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What is a real estate agent?
A real estate agent is a professional who assists people in buying or selling properties. They network with individuals to build a strong book of business they can use to generate leads. In addition, real estate agents provide advice about the real estate market and help home buyers find their ideal home. Realtors in addition are held to a greater code of ethics. That is why brokerage firms like Century 21 Realty Services ensure that all real estate agents that work with us become realtors. Real estate agents help ensure the transactions are completed smoothly, guiding the home buyer or seller through the contract, mortgage, title, inspection, and escrow process.
Why become a real estate agent?
Being a real estate agent can be a great career choice for many people. It offers flexibility, autonomy, and the potential to earn a high income. Being a successful real estate agent requires having and learning many skills. The top skills for success are your ability to generate leads and create long-lasting relationships with clients. A strong network of people that will recommend you to their friends, family, and colleagues buying or selling real estate property will help you increase your earning potential without requiring as many hours of cold calling. Which saves you time and increases your earning potential.
Earning Potential
As a real estate salesperson, the more effort and dedication you put into your career, the more money you can make. It’s essential to stay informed of the latest industry trends and developments. You also will need training and guidance throughout the process to help you efficiently and successfully find and close deals. The level of mentorship, training, and tools your brokerage provides is key to your success.
Your real estate brokerage will be able to provide you with the information and training needed to stay on top of the ever-changing real estate market. Top brokerage firms will help you realize your potential. They will be able to provide you with technical advantages like market information but also the coaching, mentorship, and support to achieve your goals.
In addition, developing relationships with clients and colleagues can open up opportunities for increased success. Your network of both clients and peers helps you grow as a realtor and grow your career.
Flexibility
If you’re looking for a job that offers flexibility, becoming a real estate agent may be an excellent fit. You’ll have the opportunity to work evenings and weekends to help customers find their dream homes. Many customers will have a 9-5 job requiring real estate agents to show properties outside those hours.
However, a lot of work can be done during normal business hours. This can be making phone calls to potential and current clients or looking for new properties for a new home buyer. Ultimately, all your work will be geared at satisfying your customers.
In addition, real estate agents can start at their own pace. As long as you are prospecting (searching for new leads) you can even begin your career with as little time as 4 hours a day, 4 days a week, 3 weeks a month. This will get your career started but you will need to be consistent to keep your business moving toward your goals.
Ultimately, the amount of time input into your business is up to you. Though, the more effort you put into your business as a real estate agent the more you can earn. The more homes you can show, prep, and sell will directly increase your earnings. Plus, you’ll be part of the exciting and rewarding process of helping people find their perfect homes.
Helping the Community
When you become a real estate salesperson (agent), you help people in your community daily. Whether the person is from outside Central Pennsylvania or a new family looking for a new home. You are part of the team that helps them accomplish their dreams.
In addition to helping the community, when homes are bought and sold in a community it brings in additional revenue for the entire community. The new owners will be purchasing new goods and services from around the area.
Also, a brokerage can give back to the community as well. Our Century 21 Realty Services brokerage does charitable drives and donations throughout the year to help support our community members and their families.
Skills needed for success
Being successful in real estate requires a combination of hard work, dedication, and the right skills. While some of these skills may come naturally, others require practice and guidance. Successful real estate agents must either possess or learn the real estate market, the laws governing the industry, and the basic principles of sales and marketing. Selecting a brokerage that supports the knowledge and skill growth of their team is vital for a new agent. Without a network of support from real estate experts, it can be very challenging to enter into the real estate business.
In addition to the learned skills, the “soft skills” are the real key to a successful real estate agent. You must have strong interpersonal skills, be an attentive listener, and be outgoing. These three skills will help you build a strong network of contacts and allow you to more readily generate leads.
At Century 21 Realty Services, we talk about having D.N.A. or Desire, Need, and Ability. To be successful as a real estate agent you must desire to be a real estate agent. No matter the reasons why having that desire will help you persevere and succeed. In addition, you must have the Need, which is the willingness to make calls and be told “no” along your journey. Lastly, is the ability. Real Estate Agents must have the soft and hard skills that are mentioned above to really make it in this field. Luckily, most of the skills are able to be learned!
Brokerage Questions
Finding the right brokerage that supports and provides guidance is important in helping you continuously grow in your career. While you are deciding on which brokerage to go with, ask questions to see what kind of guidance they provide. Asking questions such as:
- What kind of resources do you have available to help me develop my skills? How often do they provide updates and analysis?
- Do you offer tools to help me stay up-to-date on market trends?
- What educational resources do you offer to help grow agents’ knowledge?
These questions will help you determine if the brokerage is the right fit for you. Finding a brokerage that can provide you with the resources and guidance you need to develop your skills is essential to maximizing your success and that of your brokerage!
How to become a real estate agent in Pennsylvania
Becoming a real estate agent in Pennsylvania is an exciting and rewarding career choice. To become licensed, you must complete the necessary steps to become a fully licensed real estate agent.
You must be 18 years old and have earned a high school diploma or an equivalent. In addition, you must complete these four steps.
Step 1
Your first step is to complete the pre-license work. You can find the information you need to get started on the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission’s website.
Read through the requirements carefully and set aside time to complete the 75 hours of approved real estate education. Additionally, online and in-person resources are available to help you gain the knowledge and skills you need to complete the pre-license work. One fantastic resource local to Central Pennsylvania is the Greater Harrisburg Area Association of Realtors. The association provides in-person and online training that will help you with your upcoming exam!
Step 2
Your next step is to take and pass the Real Estate Exam, which you can practice for and take at PSIexams.com. Passing the PA and National Real Estate Exams can be challenging, so it’s crucial to create a plan to help you stay on track and reach your desired timeline. Preparatory courses, like those offered by the Greater Harrisburg Area Association of Realtors, can help you to understand the content and prepare you for the exams. Set a timeline for when you want to take the exams and break down the material into manageable chunks. Ensuring you are prepared to take and pass the exam!
Step 3
Now that you’ve passed, you must join the brokerage. Real estate brokerages, like Century 21 Realty Services, are licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to oversee real estate transactions and ensure that real estate agents adhere to the required legal standards.
Consider factors like brand recognition, customer service, research capabilities, and the level of coaching and mentoring they offer. The brand reputation that the brokerage and real estate firms have are important. Many customers must be convinced why they should buy or sell through you (the real estate agent), your brokerage, and ultimately your real estate company. Working with a brokerage like Century 21 Realty Services breaks down the barrier of selling your customer on your brokerage and real estate company. In addition, our mentoring and training provide the knowledge to help you sell effectively and efficiently, increasing your earning potential.
Another factor to consider is the amount of coaching and mentorship a brokerage provides makes growing your network of home buyers and sellers easier and faster. In particular, Century 21 Realty Services, provides training seminars and one on one mentoring experiences all at no expense to our affiliates.
Step 4
Once you have joined a brokerage you are eligible to submit a licensing application to the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission. You must provide proof of completing the pre-licensing course and a criminal background check.
Upon completion of the above 4 steps, you are an official Pennsylvania real estate agent! Your new exciting career path awaits you. We wish you all the best as you embark on this journey.
Next Step
Once you become a real estate agent you could then become a Realtor. A Realtor takes the commitment to transaction oversight and customer service an extra step. Realtors are bound to a code of ethics that requires them to be honest, open, and communicative while helping customers. Becoming a Realtor provides extra credibility and knowledge which will help you throughout your real estate career.
Join our Team
Are you ambitious, have a growth mindset, and are interested in a career as a real estate agent? Our brokerage, Century 21 Realty Services, may be the right fit for you. We are looking to support local real estate agents achieve their goals. If the fast-paced career with unlimited earning potential is of interest to you, reach out to us today at century21rs@century21rs.com or (717) 737-2121.
