Role of an Investment Real Estate Agent

[Gadiel Amilec]

Hey, BiggerPockets community!

I am eight months into my RE career and looking to niche down. I'm looking to explore the investment field. Here are my questions:

• What is specifically the role of an investment real estate agent?
• What kind of knowledge of the local market should I have?
• Should I be worried about giving "good" investment advice or is that outside of the scope of my role?
• Any tips or pointers on landing my first investment client?

Thank you all in advance for your responses. 

[John Warren]

@Gadiel Amilec as someone who has developed into an agent that focuses on investors, I can tell you that you will need to find your niche even in that space. I focus mostly on helping people purchase or list 2-4 unit properties here in the Chicago suburbs, and I also will do some smaller commercial deals. I can help rehabbers, but I found that my time was not best spent building my business in that direction. 

I spend a LOT of time helping my clients successfully navigate their investments. I jokingly tell some of my clients that my real job starts after closing as that is when they will really need my help with management, construction, unit turns or leasing advice. I do give advice frequently, but I try to be a straight shooter and not give advice if I am uncertain. 

When it comes to getting local market knowledge, I think the best thing is to be an investor first and an agent second. I purchased my first four unit before I got my license, so I was already in the trenches managing properties long before I had my first investment client.