You may have been thinking about a career in real estate for a long time but wonder, “Is real estate a good career? Here’s the real estate career outlook for 2025. We’ll answer the question, “Why real estate?” and provide data to show that it’s still a lucrative industry.
Key Takeaways
- Real estate offers unlimited earning opportunities, with commission-based income allowing agents to earn more as they close more transactions. Salaries range widely, but agents can achieve significant financial success.
- Compared to many careers, becoming a real estate agent is faster and more affordable, with licensing achievable in just a few months and training costs much lower than traditional degrees.
- Real estate agents enjoy the freedom to set their schedules, work independently, and control their career growth, making it ideal for entrepreneurial self-starters.
- Real estate professionals assist clients with major financial decisions, providing a fulfilling career. The industry is also excellent for those who thrive on building connections and leveraging strong networking skills.
Is Real Estate a Good Career Path? 10 Benefits of Working in Real Estate
Most people feel a bit of trepidation when thinking about a career change. So, it’s understandable that you might be nervous about starting your career in real estate. Here are the benefits of working in the field.
1. Real estate is a lucrative career.
Most real estate agents work on commission based on the property’s sale price. This means that your income will fluctuate depending on how many transactions you complete. In real estate, the more you sell, the more you earn.
Based on the most current data, real estate agents in the U.S. continue to earn a great living even if their income is based on commissions. Here’s the salary data for real estate agents from three popular websites:
- The Close – $90,506
- Indeed – $100,178
- Glassdoor – $241,00
If you feel like you are not rewarded for working hard in your current industry, consider a career pivot and become a real estate agent – where you will have unlimited earning potential.
2. Careers in real estate are expected to be in high demand.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of real estate agent jobs is projected to increase between 2020 and 2030, with employment projected to grow along with the real estate market.
While this is positive news for want-to-be real estate agents, it’s important to note that the job-seeking process is different in this industry. Finding a brokerage to work for won’t be difficult. The difficulty comes in finding clients.
With that said, the need for service-minded real estate agents will never go away. Agents who provide excellent service to their buyer, seller, and renter clients will always be in demand because people will always need assistance finding housing no matter how technology changes the industry.
According to data from the National Association of REALTORS®, 88% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker. (And 88% of buyers would use their agent again or recommend their agent to others.) Also, 90% of sellers were assisted by a real estate agent when selling their home.
Americans buying and selling properties still rely on real estate agents for help.
3. Getting started in real estate can be a quick process compared to other careers.
While other jobs outside of real estate are projected to increase in popularity over the next few decades, many require advanced training or college degrees that take a lot of time to complete.
Each state has its own real estate licensing requirements, which include pre-licensing coursework, a background check, and an exam. However, it’s worth noting that you can become a real estate agent within just a few months – even in states with the strictest requirements.
4. Real estate licensing courses are affordable.
There are some costs associated with becoming a real estate agent. However, compared with other training programs and college degrees – real estate agent training is highly affordable.
5. Real estate agents control their career advancement.
When you work in real estate, you control your destiny. You decide how many hours to put in to grow your business and when (or if) you should advance your career by becoming a broker or managing broker. This is one reason that confident self-starters are drawn to the profession. They feel confident in their abilities and want more control over their future.
6. Real estate agents get to be their own boss.
You may be drawn to the real estate industry if you have dreamed of opening your own business. In fact, real estate often attracts individuals with entrepreneurial spirits.
While working as an agent, you won’t have a traditional boss. Instead, you’ll be able to make decisions about your day-to-day activities and more significant career choices, such as your real estate niche and how to market your services.
At the same time, real estate agents benefit from having brokers oversee their work until they decide to advance their careers.
7. Real estate is always changing.
Every day is always different when working in real estate. Your tasks will vary throughout the day, and you’ll interact with a wide variety of people.
If you want a career that perfectly balances quiet, contemplative work and robust interaction with others, consider working in the real estate industry.
8. Real estate agents enjoy a flexible schedule.
Being a real estate agent is an excellent role for someone needing a flexible schedule. If you want to take a two-hour lunch, it’s up to you. You can also carve out some time to make it to your kid’s track meet. However, one potential downside of the profession is that agents often must work around their clients’ schedules for showings and consultations.
9. Real estate is great for people with top-notch networking skills.
Do you pride yourself on your ability to connect with others? Real estate is an excellent industry for those who are excellent networkers. As a real estate agent, you get to put your interpersonal skills to work all the time. Sometimes, it happens at networking events, sometimes at the office, and sometimes over coffee or lunch. You’ll work and socialize with business colleagues, affiliates, partners, and new clients. If you enjoy meeting new people, you’ll love this aspect of the real estate business. Every day presents an opportunity to meet someone new.
10. Real estate agents do meaningful work.
Real estate agents help people make some of the most significant financial decisions of their lives. In addition, you will have the honor of assisting others to find the perfect home for their families. You’ll be in a helping profession when you work as a real estate agent, which is another reason that those in the industry report such high job satisfaction.
Take the First Step with Colibri Real Estate
We’ve shown that a career in real estate is a great choice. You’ve been thinking about this career pivot long enough. It’s time to take action.
Get started today by learning about your state’s real estate licensing process. You’ll see that the first step- regardless of where you live – is to sign up for coursework from a licensed real estate school. Colibri Real Estate School is known for providing high-quality real estate education courses. We have helped hundreds of thousands earn their real estate licenses, and we can do the same for you.
Source:
“Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents : Occupational Outlook Handbook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 6, 2023. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/real-estate-brokers-and-sales-agents.htm.
