A career in real estate can potentially be one of the most lucrative professions a person can pursue. But, not many real estate groups set up stalls at career days, nor is the profession advocated for by many teachers and parents. Most agents enter the profession purely by chance – and this ‘chance’ usually takes the form of an encounter with an old acquaintance who happens to be doing really well for themselves as an agent.
If you’re looking for a change and have yet to consider the real estate profession, here are a few questions you could ask yourself to discover if you’re cut out for this industry:
Do you have a Matric?
To be able to study and qualify as a registered estate agent, as a minimum, you must have successfully completed grade 12. The path to becoming a qualified – and registered – estate agent includes a 12-month internship under the mentorship of a certified principal estate agent and successfully achieving a Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC): Real Estate (NQF 4) and will have to pass the final Professional Designation Examination (PDE).
If you would like to become a principal estate agent, you will also need the NQF 5 Real Estate Certificate. Training is available through skills development providers accredited by the QCTO while the PDE is assessed by the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
Word to the wise: Once you are qualified and registered with the PPRA, annual continual professional development (CPD) courses are mandatory to maintain your status as a licensed agent.
Are you resilient and disciplined?
In a market that is highly sensitive to the ups and downs of the national – and sometimes international – economy, the real estate industry is a business of high risk and high rewards. This means personal resilience is a non-negotiable. You must also be able to live in a world of both feast and potential famine: it can sometimes take months of patient perseverance to close a sale. Sometimes the reward for just that sale could potentially earn you more in a single day than someone else earns in a year.
In a nutshell, a successful agent is one who is resilient and has the financial discipline to survive the quiet months.
Do you have good interpersonal skills?
A successful agent is a people’s person – genuinely so. A fake smile and only half listening to potential buyers and sellers will get you little business. In real estate – like many successful businesses – understanding your clients, often reading between the lines because you probably understand their needs better than they do, and building relationships are the secrets to your success. At RE/MAX, because we believe in clients for life, most of our business comes from referrals. One successful transaction gets you a friend and a business partner all in one. If you really enjoy working with people and turning strangers into friends, real estate could be your dream career.
Are you happy to work outside “normal” business hours?
While you do get to make your own hours, real estate is largely not a nine-to-five job. Agents with the most lucrative businesses understand that most homeowners work normal office hours, which means that many real estate-related appointments must happen after hours or during a lunch break.
In short, if you’re a people person who doesn’t want a desk-bound, nine-to-five job, real estate could be the career move you’re looking for. But nobody says it’s easy. For those who get it right, the rewards make all their efforts worthwhile.
Become an Estate Agent with RE/MAX
When you win, we win: at RE/MAX, we help people achieve their hopes, dreams, and desires. Unmatched globally, this has helped to make us the number one, local and leading real estate brand in Southern Africa, and is why thousands of brokers and agents choose RE/MAX.
Each RE/MAX office is an independent franchise which means that each one will have specific requirements when they take on new agents. Get in touch with your nearest RE/MAX Office to find out more.
We’d love you to join the RE/MAX family. Why wait? Join the RE/MAX team!
Watch how to become a Real Estate Agent in South Africa
