things i wish i knew before become a realtor

🏠 HOW WIDELY HATED THE PROFESSION IS

The reputation of agents isn’t great, and while a lot of it is deserved, there are also amazing and ethical agents out there who do put their clients first. This is a job where I feel like my identity is tied so much to it, and it’s tough to work with clients who go into the relationship so distrusting of anything you say just because of what they’ve heard about Realtors being scummy.

🏠 THE CONSTANT PRESSURE TO BE NETWORKING

Whether I’m at the gym, grocery store, bar, wherever - I feel like I have to be “on” and bring up somehow that I’m an agent. It’s exhausting being told constantly that being an agent is a lifestyle and I have to look for business in everyone I meet. I just want to be able to be a person, and not look at other people like potential business transactions.

🏠 HOW MUCH TIME YOU’LL POUR INTO PEOPLE FOR IT TO GO NOWHERE

This is one of the more painful parts of the job. It feels like a betrayal when they go behind your back. People feel entitled to your services and assume you “make so much” already that it doesn’t matter to waste your time. Setting boundaries is essential, and it’s tough to do when you know it could cost you business.

🏠 THE MENTAL TOLL

Not knowing when or where your next paycheck is coming in, so much uncertainty, the market is always shifting, your schedule is never the same. It’s difficult to set budgets when you have such an unpredictable income. It’s hard to plan trips in case clients at home need you. The constant unknown can be mentally taxing.

🏠 FEELING LIKE I CAN’T MOVE

Your whole business is built around where you live, and it takes time to build up the referral network and sphere that earns you clients. I feel trapped where I live all of the time because I’d be starting over somewhere new, and financially (and mentally) it can feel impossible.

🔑 These are more of the struggles I experience, but there’s positives too obviously! I think people have a very skewed idea of what it’s really like as an agent, and the reality is much different than what you see on Selling Sunset or your local agent’s instagram.

❓What questions do you guys have about being an agent? Have any of you thought about becoming one?

❓Anyone was an agent and pivoted into something else? What are you doing now?

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