A Look at Real Estate Sales

I have always wanted to become a real estate agent, but I have never taken the time to actually go about taking the courses to do so. This is one of those careers that could lead to a huge paycheck with very little training, but it could also lead to a big loss in a short amount of time. A real estate agent is an interior designer, a marketing coordinator, a project manager, and a salesperson all in one. This is not the career for everyone, especially with the recent fluctuations in the housing market. Nevertheless, it could be a career to keep in mind because of how easy it is to get into. Let's take a look at this job as a whole to determine if it is a good fit for you.

What Do Real Estate Agents Do?

Real estate agents carry a lot of responsibilities on a day to day basis, to the point that I would consider this one of the most stressful jobs out there. Every real estate agent that I have ever worked with has always been juggling five different tasks at once, all while giving me the customer service I needed to assess a home. Common job duties for real estate agents include:

• Showing homes to prospective renters or buyers
• Marketing homes online and in print media
• Answering questions that clients have about a home
• Overseeing the cleanup work on a newly purchased home
• Assessing the housing market for good buys and property prices
• Finding appropriate homes for clients
• Making sure that homes are taken care of before a sale

Real estate agents have to take on new tasks with every property, so this is not the kind of job that can get monotonous – ever. If you want to work in a field that is never boring, this could be a great option for you. You just have to be able to handle the stress that comes along with it.

Who Much Money Do Real Estate Agents Make?

Real estate agents have the potential to make a hellacious amount of money every year, but a lot of them don't because they lack well-paying customers. Here are some common statistics to keep in mind:

Salary by Years of Experience

• Less than 1 year: $18,937 - $65,889 per year
• 1-4 years: $20,033 - $179,399 per year
• 5-9 years: $23,834 - $117,962 per year
• 10-19 years: $24,190 - $213,046 per year
• 20 years or more: $20,608 - $172,197 per year

Salary by Industry

• Real Estate Sales: $20,608 - $197,265 per year
• Residential Home Construction: $35,593 - $64,275 per year
• Real Estate Property Management: $23,331 - $74,066 per year

Salary by Certification

• Arizona: $36,973 - $92,500 per year
• California: $26,039 - $176,945 per year
• Florida: $35,759 - $240,826 per year
• Illinois: $26,858 - $60,137 per year
• New York: $19,797 - $93,814 per year
• Texas: $12,255 - $120,805 per year
• Virginia: $29,479 - $71,216 per year

As you can see, there is a wide range of salaries that your future pay could fall into. You may make a fortune as a real estate agent, and you may barely get by. You never know until you try though. Look into some of the real estate classes in your area and see if you could gain entry into this career. In a few weeks' time, you could be a certified real estate agent ready to tackle the world.