Changing Careers to Real Estate

Are you considering a new profession and exploring the opportunities real estate has to offer? This guide is designed to help you navigate a career change to real estate. 

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A career as a real estate agent opens doors to numerous benefits, including: 

This page will guide you through the steps to successfully change careers and start a new chapter in real estate. 

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when starting your own real estate business. Sign up for our Real Estate Career Starter Kit to receive helpful tips and action plans – delivered right to your inbox! 

Exploring a Change in Careers  

What’s driving your career change? Maybe you need more flexibility, higher earnings, or better growth opportunities. The good news is that working in real estate will allow you to unlock your potential while giving you the flexibility you need to improve your work-life balance.  

While you’ll need to complete a real estate course to obtain the knowledge required to help clients buy and sell properties, you may already have skills that can be valuable in the profession, such as sales experience, communication, and problem-solving abilities.  

Real Estate Career Insights  

Real estate is a growing and needed profession. According to data from the National Association of REALTORS®, 86% of buyers worked with a real estate agent, and 88% of clients would recommend their agent to others. This shows that those with real estate expertise are in high demand.  

Real estate agents make a good living. Colibri Real Estate’s recent survey uncovered that the average salary of a full-time agent is $153,000.  

It’s also important to note that there are many different career paths within real estate. Some agents specialize in a niche ((e.g., residential, commercial, investment, luxury, etc.), while others go into industry-related careers such as property management. 

Getting Licensed as a Real Estate Agent  

Each state has its own guidelines for getting licensed as a real estate agent, but all require pre-licensing coursework, passing an exam, and a background check.  

Carefully select a real estate school with excellent teachers, a good reputation, and top-tier exam prep materials.  

Starting Your Real Estate Career  

Getting licensed is the first step in starting your real estate career. You’ll need to join a brokerage to practice real estate. From there, you’ll work to build a client base, network with industry leaders and community members, and set up your website, social media pages, and real estate tools to market your services, manage transactions, and stay organized as you grow your business. A helpful mentor and your real estate school should help you get started. 

Advanced Tips for Becoming a Successful Real Estate Agent  

Staying competitive in real estate requires continuous education, industry networking, and leveraging technology. Regularly updating your knowledge through courses and certifications keeps you informed about market trends and regulations. Building a strong network with industry professionals and community members opens doors to new opportunities and referrals. Additionally, embracing technology—such as CRM tools, marketing platforms, and data analytics—enhances efficiency and helps you connect with clients more effectively, ensuring long-term growth and success. 

Additional Resources  

Colibri Real Estate School is proud to offer the resources you need to get licensed, stay licensed, and succeed as a real estate agent. If you’re considering a career change to real estate, request access to our Real Estate Career Starter Kit, which includes a detailed handbook covering what you can expect in your first year as a licensed real estate agent.