Beginning to Network

[Bethany Corey]

I am meeting with a local broker this week, looking to find out more about what it takes to become a successful real estate agent, and I hope to hang my license up with her real estate company eventually. What, as a total newbie, are some good questions I should ask her about becoming a licensed agent who is also looking to become real estate investor?

(I have not yet close my first deal or done any sort of real estate-related transactions. So when I say newbie, I really mean it. I'm at level zero)

[Neil Schoepp]

@Bethany Corey It's good to see you being proactive and seeking out some advice. I'm neither an agent nor a broker but would imagine some of the following may be appropriate. It is my hope that other members that are brokers or agents will chime in and give you more concrete advice.

So if it were me I would be looking for the following:

               Is there a specific school they like more than another. Not all courses are created equal just by the mere fact of the instructor teaching it.

             What do they wish they knew when they were starting out?

             What would they have done different if given the chance?

             What are the next three things I should be concentrating on so that I can stay on track?

 What is expected of me after I "graduate"? Do they expect me to work full time, part time, do I have to cover the office a minumum amount of hours a week. 

              What is the support structure for new hires? What I mean by this is in my previous employment (fire service) the probie (new guy fresh out of the academy) would learn by actually working along side a more experienced member. If he had a problem or wasn't doing something correctly someone was always there to yell at him and tell him to get his head out of his I mean hold his hand and explain in the most kindest of terms how he could improve. Is there some kind of structure for you to lean upon afterwards or  are you expected to know what your doing and just go do it. I'm a big believer and this stems from my career, that the academy (school) can only teach you so much, you really learn the job when you hit the streets. 

      Hope this helped to jump start your thinking. 

I wish you much success.

Neil.