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Updated over 5 years ago, 07/10/2019
College degree for real estate agents ??
I am 16 years old and want get my real estate license at 18. Real estate is my passion and I dedicate time everyday to learning about it. I’m not sure if I want to go to college because I think those years could be better learning directly in the business rather than a class. That saying I am willing to put in the work to make it work and far from lazy. Questions- Do you think a broker would hire an 18 year old without a degree? Do you have a real estate/business degree? Do you think you could have been where you are without the degree?
Also do you think a degree is a necessity for agents now? Basically what’s your opinion on a degree and did you get one or not ? Thanks for all input as it will help a lot !
Hi Jordan, I don't know what state you live in, but Florida State University offers a real estate degree. You graduate with the license plus some of the continuing education credit for renewal.
- Real Estate Broker
- Cody, WY
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@Jordan Lucas This isn't 1892 or even 1962. Back then a college degree meant something. You should take a minute to look at the kind of classes people took back then and what people are taking now. College has become a money-making venture and the best way to make money is to make class easy and fun for the masses so you can collect their student loan funds before they give up or get smart and walk away.
Real estate has a very, very low bar of entry. My wife took 500 hours of education to be a massage therapist in Colorado but it only took 50 hours to become a REALTOR. You would obviously have more than 50 hours of education in college but a lot of that education will involve nonsense classes that don't apply and you'll spend $30,000 and four years of your life instead of the $2,000 and two months that it normally takes.
The difficult part is becoming a successful agent at the age of 18. It can be done. I know a local REALTOR that started at 18 and it was tough but she plowed through and has been at it for over 20 years. However, she started with her family business and that probably helped her get started.
The overwhelming majority of agents to not have a real estate degree. However, most of them do have a degree. Most of them have decades of work experience and experience as an adult. The average age is 52 so while you may be smarter at SnapChat and some other tools, you won't have 1/3 the life experience the average agent does and that will be tough to overcome.
You can do it. Stay humble, listen more than you talk, find a mentor, and hustle. Good luck!
- Nathan Gesner
It's my understanding that a real estate degree can allow you entry into the corporate real estate world, like planning new Walmart or Target stores, corporate offices, corporate relocations, etc., so would be worth it if that is interesting to you.
@Nathan G. Thanks so much for your response. It made a lot of sense. There is still a lot of things for me to think about and I am still young after all! I appreciate your words of wisdom and they were understandable. What would you suggest be a good route to becoming a real estate agent? And thanks for the encouragement !!
@Lynn M. That does make sense and I’ll definitely look into other jobs outside of an agent and see if they interest me. Thanks!
Hi Jordan,
If you know 100% you want to be a RE agent then don't go to college. You don't need a degree to be a successful agent and you don't need it to get hired by a firm. Don't waste 4yrs and getting into debt if you know this is what you want to do. Starting at 18 gives you 4yrs in your early days to hustle hard when you have the energy and time to do it. I am not against college but how the cost and system are set up in today's world it really sets you back.
@Frank Wong thanks I appreciate the comment. And yes I know 100% that I want to be an agent. Your points about college are so valid and that is why I don’t know if it will be for me. As a broker on what conditions would you hire an 18 year old ? Also what percentage of the people you hire have degrees?
@Frank Wong thanks I appreciate the comment. And yes I know 100% that I want to be an agent. Your points about college are so valid and that is why I don’t know if it will be for me. As a broker on what conditions would you hire an 18 year old ? Also what percentage of the people you hire have degrees?
Originally posted by @Jordan Lucas:
@Frank Wong thanks I appreciate the comment. And yes I know 100% that I want to be an agent. Your points about college are so valid and that is why I don’t know if it will be for me. As a broker on what conditions would you hire an 18 year old ? Also what percentage of the people you hire have degrees?
I hire for talent, integrity, worth ethic, and hunger. I can't teach those to people you have it or you don't. Everything else can be taught. Now people will always say they have those but the proof is in the pudding. I will know in 3-6 months if it's true or not.
I say 50% have degrees and 50% don't. The biggest hustlers and top producers were always the ones with no degree. Something about having an edge and hunger makes people do extraordinary things. A degree is overrated in this world. Especially if you are going into sales. If you produce no one cares if you have a degree from Harvard or High School.
Since you are still in high school, I would recommend that you take as many dual enrollment classes as you possibly can while they are still cheap/free. You'll be taking the classes for HS credit anyways, so if you can get the classes to count for college credit for free/cheap, there is no reason to not try to do that. But you don't need a college degree to be successful in real estate. I can tell you that my vampire literature and Italian film studies classes that I took to fulfill general ed requirements have done GREAT things for my real estate business. -.-
If you do decide to pursue real estate, you will have the flexibility to do college classes if you decide that's something that will benefit you. You can just pick and choose classes at a community college or trade school that will help advance your business. You don't have to have a degree plan or take on student loans to go in and take a basic business or marketing class if you feel like it would be beneficial.
@Frank Wong that makes a lot of sense, thanks so much for your insight, I really appreciate it!
@Cassi Justiz thanks so much for that response and suggestion and I know my school offers some of those for upper class men so I’ll see what I will be eligible next year. Also I think taking specific classes would be beneficial for me in the future !
You don't need a degree to be good in sales. You need some education specific to your product or field, yes.
Imho more important is that you need the right personality for sales. You know, extrovert.
@Lee Bell thanks for that advice! I would consider myself an extrovert and am very good at speaking with people. Do you have any additional tips for a sales job ?
Be honest. A lot of sales people seem to have trouble with that. Do the right thing.
There are sale skills you can learn, persuasion etc, but I am not the salesman type.
Good luck.
@Lee Bell I see what your saying thanks
Definitely get a college degree. Get one in business with emphasize in real estate. It qualifies you for various careers in real estate and outside of it, including being a RE agent. On the other hand, the RE license only allows you to walk a very narrow path. It is absolutely possible that being a realtor will bore you out of your mind. And don't forget, the RE agent field is currently undergoing dramatic changes.
The biggest objection being a new realtor at young age is they do not have business experience. Construction, home inspection, finance, and law. People prefer to work with more experienced people. If you look around average age for realtors is 50 and up. In fact some prefer to work with even older folks. Those doing it as last career.
That being said. In our area most have advanced degree MBA, JD, and we have a retired MD. Lawyers are in great demand as they often overturn brokers. While a college degree is not required the appraisers are now required to have a college degree. When there are so much money involved in a transaction most people prefer someone with years of experience represent them. I suggest you get into something first sales, insurance and then try real estate when ready.
You don't need it for residential.
Large commercial brokerages look at it as an asset, however.
College can go either way with helping an investor. Think of the end goal and see if a degree will help that. There intangible skills learned at college but you have to decide if the cost is worth it. It's a lot to decide at a young age but I know people that did it and made the right decision. Some people it will help and others it will be useless.
- Ian Walsh
@Andreas W. Thanks for input it made a lot of sense! I have heard that things are saying and I see what your saying is that the degree will protect/prepare me.
@Sam Shueh thanks for your suggestions I really appreciate them and I get what your saying!
@Bjorik Mutize I never knew that about commercial real estates, thanks !
@Ian Walsh thanks for that piece of knowledge. I think cost is a big factor and I’m sort of scared of it hindering my real estate potential.