Just getting into real estate

[Jay Glaus]

Hi all,

My name is Jay. I am just beginning my long journey into real estate. I do have some experience in this field but I guess in the big picture of things it’s not that much.

First off I’ve always found it intriguing to look at homes in my area for sale. I liked to study things such as prices, comparable homes, and the housing market. 

Second, I’ve had some experience in the actual sale of a house. My mother wanted to sell her house and the realtor she used happened to be my close neighbor who is a veteran real estate agent who both her and her husband are in the business. While I guess in the big picture it wasn’t much, but since I know her I've helped her with various things along the way and learned some stuff as I went. 

I’ve helped with the staging of the house, experimented and learned a bunch of things along the way in this step. All the way from curb appeal, to various things involved in showing the house. Some of the stuff I’ve learned involved staging the house, such as proper lighting, opening blinds, making the most of various amenities the house has which in my case was having the gas fireplace lit, the backyard waterfall running, positioning furniture to make the rooms appear more spacious, occasional spritz of air fresheners, and in the winter time a nice apple pie candle lit in the kitchen. I’ve also learned a lot from her and her husband about the angles and views of pictures, and various other things of that nature. I’ve learned some things in negotiation, which is one of the keys in this business. I’m one of those people that learn pretty quick, pick up on a lot, and look for ways to be even better. I’ve also learned about other various things from home inspections, mold, radon, and lead paint.

I’ve also learned the art of biting your tongue. From what I’ve done with my friend in real estate, I’ve learned that they are going to be many buyers and even some sellers that you just want to ask them if they are nuts or living in the real world, but you can’t. You have to have patience and stay with it and eventually find or get them what they are looking for. Of course a lot of that art of proper service ive learned in the family business over the years.

A friend of mine was trying to sell his house and property, and had posted it on Zillow. He was not getting much interest until I took over his listing and spruced it up with pictures showcasing the best of his land, plus writing a very appealing write-up vividly describing all of the pluses of his land, and showcasing his proximity to many local stores and businesses. Since I’ve done that he’s been getting almost triple the views, saves, and has gotten many phone calls. I tend to pride myself in being able to create a very inticing write up from my previous experience in our family business.

I am currently looking at getting my 75 hour course to begin working towards getting my state license. 

There are a couple things I am looking to get some tips and pointers for from some of the experienced agents that are out there. Here’s some of the things I’d like to find out more about...

First, I know there are a lot of real estate companies out there that I could be with. I am in the Pittsburgh region so I have the options of Howard Hanna, Northwood, Remax, and that’s just to name a few. I am curious what you all recommend is the best to go with once I get my license. 

I am curious first with which one is best to go with as far as splitting the commission with. Second, while I’d like to find the best one as far as the split goes, I’d also value their training programs a little over what I am going to make. I understand some offer better training programs and resources than others, and I believe training is the most important because even though I want to sell and make the most, I need to have a solid foundation of knowledge to make the sales happen before I can think about my cut. Without the know how, there won’t be many sales which means very little money for me.

I have done a good bit of research and some people have told me starting out while I should be attentive to both, I should be slightly more aggressive in getting buyers at first rather than listers. I have also heard that some people when they start out shoot right for the high end neighborhoods on the hope of a nice commission. I was told while it’s great to sell a $300,000 house, I should focus more on the average run of the mill houses as they are easier to to move as more people are looking for homes of that nature rather than a house a doctor would live in. This is starting out at least to get a few sales under my belt to get some form of income coming in before you start to work your way up.

I was also told to spend a little time on Zillow and craigslist and try to get some of the FSBO's to list with me, and possibly use me to find their next house if they are looking.

I was also told about mentoring with a seasoned agent. I heard some people do and some people don’t.

There are a few things I like about the real estate business. One being that I am in control of my schedule. The other being the more I’m out there and the harder I try, the more sales I can potentially get. I really like that as I am the type of person who likes to be in control of my income. Knowing I can push harder and potentially make more gives me that drive to work harder to try to do my absolute best. To me there is a difference from working a job where you get paid a fixed amount no matter how hard or long that you work, and a job where you are basically in control of your destiny. You work harder and your income has the potential to reflect it. Those kind of opportunities really give me that drive and keeps my passion alive if that makes any sense.

I do realize that it can take 6 months before my first sale. I don’t have any vision of getting my license and start raking it in. It takes time, hard work, and exposure. 

I’ve also heard of agents investing in properties over time such as rentals and have heard that it can help boost your income.

Basically I’m looking for some pointers and tips for starting out. What can I do to have the best chances for success? What does everyone else recommend for someone starting out in this business. 

And do you believe it would be feasible to be an agent and still be able to help out now and then in the family business? 

Any tips for someone starting out would be really appreciated. I plan to have my license soon and would like to get out there right away and make the best of myself. What should I do and what should I expect?

Thanks again,

Jay