I often am approached by people thinking about taking their real estate licence course, and going into the business.
I always encourage them to do this, if they seem genuinely interested in the business, and understand the demands on one's time. Am always happy to share thoughts with them, and also to answer their questions, to the best of my ability.
When they do go into the business, I'm also always glad to act in a mentor capacity, even if they are working at a competing company. All companies aren't the same, when offering their sales force a training program, and there's so much to know, in any case, in the Trust's overseeing of my particular region.
This is not a municipality, but a "preserve" area, and so there are a lot of extra things to learn about/to know, when selling properties here. After 20+ years in the biz, I have built up a lot of information in my head that isn't in any easy to find "book".
I don't think any of us get to where we are without the help of those we've met along our path, and that's why I like to "pay it back" by mentoring. It's rare in life that we get to "repay" the person who helped us, as time has gone on. We can, though, help others as a way of saying "thank you" to the one who mentored us (even if it wasn't called that!).
Lately, though, with all the shifts to the industry itself, and the changed role of the real estate agent, as a result, I am wondering if I should also be pointing out the property management path in real estate, not just the sales avenue. In my jurisdiction, there are two separate courses, with different licencing requirements. Although I have a licence that allows me to do both, I have not ever focused on the property management side.
With the changes to the sales side of the process, and less "need" for the traditional skills/knowledge of a real estate agent, at least in the beginning of the process (the internet search motif continues to evolve/expand around us), perhaps in a secondary home/discretionary area, such as mine, a property management decision might make more sense?
The management service might hold out greater promise, at least in the beginning stages of the career. Perhaps the best advice would be to do "both sides" of the courses, and have both a sales and a management licence to offer? With the changes to our real estate act, a few years ago, one may now have another job, apart from real estate or a related aspect of same (insurance, property management). Before that change, one had to give up one's licence, in my area, if taking another and unrelated job.
It's difficult to be part-time in this business. It's about information, and the latest news is what the customer wants to know. One has to be available on the client's timeframe, too. It's the consumer-centric business revolution, remember?
Maybe the best thing to do is to share the shifts in the industry, and the value of predictable income...which might have some potential sales people turning to property management/maintenance instead.
Difficult "calls" these days, as the ground renovates itself under our feet!
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