Real estate is a career for the motivated. We’ve all got the idea in our heads of a high-flying property manager who wears a new suit every day. When this looks like such a glamorous career, is it any wonder many of us are tempted? But, how do you get into real estate? This is one of those jobs that has no clear route of access. It’s not as simple as getting a qualification. Instead, most real estate firms value experience over qualification. So, how do you get that experience? In a lot of ways, it’s all about who you know. Real estate is a relatively tight-knit circle, and knowing the right people is the surest way in. It can also help to have some idea of what aspect interests you. There are many careers to choose from, and knowing which you want will help you achieve the goal. Here are just a few you may want to consider.
ESTATE AGENT
A job as an estate agent job may be your best way into the business. Landing one of these jobs isn’t difficult if you’ve got what it takes. You don’t need experience or qualifications. Though, it is worth noting that some firms value those who have graduated over those who haven’t. For the most part, though, you need to be good with people, confident, and persuasive. This is a sales job with a difference, and if you can sell, you’ll do well. The downside is that this is one of the lowest paid jobs on the real estate scale. Your base rate salary will be low, but there’s always the chance to make more from commission. As with any sales job, the more you sell, the more you earn. Plus, job progression is more than likely if you put the work in.
REAL ESTATE ENTREPRENEUR
If you have the money and determination, it might be worth becoming a real estate entrepreneur. Going down this path, you take your career in your hands. Knowing the right people is even more important with this option. You’ll be going it alone, so you need the right connections. This job consists of buying property, like these apartment buildings by Joe Nahas, and waiting for them to gain value. You’ll need to know the market well to make this work, so it might be worth working as an estate agent beforehand!
LANDLORD
Being a landlord may be a small blip on the real estate radar, but it’s one of the easiest ways to make money from property. You may want to subsidize your income with rent from one property or turn renting into a business by buying a few. If you wanted, you could pay a property management company to manage your rentals for you. This is fantastic if you want to make money from property, but don’t think you have what it takes to make it in real estate. Again, you can make as much, or as little from this as you like!
