Thread: Thinking of changing careers...real estate broker I know it sounds like a bad time...

Originally Posted by NYCguy

hey, so basically I have been a special events DJ for a couple years now and trying to make it in the club scence since 1998. The budgets have all dried up and I havent had a booking since febuary. I love to DJ but im about to turn 30 and still have trouble paying my bills. I did work on some big clients, grammy award winning songs, and national ad campagins. perhaps its not in the cards for me, also a lot of politics and it's a giant popularity contest.

I know I have the ability to talk to anyone and make them feel comfortable in the first 5 minutes. I have a sales gene in me, my father was a salesmen and was good at it. My question is, how bad is it out there? I'm at a point now where money is my motivation. I know everyone is like oh well dont do it for the wrong reason. Seriously im almost 30 I droped out of college and still am not making any money from DJing. I mean the DJ life is great and all when its good but I am at a point now where I think I am too intelligent to be a DJ. I do have great skills also in film editing and music as well and I know I would use that to sell houses and apt. and I just wanna start a family and make over 150K a year and have a comfortable life making my own hours and going on vacation and not worrying about bills. I am in the NYC market. So is it really something really stupid for me to go into right now? Or am I making the smart decision by going against the grain?

Never make career decisions based on current market conditions. Things will change over time and how any individual adjusts to the changes that occur will determine how well - or not well - they do.

Sales is always sales, good market or poor.

Originally Posted by NYCguy

I know I have the ability to talk to anyone and make them feel comfortable in the first 5 minutes. I have a sales gene in me, my father was a salesmen and was good at it. My question is, how bad is it out there? I'm at a point now where money is my motivation. I know everyone is like oh well dont do it for the wrong reason. Seriously im almost 30 I droped out of college and still am not making any money from DJing. I mean the DJ life is great and all when its good but I am at a point now where I think I am too intelligent to be a DJ. I do have great skills also in film editing and music as well and I know I would use that to sell houses and apt. and I just wanna start a family and make over 150K a year and have a comfortable life making my own hours and going on vacation and not worrying about bills. I am in the NYC market. So is it really something really stupid for me to go into right now? Or am I making the smart decision by going against the grain?

What would make this a good or bad idea is not the market, it's the fit between you and the day-to-day work. Being able to talk to people and entertain them (keep their interest) is certainly a plus in sales, but it isn't the key to success. Especially in real estate, the day-to-day work is more about service and making sure no detail falls through the cracks than it is about getting people to like you. To put it another way, no matter how much your clients like you and love to be around you because you're so much fun, if you fail to take care of the hundreds of small details involved in a real estate transaction and the result either costs them money or costs them the loss of a sale, they won't want to work with you again or refer their friends to you.

The best advice I can give you is to find someone you know or a friend of a friend who is already working in real estate sales, and spend some time talking to them about what they do, how they spend their time, what skills they use. Then decide if that's how you would be happy spending your time.

And that part about going on vacation and making your own hours? Be sure you talk to some successful agents about that Many people don't realize that "flexible schedule" means working any time between 7 AM and midnight, seven days a week, whenever the client wants something done.

I am a buyer, however I have worked with my real estate agent for several months... and I tell you, WOW - you guys have to work all the time. There are so many small details. Her ability to pay attention to all the details, her flexibility in her daily schedule, not to mention her saavy way in neogiating both sides of a sale and purchase. She has been outstanding. The poor thing took a three day weekend to go to the lake. Of course this is the very weekend someone made an offer on my home. My agent, the dear that she is, would drive into town two times a day to check her e-mail (she was out in the sticks...) and would text me all the time to keep me updated while we counter-offered back and forth all day long. She came back a few hours early from her trip too so we could sign the finalized contract in a timely fashion as well to meet the contract terms. She is very aware of the current market trends - she keeps herself in the know. Don't forget all the last minute problems before closing - major stressful times! Jumping through hoops to make everyone happy is not an easy task.

You never get a day off..... I seriously do not think our agent does. She sold my sister her home, and has assisted my husband and myself in the purchase of a new home, and sold our home for us. We have nothing but the best things to say for her. She has e-mailed us at all hours of the day, ensuring she is keeping her clients completely in the know.

This is NOT a laid back job. It is very hands on. Multi-tasking isn't a big enough word for what I have seen from this agent. If you want to be successful, be prepared to work your tail off - but the $$ rewards will be there for you if you can handle all the wheeling and dealing.

Just remember, you will be asssiting people in selecting one of the biggest purchases of their lifetime. You would want nothing but 100% of someones attention in this endeavor. Can you perform at this level for numerous clients.....

Good luck in your choice.

Sandy in KC.

40 minutes sounds okay to me. I have always had shorter commutes, but if you are in a city 40 minutes really isnt much at all. Use that time to decompress, listen to NPR, and reflect on your day. You might come to really value that alone time

Oh well if you still have trouble paying your bills cause you don't earn that much. I think it's time for you to change expose your self in other thigs where you see you can actually excel and for career growth.

Hi NYCGuy, it's not actually a bad time. Because real estate industry will recover soon after recession. Work with some agency. Learn from them. I think you can do it. You'll find it worthy.

Better late than never.

There could not be a better time. By entering the market place now, you'll actually learn your trade. 5 years ago, folks thought they were becoming a good broker by listing a house, placing a sign in the yard, and then getting multiple offers within the first 3 days...this is NOT what being a good broker is all about.

Learning your craft, being present when the masses are leaving, and gathering market share during the downturn is what will make the difference for a lot of new brokers in the coming years...

It will not be easy...but nothing any good ever is. I say go for it.

I think Tucsonhomes hit the nail on the head - "sales is always sales". If you don't enjoy sales, then you probably won't enjoy being a real estate agent.

I once asked a broker friend of mine if he could tell which of his new agents would succeed. He said it was easy. The ones that would commit to making 30 calls a day to follow up on leads would survive.

The ones that hated working the phones would be gone within a year.