Young Real Estate Student

[Wesley Hood]

Hello. I am currently 18 and fresh out of high school. I’m currently working on getting my real estate agent license and was looking for some advice from more advanced agents and brokers.

1. Should i join a team?

I think soaking in knowledge from other team members is a good idea, but let me know your opinion.

2. Commercial or Residential?

What are the pro/cons for both?

3. Any advice for picking a brokerage?

[Abel Curiel]

Quote from @Wesley Hood:

Hello. I am currently 18 and fresh out of high school. I’m currently working on getting my real estate agent license and was looking for some advice from more advanced agents and brokers.

1. Should i join a team?

I think soaking in knowledge from other team members is a good idea, but let me know your opinion.

2. Commercial or Residential?

What are the pro/cons for both?

3. Any advice for picking a brokerage?

 Hey Wesley!

I always recommend new agents read 1 or all of the following books:
- Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller
- Hyper Local, Hyper Fast Agent by Dan Lesniak
- Any book for agents written by David Green at the BP Bookstore
- The E-myth by Michael Gerber

1. Yes!
Even if you only stay for a year, you can learn in 1 year what it would take you 3+ years to learn on your own.
Try interviewing with at least 2-3 teams. Speak to the current team agents as well.
*Not all teams are great teams; Not all team leaders are great team leaders.

2. I've only done a handful of comm. deals but I recommend going the Residential route. 
Most of your referrals early on (family, friends, neighbors, etc.) will  be on the residential side so it may be the best way to generate business quickly.
Resi and comm BOTH rely on making calls, establishing relationships and nurturing those relationships.
That said, I know people who have jumped straight into commercial and have done very well for themselves.
Commercial RE sales is very different from Resi Sales so I'd recommend reaching out to comm brokers for more info/details.

3. For each brokerage, don't just interview the broker/owner. Also speak with top agents, NEW agents and anyone in between. Get their feedback on what its like working at that broker, what they like, what they'd like to see improvement on... how being in that brokerage has impacted their business... etc.

Don't over think the brokerage/team selection process... you can always move on somewhere else. 

Lastly, the brokerage can help you by providing support, knowledge, etc... BUT they can't make you successful, the work is totally up to you.

All the best to you on your journey!

Abel