Busting 3 of the Most Common Real Estate Career Myths
A career in real estate has been traditionally hailed as an unstructured job. Now, it is true, but only to a limited extent. The hours are certainly flexible but by no means, does that mean that the hours are less. An active realtor will need to work the hours when clients are available. It is possible for real estate agents to build a routine and strictly adhere to predetermined work hours. However, it is unlikely that it will be good for business, especially for those new to the field.
In honor of our fledgling realtors, we made a list of 3 myths that have been proven to be untrue in this line of work.
Myth 1 - Real Estate Is an Easy Job
If you have wondered how to become a realtor in Oklahoma and taken to social media for advice, know that social media can glamorize real estate jobs to look glitzier and richer than real life. Sure, it does include open houses and showings but there is a lot more hustle that goes into it behind the scenes. A realtor will need to conduct inspections and pay visits to the town hall to keep permits up to date.
Apart from that, there are appointments with contractors, meeting potential clients, and investing a lot of time, effort, and money in marketing. Marketing is not even one thing, it includes mailings, social media promotion, and photoshoots.
As a realtor, you will need to make yourself available at a moment’s notice. And guess what, you will need to do all this work for a while before you even make a dime. Like any job, a career in real estate is built with hard work, patience, and consistency.
Myth 2 - Working with An Agency Will Ensure a Steady Stream of Clients
While it is not a lie that real estate agencies do carry some weight, but in the end, it comes down to the realtor’s individual efforts and dedication. Even if you do work for an agency, you are as valuable to the agency as the business you drive in. To become a reputed seller’s agent, you have to tread a long path, building your own reputation along the way. You will need to do your homework and prove that you are worthy before you start making big bucks.
Myth 3 - Cash Offers Are Always Better Than Offers with Financing
Real Estate Agents who have just started probing deeper into how to become a realtor. People who are fairly new to the field are under the assumption that cash offers are better than offers where financing is involved. In fact, in our opinion the exact opposite is true, a solid traditional offer under favorable terms will beat an all-cash offer with terms that do not suit you well. Whether your client is the buyer or seller, weigh in all the factors that could make the offer more desirable. Now consider the settlement dates, closing costs, and other inclusions like fixtures and furniture. In fact, expert realtors believe that even personal emotions should be considered if they make the sale more gratifying.
A lot of people are drawn to real estate as a career because of a newfound love of HGTV shows. There is nothing wrong with that but do understand that reality is seldom like how it is portrayed in those shows. You rarely show your client 3 to 4 houses before calling it a day. In reality, a good day will have you visit 20-25 houses with potential buyers.
Wright Real Estate School is a gold-rated institution for real estate education in Oklahoma. Our courses include pre-license courses, continuing education, and overall professional development. We prepare you better than anyone else for the harsh and unstable world of real estate out there. To enroll with us, find the button on our website. You are also welcome to contact us for any inquiries before you register for our courses.