How to specialize in residential income properties as a Real Estate Agent

[Joe Rivera]

I'm an inactive real estate agent in South Florida, that would like to specialize in residential income properties, including single family homes. How do I find the right real estate brokerage office, that will give me the support and guidance to help me learn the investment side of real estate sales?

[Kelly O'Quinn]

If you go the KW route (or I guess any other brokerage route), make sure you ask if they allow you to represent yourself in your deals. The KW market center that I belong to doesn't allow its agents to represent themselves. Although it's not that big of an issue, it may keep you from saving commission by listing your properties as FSBO and you won't be able to add incentive to your purchase offers by cutting your commission. It also throws an extra person into the deal, so if it's not someone who's comfortable letting you handle all the communication with the seller and their agent, you'll have to add someone to the communication chain. Although it's not an issue that would cause me to leave my market center, it is something to take into consideration.