Real Estate Careers for Beginners

[Aqeel Muhammad]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to bigger pockets and have recently graduated with a BA in Human Development from Washington State University and I have recently relocated back to Las Vegas where I am originally from and have always had a passion for real estate. I was not a huge fan of school but decided to complete my education because of the financial assistance and the opportunity to obtain a degree with no debt.

Similar to many biggerpocket contributors, my long term goal is to build a strong portfolio of properties which lead to financial freedom.

With this being said, I am currently interested in finding a career within the real estate industry which will provide me with knowledge and a strong opportunity for a high income.

As I have read on many forums, it seems to be beneficial to become an agent but my question is:

1. Which real estate job/position will allow me to earn a consistent income at first, in addition to gain knowledge on the job to save some money for the startup cost (education, license, marketing, etc.) of becoming an agent before diving in full-time as an agent?
2. Will it be beneficial to work part-time as an agent alongside my job for 6 months to 1 year to gain some experience before diving in full-time? What is the most efficient way to transition from a part-time agent to full-time?

[John Barrett]

@Aqeel Muhammad First off, congratulations on graduating.  Secondly, I would suggest you think about going about this slightly differently.  I am not an agent nor do I work in the real estate industry however,  I am a real estate investor.  

I would suggest that you look at getting the best job (regardless of industry) and use that to generate a good income by which to build your financial reserves from which to invest.  There are many resources like BiggerPockets that you can utilize to gain and grow your knowledge and skills.  Your learning does not have to come from specifically working in the industry.  You can also get your RE license while working a full time job.  This will allow you to grow your real estate investing as a side hustle.

Best of luck in all your investing.

John