Changing careers is never easy. There’s a lot of friction, self-doubt, and logistical details that must be worked through. But if you make the right switch – meaning you transition into a career that’s more lucrative or beneficial to your lifestyle – a pivot could be the best thing that ever happens to you.
While each person has their own strengths, interests, skills, and dreams, many discover that the shift to real estate can be a lucrative one – both personally and financially. Is this something that you should pursue?
4 Reasons a Real Estate License Makes Sense
Let’s be clear about one thing: You can’t just click a couple of buttons and get your real estate license. It takes time, effort, and discipline. Having said that, it’s something that anyone can do if they put their mind to it.
Here are a few of the distinct advantages that come with pursuing a real estate license as your next major career move:
Career Flexibility
Most people are unaware of all of the various opportunities that come with obtaining a real estate license. Yes, you can buy and sell homes – but there’s so much more!
“Pursue a full-time career as a real estate agent, supplement your income as a part-time realtor, or specialize in the real estate industry as a property manager, real estate analyst, investor, developer, appraiser, or many more adjacent professions,” RealEstateU mentions.
The best part is that you don’t have to decide what you want to do when you start the licensing process. You can begin your real estate career as a real estate agent, transition into becoming an investor, and then ultimately decide you want to become a developer. (Or any other path you choose.)
While you can certainly make a lucrative career out of the real estate, many use it as a supplemental source of income – holding a full-time job and buying and selling properties on the side.
Lifestyle Flexibility
A career in real estate also provides lifestyle flexibility. In other words, it allows you to design the ideal lifestyle for you and your family. Here are a couple of examples of how this plays out in different situations:
As a real estate agent, you essentially set your own hours. If you want to be around in the mornings to wake your kids up, fix them breakfast, and drop them off at school, this career allows for it. If you’d rather work in the mornings and early afternoons – freeing up your time to hang out with friends in the evenings – you can do that as well.
While there are certain times when you have to be physically present to show a house or sign a contract, most aspects of the real estate business can be handled remotely. This enables you to travel and work from anywhere.
You get to set your own rules. Work as much or as little as you want. (Yes, your income is usually reflective of the effort put in, but you have to decide how much you value money versus time.)
Future-Proof Career
As this recent pandemic has shown us, a sudden economic shutdown can cause many careers to dry up overnight. But real estate remains relatively safe.
While there has been some slowdown in the marketplace, the reality is that people are still buying and selling real estate – and always will. Bubbles burst and values may temporarily wane, but the commodity will always be enticing. Likewise, your job will always be relevant.
Forge Excellent Connections
Few industries put you in such close contact with powerful people and diverse connections as real estate. As an agent, you’ll get to deal with people you never would have crossed paths with otherwise. You’ll meet doctors, lawyers, business owners, and even the occasional politician or famous person. And as long as you play your cards right and treat them well, these are connections that you can tap in the future.
Don’t Wait Any Longer
As the saying goes, the best time to become a real estate agent was five years ago. The next best time to become a real estate agent is today.
The moral of the story? Don’t wait any longer.
Get your real estate license now and you’ll reap the rewards of flexibility, stability, and growth for many years to come.
