Where to start:
Just a couple of considerations:
Residential...you could possible get a check on a lease in a week or so from the day you start, probably not common, but potential. Maybe 2-3 months before you get your first check. One a buyer finds a house or a seller gets a contract and you close in 30 days, you get a check.
Commerical...first check might be 3-6 months and maybe longer depending on what type of commercial you do. Probably for many it takes a year or more to get that first commission check. Not sure that is common, but heard a nice talk by a broker in Austin who worked on a deal for 20 years. Huge life changing deal, but it took a LOOOOONG time. During all those years he had a lot of expenses, but no income on that deal....and those kinds of deals usually evaluate several sites, and it could have just as easily disappeared.
Residential....I would argue that there is always a market. Sure sometimes busier than others, but someone is always needing to buy or sell a home. I don't think that is true on the commercial side. Lots more dynamics there. Plenty of people want to sell right now, but the cap rates aren't right or the financing is not right, or the buyer expectations are not right.
People tend to lump commercial into one big category vs residential. I think for the most part residential is one big category. Selling a condo isn't vastly different than a single family home. Or selling a home in Plano is not vastly different than selling a home in Euless. Sure there are nuances, but less to me than commercial. Commercial I see as much more specialized these days....agents/brokers on buy side and sell side and more seem to work exclusively more on one side than the other....I can think of 20-25 specialty niches on commercial side....hotels, industrial, multifamily, office, medical office, strip centers, NNN, warehouses, and on and on. Probably helps if you have experience dealing in one of those niches in one way or another, so you walk in knowing the lingo and not learning it.
Not sure this is true, but chances are you know a ton of people that have or need a roof over their heads at night and has the capacity to make that happen. I think less people know someone who wants/needs/has the capacity to buy a hotel. Know anyone who has a NNN property? Know anyone that owns an office building? Chances are you know today someone who knows you, loves you, trusts you to buy or sell a home. Chances are lower you know someone who knows you, loves you, trusts you to buy a million sqft warehouse at the airport. Not to say you can find those people, network with them, gain their confidence, and be successful in commercial. Might just take more time and work.
One transaction might be $100mil in commercial, but not many if any $100mil houses in/around Dallas or maybe anywhere.
I think there is plenty of opportunity today-right now in residential, but less in commercial. Total guess but you year commercial brokers saying multi sales are down 80% from a year or two ago, probably same with hotels, probably same with office. Now if you used to work in a bank and know a bunch of commercial lenders and asset managers, there might well be an opportunity to sell distressed foreclosures the next 1-2-3 years as loans come due.
So really I think it just comes down to where your dreams are, where your passion is, what your knowledge and background is, and what kind of contacts and network you have.
If you want to sell commercial there are probably five more basic classes you want to take at minimum.
You might also find a broker that has both residential and commercial agents.
