A Dozen Reasons to Love Being a Realtor

If you examined your list of family members, friends, and casual acquaintances, you’d find at least a half-dozen or more who have – or had – their real estate license at one time or another. Truly, it’s a career that has been “tried” by many. Perhaps you’ve heard a friend say “I love houses. I think I’ll sell real estate.” It’s a common occurrence but, more often than not, it’s a passing trend for that person; a career that doesn’t stick because the reasons for choosing it simply are fleeting.

On the other hand, maybe you’ve encountered a good Realtor or two. (Or maybe you are one!) These are the folks that have a true love of the business and are dedicated to their profession, which shows in their dedication to you – the customer. Listing and selling makes them happy – not just because of the commission – and they’re eager to work with you until you – and they - find the right match.

If you’re a Realtor who loves your work, and you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already compiled your list of reasons for adoring your job, but here’s a few we’d like to suggest to anyone considering the field. It’s also a great list for those searching for a Realtor. If you see these traits in your agent, you’ve got a winner!

You’re a people person – Yes, you’ve got to like people to be a Realtor. Seems to go without saying, huh? But we’ve seen plenty of real estate agents who simply don’t fit that bill. If you are a people watcher and love to hear other’s life stories, you’ll find that this is the job for you. You may even make a few lifelong friends – and clients – along the way.

You enjoy learning – Working in real estate is like being in a lifelong learning academy. Things are always changing, both in your market area and nationwide and in the profession in general. You’ll need to stay abreast of things like new laws involving drones for real estate and mortgages, for example, and anything else that’s going to impact you or your clients. So, you should be willing to read and study.

You’ll bring people together – Sounds corny, right? But Realtors often have to work with couples who are on opposite ends of the spectrum and find them a home that suits both their needs and wants. It’s not always an easy job. It might involve lots of searching and plenty of showings, but in the end, you’ve made two (or more) people happy by doing your job.

You won’t get bored – Unless you sit at your desk all day and don’t cultivate buyers and sellers when you’re a Realtor you’ll never do the same thing two days in a row. From cold calling and following up on leads to going on listing appointments and showing houses, there’s always something to keep you busy. And if there isn’t, you’re not doing your job.

You can design your collateral pieces on your own– brochures, fliers, posters – all those items for your business. So, if you like to play around with Photoshop, InDesign, Microsoft Publisher™ and other programs like that, you’ll have a blast designing the items you need. (If you don’t, you can hire someone. After all, it’s your business!)

You can become a social media guru – These days, being a successful agent means getting your name out there for all to see. That gives you a good reason to spend plenty of time on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media platforms. Posting to these sites is a good way to garner clients and draw attention to your listings. Younger customers, especially, look for agents who use social media, so you’re likely to pick up some first-time buyers and young professionals.

You can be a do-gooder – real estate transactions – whether buying or selling – can be super stressful for the client. However, you can swoop in like a superhero and help relieve that stress when needed. Being a real estate superhero involves staying attuned to your clients’ needs through the entire buying or selling process. If you’ve been in their position, you know how important it is to know that someone is on your side through the transaction and that they are there to help “fix” things that might go wrong, whether it’s something major or just a minor glitch. 

You can gather good decorating ideas – Face it. Most agents choose the real estate business because they do love houses, including what’s inside and what’s outside. By visiting lots of houses, you’ll fulfill your yen for exploring homes of all types, AND you can gather some great decorating ideas while you work. Later, you can use them in your home or for staging your listings.

You can hang out with like-minded individuals – Your office is no doubt teeming with people like you who thrive on being part of the real estate business. Though there might be some competitiveness (there always is), you’ll probably find that these colleagues will become some of your best friends, mainly because you share lots of common interests. They can also be your teachers and advocates if you let them.

You can be yourself – Though you’ll likely have certain office rules and regulations to adhere to, for the most part, you will be able to craft your style and run your business as you see fit. Being a Realtor is different from most other jobs in that you are often free, for example, to set your schedule and to handle situations as you see fit. We do not promise lots of free time, but you will enjoy the flexibility that lets you plan around the other important things in your life.

You’ll become a top-notch problem solver – Every swing in the market brings new challenges. Every client has hurdles you’ll need to help them jump. Because of this, you’ll become great at doing the research required to solve the problems that could otherwise stunt your business and cause you to start liking it a whole lot less. Finding solutions to these problems might take you out of your comfort zone now and then, but that allows for lots of growth in you and your business.

As a real estate agent and independent contractor, you will always have a job – For as long as you wish to be a Realtor, you’ll have a job. It’s unlikely that people will stop buying and selling homes any time shortly. That’s job security for sure!