PHOTO: Have you been thinking of making a career change?
With a booming housing market in certain parts of the country (and all the episodes of Selling Sunset you’ve been binge-watching during quarantine), being a real estate agent may seem like a pretty solid gig. And it can be. Once you get your first commission on a house, you’ll be popping the champagne for sure, but don’t expect to get million-dollar listings right after getting your real estate license.
It’s much more of a hustle than HGTV would make you think—in fact, a good part of your days might involve securing new clients and following up on potential sales. While the job is not going to look as bougie as Selling Sunset makes it out to be, real estate agents say it won’t hurt if you have a social media presence to showcase your ~personal brand~.
If you’re ready to start showing some property ASAP, you’re in luck. Real-life real estate agents Liane, Kimberly, Emily, and Kinh gave Cosmopolitan the lowdown on what it’s really like to chase that commission.
1. The buying process is not that easy.
If the romanticized home buying process and all the flipping and flopping going on HGTV has you hooked, just beware. “New agents are getting licensed daily because they’ve seen HGTV and think, ‘Wow, I only have to show three homes, and my buyers will purchase one and I’ll get a fat commission check!’” Liane says. But it doesn’t work that way. “I’ve worked with buyers for literally *years* to find the right home. I wish I could limit them to just three,” she adds.
Also, the whole negotiation process takes way longer than 30 minutes. “There are so many fires a real estate agent has to put out in a real estate transaction before we can get to the closing table,” says Liane. It’s all worth it when you can help the buyer settle into their dream home though, she says.
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