licensure requirements.

Pass a licensing exam

All agents must pass a licensing exam to sell insurance. The National Insurance Producer Registry has compiled a list of state-specific licensing requirements, associated fees and other important data about the licensing process.

The fastest way to self-employment is learning everything from the best person available and then going to do the aspects you are best at on your own. Maintain the relationship with the person you learned from and you will find starting a business much easier than your peers. Subscribe for more business, sales and investing posts. Have a lovely day.