Its not a part time job. It used to be, but just keeping up with what is on the market in this time of extremely limited inventory requires more than casual logging on to the multiple listing site.

Having your license can certainly be a benefit as an investor, but the level of sophistication of today's buyers, as well as the level of training needed to be a good agent, again takes more than a casual committment of time. I don't rely on rooky lawyers or doctors or loan officers, for that matter, when the item at hand is really important. (and my health; physically, legally & financially is Real important.)

The real estate industry tends to be highly transient. People enter, buy or sell their own home, maybe buy or sell one to a friend or relative and then return to the 9-5 world. Murdock McPherson, an early real estate company owner here in Seattle, was once asked how many agents he had working for him. He answered: "500". In those years, that was a BIG company. When the questioner responded with awe, Murdock said; "Yeah, 250 coming in and 250 going out." In Canada, one cannot be a part-time agent. Our licensing laws are moving in the same direction.

Getting one's first paycheck usually takes at least 6 months of moderately intensive work. If you want to be successful, change that to highly intensive work. I've met many exceptions to the rule, but the hard work element seems to be a constant. Successful agents treat the job as operating their own business with business plans that include all the elements that running any business include.

Just knowing how to strategize writing an offer on a property that has 3 other offers being presented along with yours doesn't happen overnight. I'm amazed that there are new aspects to a transaction that I will learn with literally every deal, and I've been selling real estate in the Seattle area successfully for 30 years.

I don't mean to discourage your giving it a shot; rather I think you need to be aware of the reality of the marketplace so you don't waste your time or become discouraged.

Getting your license is the easiest part, and it has practically nothing to do with actually listing and selling homes, finding customers and clients, etc. I'd say it hardly matters where you take the prelicense training. I'd go wherever it was cheap and convenient; even online is sufficient. Its the post-license training that will make all the difference.

Kristn? Gentry? What do you guys think? (I suspect there are other real estate agents in the tribe besides them and your responses would be great too.)

Hey Madame7!

it's July now - just wondering how things went or are going for you & your new home-buying venture?