Considering a career change into Real Estate

[Jason Blain]

Hello Everyone,

I am considering becoming a real estate professional and wanted to reach out on the BP site for some input. I am currently a sales professional in the automotive tooling industry and have a degree in Marketing. I am passionate about real estate and have owned both commercial and residential properties over the years.  I live in Grand Rapids MI and would plan on staying there. I am just looking for the pros & cons of a move into this field and am open to any advice. Since I don't have an urgent need to find a career, I am taking the opportunity to do my due diligence before taking the leap. Thank you for any advice/warnings you can provide

[Jake Thomas]

@Jason Blainare you looking to be a Realtor or just a full time investor? about 2 years ago I decided it was time to start thinking about the same thing as you. I work in a horribly boring day job that wasn't going to take me where I wanted to be financially anytime soon. Sure, it's stable and easy but I was never going to make the income I needed to grow my portfolio the way I wanted. So I decided to get my license and become an agent. The first 12 months was very slow as I was still figuring it all out. I chose to keep the day job while being a Realtor in case it didn't work out I could just settle back into the 9-5 routine. But the second year all the seeds I planted started to show results and I turned my part time gig into a nearly full-time second job selling almost 30 houses in 2015. Now, I am in the process of leaving my day-job and shifting my entire focus on being a Realtor and investing as I get busier and busier every month. 

I wouldn't suggest making the career change overnight but maybe ease into as I did. If you are already in sales you should have enough free time during the day to keep up on phone calls and emails for the side business as I do. It is difficult to be in this business if you don't return calls till the evening. 

Let me know if there are any other questions I can answer for you.