[Stormspirit]

Been looking to get into this career path.

Was wondering if anyone got experience or know someone that does that can chime in regarding the courses, start up fees, how to get into a broker, how hard is it to get sales competing with 40 year olds who's been in the game for many years?

[6793026]

^ how young are you, what languages do you speak and what are your goals.

my family are 2 realtors, surviving. My buddy is a great realtor, he's 28 and he cracker 250k this yr (only June right now). Then there are the famous people who are making 500k and you'll be sure to recognize the names of them.

You'll also learn that only 10% of the realtors make it past their 3 yr.

[Ulic Qel-Droma]

start by getting your licence.

[nma]

Been looking to get into this career path.

Was wondering if anyone got experience or know someone that does that can chime in regarding the courses, start up fees, how to get into a broker, how hard is it to get sales competing with 40 year olds who's been in the game for many years?

I've just started this journey.

1k to take your exam. After you pass, 1k for post licensing classes to get license. After you pass, $1,200 to get your license, this fee also involves your errors and omissions insurance. Brokerages vary but the one I chose is $100 a month with a 10% deal fee. Best way to get started is to NOT get your license yet. Try and get hired as an assistant somewhere..... Make sure you actually want to do this, and can survive in the industry. It's best if you know someone in the industry, otherwise pretty tough to get started.

Like any business, you wont profit unless you get it rolling. There is no get rich quick scheme unless your parents know a tonne of rich people who would love to give you their listings, or buy a shit load of property.

[alwayslive]

Personally, I'm not a real estate agent. But I would love to get into it as a career as well. I think that as with all sales jobs, it's all about your mentality and the way you approach the job. If you're an extremely driven and self motivated individual then I think you'll do well. Just make sure you are able to get return clientele and also don't try to make a quick buck or else you'll never get any referrals. Currently I'm getting into different sales and marketing jobs to learn the skills that I'll need later on as an agent. But definitely do what nma suggested and try to become an assistant to an agent first, it might be completely different than you think.

[Drow]

personally i think real estate agents get paid way too much for such a task

brb being the representative for selling your house

brb someone wants to buy, realtor gets fat cut for doing minimal work

sure, i'd probably see the value in someone helping you sell your house in a really stagnant market... but in a market such as vancouver pffft, the house sells itself. brb 30k cheque out of nowhere.

[Energy]

I was driving in North Van during rush hour today and was stuck in traffic so I had the chance to notice that every bus and bench I saw had an ad for a real estate agent.

On some buses there were two ads for two different real estate agents! The market must be really good for them right now.

[GabAlmighty]

personally i think real estate agents get paid way too much for such a task

brb being the representative for selling your house

brb someone wants to buy, realtor gets fat cut for doing minimal work

sure, i'd probably see the value in someone helping you sell your house in a really stagnant market... but in a market such as vancouver pffft, the house sells itself. brb 30k cheque out of nowhere.

I was driving in North Van during rush hour today and was stuck in traffic so I had the chance to notice that every bus and bench I saw had an ad for a real estate agent.

On some buses there were two ads for two different real estate agents! The market must be really good for them right now.

What Drow said. They don't really have to do much work, the houses sell themselves. Especially in the suburbs here where most houses are around the 800/900 mark and people are paying above asking for them.

But, if you have at the drive and determination it's an excellent career. I've thought about it a few times.

[nma]

There are some pretty ignorant responses, as expected... Everyone thinks their job is the hardest, while other jobs are easy. I'll leave it at that, because saying anything more is kind of a waste of time.. People are usually set on their views.

But in terms of income, you're oblivious if you think these guys just rake in mad profit. Only a few TOP guys, like in any industry, get paid the big bucks. See how much you actually get paid after you pay all your expenses, and calculate the hours you've worked.

But then again everyone on RS knows everything, so nvm

Good luck on your journey!

[GabAlmighty]

Not sure if you're referring to me or not nma, i'm literally paraphrasing what my realtor said haha. Not taking away the work required, there's still time to be invested no doubt.

[nma]

Not sure if you're referring to me or not nma, i'm literally paraphrasing what my realtor said haha. Not taking away the work required, there's still time to be invested no doubt.

Right now it's an easier time, and some agents are living on a dream cloud. However, if you do make a career out of this, you get to see all the variance involved. Kind of like what the oil guys are experiencing right now.

I don't know why any realtor would say that it's easy and shit sells by it self. Of course some of it does, but that doesn't take away from the need of a good agent to achieve your goals. It pays it self.

That being said, it is much more important to get a great agent when you're purchasing property, as opposed to selling it.

The way Drow phrases it makes it seem like any dude can go out there make a few quick bucks. That is far from the truth. Those guys getting those great listings worked their asses off for years to get to where they are now. Those who are lucky to make a few quick bucks, likely wont last long in the industry. Loads of agents go busto real quick.

The agents who get the real good listings usually give a pretty generous cut on commission. Once they pay their fees, taxes, and expenses, you would honestly be really surprised with their net profit.

[Drow]

I dont discount the work necessary to get to where they were. Realtors that start from scratch get zero business unless u know the world. It takes hard work to build a pipeline.

But srsly lol take any mini-mansion richmond home. List a decent price and pair it with any agent u want, offers will start coming in whether its listed by the agents where u see 100x of their faces plastered all bus benches, or an agent who just started the gig.

In vancouver's real estate market, it just feels to me like choosing an agent to sell your house is like choosing who to randomly give a slice of your sales proceeds to.

One thing i find really weird is why realtors get % commissions for the sale versus flat fee. Just because the property is worth more? Does it justify that selling a home for 800,000 versus selling another for 1600000 is almost double the commission? Sure maybe mansions have a smaller market, but perhaps a higher flat fee versus just plain %.

For mortgage brokers, i can justify the % commission they get. Their job is to bring mortgage volume to their institutions. Of course the higher amount u bring in would justify a % in commission... Whereas realtors theyre not really providing any actual "resource", the deal is between a buyer and seller and theyre just there to faciliate that transaction and theyre getting paid % commission lol

[nma]

I dont discount the work necessary to get to where they were. Realtors that start from scratch get zero business unless u know the world. It takes hard work to build a pipeline.

But srsly lol take any mini-mansion richmond home. List a decent price and pair it with any agent u want, offers will start coming in whether its listed by the agents where u see 100x of their faces plastered all bus benches, or an agent who just started the gig.

In vancouver's real estate market, it just feels to me like choosing an agent to sell your house is like choosing who to randomly give a slice of your sales proceeds to.

One thing i find really weird is why realtors get % commissions for the sale versus flat fee. Just because the property is worth more? Does it justify that selling a home for 800,000 versus selling another for 1600000 is almost double the commission? Sure maybe mansions have a smaller market, but perhaps a higher flat fee versus just plain %.

For mortgage brokers, i can justify the % commission they get. Their job is to bring mortgage volume to their institutions. Of course the higher amount u bring in would justify a % in commission... Whereas realtors theyre not really providing any actual "resource", the deal is between a buyer and seller and theyre just there to faciliate that transaction and theyre getting paid % commission lol


People are free to sell their houses without an agent, yet they choose to use one.. There must be a reason? lol.. While I do understand where you're coming from, your view on this only brushes the surface of the hardships and difficulties involved in this industry.

[tiger_handheld]

People are free to sell their houses without an agent, yet they choose to use one.. There must be a reason? lol.. While I do understand where you're coming from, your view on this only brushes the surface of the hardships and difficulties involved in this industry.

I think that reason is access to MLS. When was the last time you bought a house by looking at craigslist? If individuals were allowed to list on MLS with standard criteria, then the need for r/e would be slim.

An agent is a convenience pretty much - get them to do the leg work of booking appts, showing appts, n for that someone has to pay.

[SumAznGuy]

People are free to sell their houses without an agent, yet they choose to use one.. There must be a reason?

I think that reason is access to MLS. When was the last time you bought a house by looking at craigslist? If individuals were allowed to list on MLS with standard criteria, then the need for r/e would be slim.

An agent is a convenience pretty much - get them to do the leg work of booking appts, showing appts, n for that someone has to pay.

No offense to anyone that is a realtor, but the "code" is strong between them.
They will not openly admit to it, but they are all against owners selling their own homes. Heck, they are against those 1% realtors because commission is their lively hood.

That being said, I also understand it from a realtor's point of view.
For everything that they help sell or buy, it's not just them that get's paid.
They work for a company that takes a cut.
They have assistants that need to get paid.
Marketing, staging a home.
Insurance, licensing to be a realtor. MLS listing fees.

And while things are going great now, eventually the market will slow down so they are not going to be printing money forever.

[aj94]

I'm not an agent myself, but my dad is. One thing I can say is, it takes hard work and insane dedication. Just like any other business, you start with nothing and have to build your own reputation.

Most people trust agents that have been around for a while just because it seems like the best bet. Try becoming an agent and convincing someone to list their house with you as your first listing, chances are it won't happen.

For this reason I don't discredit any experienced agents even if their job seems like a piece of cake. We see all the good stuff but not the years of work that go in to achieving that freedom. How many CEOs actually work a 9-5, probably not very many. In the same way, each agent should be looked at as an individual business, aside from the firm they choose to represent.

To answer the OPs question, its not cheap and will not be a walk in the park. In a market like Vancouver you're looking at tons of competition but if you bust your ass and make people notice you, you can definitely succeed.

[6793026]

holy fuck .... some :rukidding: responses

1) Go buy a property without an agent and try to sell a house without one.
a) good luck reading all the minutes from the apartment and knowing what to look out for esp. from contingency funds and future tenant chipping in to fix leaks and stuff.
b) Now go sell your house with your own sign out your front door. God knows how you're going to protect yourself with the contracts.

2) I personally am looking for 30-100 arces of land to build something. 90% of the land are NOT on the market AND with a 10 yr plan to build a business center, mall or entertainment center etc, you need to buy something that is zoned properly.

eg// I just bought a blueberry farm in surrey and richmond, what do you mean I can't build 3 houses with a 15 car garage and a gun range? Everything has to be zoned properly and it takes 2 yrs to get municipality approval.

Only 10% of realtors get to stay in the business after the 1st few years.

Here's a great example: You are new in the market versus. Mr / Mrs Realtor of the year Medallion club winner with over 25 years of experience. Please explain to me why I should let YOU sell my house when both of you charge the same commission. Why wouldn't I give someone with much better network than you?

*please don't say you'll willing to charge cheaper commission....

[Drow]

@ the realtor responses ITT.

Im not discrediting the years of hard work and dedication to build your customer base. All im saying is that it shouldnt be % commission, but a flat fee. Maybe a higher flat fee for more expensive houses.

BRB MAKE 30K SELLING YOUR HOME

[quasi]

The problem is that although housing prices are probably 5 times higher (just a guesstimate) then they were 25 years ago on average Realtor's commissions haven't adjusted to reflect that. I wouldn't argue that it's not more beneficial then not to use a Realtor but I will argue all day that they are being over paid for what they do industry wide.

If I was selling in this market right now I'd go with one of those 1% Realtor companies first and see if that closed the deal, most stuff on my block is selling in 3-5 days right now. If it was a tougher market I'd buck up for someone to market and show my place, at least they'd have to work for their money. If I remember right the average Realtor charges something like 7% on the first 100 then 3.5 after? Even on my cookie cutter property in the burbs that's $25,000 and in this market it's at most 30 days work but probably less. Anyone who doesn't see a problem with that is either an idiot a Realtor or a relative/spouse of Realtor.

[SkinnyPupp]

I'm not an agent myself, but my dad is. One thing I can say is, it takes hard work and insane dedication. Just like any other business, you start with nothing and have to build your own reputation.

Most people trust agents that have been around for a while just because it seems like the best bet. Try becoming an agent and convincing someone to list their house with you as your first listing, chances are it won't happen.

For this reason I don't discredit any experienced agents even if their job seems like a piece of cake. We see all the good stuff but not the years of work that go in to achieving that freedom. How many CEOs actually work a 9-5, probably not very many. In the same way, each agent should be looked at as an individual business, aside from the firm they choose to represent.

To answer the OPs question, its not cheap and will not be a walk in the park. In a market like Vancouver you're looking at tons of competition but if you bust your ass and make people notice you, you can definitely succeed.
So basically it's hard, but the hard part isn't the buying or selling, but making people think they need you and not someone else.

[Drow]

The problem is that although housing prices are probably 5 times higher (just a guesstimate) then they were 25 years ago on average Realtor's commissions haven't adjusted to reflect that. I wouldn't argue that it's not more beneficial then not to use a Realtor but I will argue all day that they are being over paid for what they do industry wide.

If I was selling in this market right now I'd go with one of those 1% Realtor companies first and see if that closed the deal, most stuff on my block is selling in 3-5 days right now. If it was a tougher market I'd buck up for someone to market and show my place, at least they'd have to work for their money. If I remember right the average Realtor charges something like 7% on the first 100 then 3.5 after? Even on my cookie cutter property in the burbs that's $25,000 and in this market it's at most 30 days work but probably less. Anyone who doesn't see a problem with that is either an idiot a Realtor or a relative/spouse of Realtor.

Finally. Someone who fckin gets it. Thanks for your post, unlike some ignorant posts ITT who justifies charging ridiculous % commission, taking chunks of YOUR property for listing and selling, which at max probably should cost less than 6-7k

When will ppl wake up and not do something blindly just because its the norm?

[tiger_handheld]

Here's a great example: You are new in the market versus. Mr / Mrs Realtor of the year Medallion club winner with over 25 years of experience. Please explain to me why I should let YOU sell my house when both of you charge the same commission. Why wouldn't I give someone with much better network than you?

*please don't say you'll willing to charge cheaper commission....


Because the first year shmuk will work their ass off unlike Mr.Medallion who likley has 5-6 1st years as "assistants" who know absolute jack all about the property you are looking at. The popular you are, the less face time you get with the actual client. I hated going to listing that said "By: Mr.Medallion & Team Realty."

Disclosure: I'm not a realtor, just in the market for a place and this is what've ive noticed as a customer.

[Bonka]

If you don't like the amount of commission you have to pay, cross out the space where they have it pre-printed and fill in what you think they're worth and initial it.

Just because the "standard" is 7/2.5 doesn't mean you have to grudgingly accept it than bitch about it online. There will be many agents out there more than willing to do it for less.

I really like the Redfin model in the states. Not just the remuneration structure for agents, but the amount of information the public has access to on property info.

[6793026]

^ yup. fully agree. You get to see the guy ONCE and that's it. They get the job done quicker with the network.

Does anyone work on commission or tips here? Would you go to a 5 star restaurant and after a meal you say, DANG, the dish you carried out and the experience is the same as if I was at a 2 star restaurant. I'm going to mandate since you're a 5 star restaurant, you should be capped at 8% tip instead of the norm of 15%.

I have not seen a deal that doesn't involve the realtor cutting commission.

I have heard about the 1% company. Look at it this way.
a) Mr. famous realtor has a 5 page ad + personal website with literally 10+ calls an hr with people inquiring about all his listings.
b) Mr. 1 % who's doesn't post my listing on any of the newspaper ad or anything online.

Haven't we heard of the "you get what you pay for?" I'm not a realtor by the way.

[SkinnyPupp]

So far nobody has made a single compelling argument for why realtors should get more than 1% commission, if that.

If they want to buy a 5 page ad and answer 10 calls a day, that's to their own benefit, not anyone else's. It just means they're making more sales pitches. Why would that be worth more cost to sellers?

[Manic!]

@ the realtor responses ITT.

Im not discrediting the years of hard work and dedication to build your customer base. All im saying is that it shouldnt be % commission, but a flat fee. Maybe a higher flat fee for more expensive houses.

BRB MAKE 30K SELLING YOUR HOME

Why should someone selling a Condo for 250K pay the same as someone selling a property costing 500K?

[Drow]

Does selling a property that is 500k vs 250k justify a big commission increase? Is there an additional set amount of workload required due to the difference in price?

[6793026]

^ very legit question.

Does a lamborghini mechanic versus a honda mechanic justify different salary based on the brand of car they service? I say yes, and easily people can say "cause they have to invest more to get the certifications and training" I respect that.

Is there an additional set amount of workload required due to the difference in price? Technically, not really. A car is just a car.

Look at car washes, why should I pay more for a car wash from Honda versus a Lambo. a car is just a car. Why should i pay for to wash super cars.

I've sold $50 Nokia 3390 phone at kiosks, I've sold high end million dollar software, I've sold servers which was 600k list price, I've seen realtors who is trying to sell me 70 million dollars worth of land right now. Commission is always based on % of business I bring in, never a flat rate.

So yeah, "it's just a stupid norm". My question is then, what WOULD justify YOU to pay for value (= bigger commission).

[Drow]

^ very legit question.

Does a lamborghini mechanic versus a honda mechanic justify different salary based on the brand of car they service? I say yes, and easily people can say "cause they have to invest more to get the certifications and training" I respect that.

Is there an additional set amount of workload required due to the difference in price? Technically, not really. A car is just a car.

Look at car washes, why should I pay more for a car wash from Honda versus a Lambo. a car is just a car. Why should i pay for to wash super cars.

I've sold $50 Nokia 3390 phone at kiosks, I've sold high end million dollar software, I've sold servers which was 600k list price, I've seen realtors who is trying to sell me 70 million dollars worth of land right now. Commission is always based on % of business I bring in, never a flat rate.

So yeah, "it's just a stupid norm". My question is then, what WOULD justify YOU to pay for value (= bigger commission).

Washing supercars vs washing a honda has a different set of workload. Supercars need to be taken care of more delicate and carefully. Selling a property 250k vs 500k has abt the same workload as selling a 250k home on street A vs. Selling another 250k home on street B. Youre just describing a different properties with different attributes. Doesnt take significantly different work.

[quasi]

^ Agree, I think the argument would make more sense if you were comparing Chip Wilson's 50 million dollar mansion to a 250K apartment, obviously a lot more work as the market for a home like that is tiny and global as opposed to regional. I can't see much difference work wise for the Realtor selling a 250K home or a 500K home.

[sonick]

Does selling a property that is 500k vs 250k justify a big commission increase? Is there an additional set amount of workload required due to the difference in price?

It's not about the commission amount, rather the motivation. If you are a seller of course you would want your agent working for you to get the highest value for your property.

If it's a flat fee, what's to prevent an agent from just giving into the first offer and not working to get you a better offer? With commission there's an incentive for them to negotiate back instead of making the easy sale.

[nma]

I love how this turned in to a debate regarding commission. Lmao. Poor OP.. You guys are a bit mis-informed. Everything looks easy when you brush the surface, but when you actually go and do something it becomes much more difficult. Market your property as you wish, pay whatever you think is fair, just don't complain when things don't turn out the way you thought they would. It is honestly completely your choice.

[will068]

personally i think real estate agents get paid way too much for such a task

brb being the representative for selling your house

brb someone wants to buy, realtor gets fat cut for doing minimal work

sure, i'd probably see the value in someone helping you sell your house in a really stagnant market... but in a market such as vancouver pffft, the house sells itself. brb 30k cheque out of nowhere.


That's the beauty of a free market. In this case, just find a very competent Realtor who is willing to sacrifice their commission.

Just like any profession, people will criticize other professions as being overpaid <insert any profession here>. At the end of the end of the day, if someone is paying for such service/solution, someone out there is willing to consciously pay big money because they think it's worth it.

[nma]

Yay. Someone who gets it.

[miss_crayon]

Been in the business since 2006 and I get major hate because of what I do. But to each their own opinion (and I take no offense if there are members here who don't believe in the use of an agent) and I'll just touchbase on the original OP's question. What's it like to be an agent. Here's my experience so far:

Life sucked for the first 3-4 years or so. I despised what I did and I think at the time I only did it because my dad was one of the first Asian agents in the business (and well respected) working with some of the biggest developers in the city and from what it looked like, it looked like fast/easy money. Wrong. (His experience is really another story in itself, but to make a long story short..I barely saw my dad as a child/teen because he hustled so hard. I respect and love my dad so much and I am so thankful to have him as my mentor)


For the first 2 years I luckily had a salary from a developer that I was working for. However, I really wasted my time not paying attention on sales techniques, and building a network for myself because I ended up being let go when the market crashed in 08. So then I had to figure out what to do and I decide to get my license and work as my dad's assistant.

I spent thousands on my license, desk fees, classes etc but I rarely got a listing on my own because I was lazy and told myself that clients would come to me. I sucked, and it didn't help with my confidence. Plus, I was going up against agents who had years of experience and a huge network behind them. Money became tight as I had to pay a desk fee every month ($200+) and other real estate board fees. And with no real money coming in, I felt like a complete loser that I had to constantly depend on my dad and his business partner with their success. They say the turn over of an agent is on average 2 years because a lot realize they can't keep up with the demands of fees/bills when no income is coming in. Realistically, a new agent that could sell 5-6 homes within a year is actually not bad if they have little to no experience. I know so many that had to take up a second job to stay afloat. If you don't hustle, it ain't going to work.

In 09/10 that's when I really turned my life around and took more initiative with actually learning about the appreciation of this business (what makes real estate work, what's the market like, what makes buying/selling a home rewarding?), doing showings, open houses, and just networking with the people around me as well the pros in the business. This business is TOUGH and with the competition some agents can be real nasty because they don't want you to beat them out (with a client etc), but there are some that are really eager and supportive to you growing as an agent. There are a lot of assholes out there but there are also a lot of genuine people who want to have a relationship with you because one day you guys might have to work on a deal together and etc.

I really took that time to learn from my dad and his business partner because I realized if I didn't spend this time wisely, I wasn't going to make it even if I did have a loved one showing me the ropes. I spent 4 years working with my dad and learning the ins and outs of being an agent and what real estate entails. It wasn't easy and by far probably the hardest years of my professional life trying to make a name for myself and not just "my dad's" daughter. But it paid off because last April I started working for a great developer and I've been selling one of Vancouver's largest presale communities ever since. I no longer work with my dad and to finally be able to get noticed as a professional in the industry and actually being able to fulfill someone's goal to own a home (whether it is a first time home buyer, downsizer, a parent who wants to provide a space for their kids etc) is like no other feeling. I know this sounds soooo cheesey and all that, but many who started out as clients now see me as a friend and someone who they can trust. I get calls from little grandma's/moms/dads/ sometimes just to chat about the market or to even just to see how I'm doing.

I think to become an agent, you really need to ask yourself are you able to not get paid for months at a time but still work like a dog? Will you have obligations that require steady income? Is this an impulse idea? Will you actually like to stay in the business for the long haul? Do you just want to be an agent because you think it'll be easy money? Are you a people person? Do you enjoy helping people buy/sell their first home/childhood home? Can you handle the pressure of asshole clients? Do you even LOVE real estate as a whole?

I often get customers walking through my site and asking me how I like my job and if I think they should change their careers cause they have manager-type experience in retail or something sales-y. I ask them what is it that they like about real estate that makes them want to change careers? And 99% of them say money. Obviously, money is an integral part of this business but you actually have to love it too.

Sorry for the long post. I love what I do, and I could go on about how much I love it. But again, I completely understand why there are people who dislike what we do but just know, there are those who do have your best interest at heart. Not all of us is out to only get your money.

So OP (and any others thinking about joining the business), if this is really what interests you..then go for it. I wish you all the best of luck and who knows..maybe we'll work on a deal together one of these days ;)


PS. Forgot to mention, language is an asset. I speak fluent Cantonese and I'm finally brushing up on my Mandarin after years of avoiding it as a child. I should have listened to my mom. Like really. You just gotta do what you gotta do to make yourself stand out from the rest.

[6793026]

^ i almost had a tear in my eye. ahhahah. bravo for stepping up and sharing.

Probably worthy of another thread and being all serious, has it been tough being a superwoman. I'm asking this because my gf also works in a developer. With all the networking, realtor dinners and working 12 hr days for 10 days during launch is great for her career, her work life balance is taking a huge hit.

I do not know how others are able to maintain a family let alone make that transition
to have a family. It's not uncommon to see a lot of failed marriages ...

[nma]

Nice summary Crayon, pretty much hit the nail on the head. Great contribution.

[miss_crayon]

^ i almost had a tear in my eye. ahhahah. bravo for stepping up and sharing.

Probably worthy of another thread and being all serious, has it been tough being a superwoman. I'm asking this because my gf also works in a developer. With all the networking, realtor dinners and working 12 hr days for 10 days during launch is great for her career, her work life balance is taking a huge hit.

I do not know how others are able to maintain a family let alone make that transition
to have a family. It's not uncommon to see a lot of failed marriages ...

Thanks everyone for the support!

To answer your question, YES. My work life+personal life clashes in more ways than ever but luckily I have a partner who understands my job can be demanding and that I often work long hours (and sometimes out of the blue). I'm also very fortunate that he understands my want to make an even larger presence of myself in this business. People actually joke all the time that being an agent is perfect for women because it gives their men much needed "man-space," and if you're a woman dating/marrying a male agent....good luck. LOL.

Right now I'm in launch mode and I pretty much will be working 7 days a week starting September 15th until....the unforeseeable future. It's just the nature of the business with realtor events, meetings with our developers/sales team/marketing etc, sales training for the upcoming launch, public events, city events etc etc. With my site, we open everyday (including Fridays) and we are one of the only developments that do.

I often go into work even on my days off, and even if I do get a "day-off" it's usually spent chatting on the phone with buyers/agents or taking private lessons with my Chinese tutor. On top of that, I do follow ups with emails every night before I go to bed. The past 1.5 years I've barely did any resale because I've been so busy with my project alone.

Another thing that can be a downfall is travelling. I've been trying to get away on a real holiday with my guy for the past year or so and trying to find the right time is really hard. The best times really should be around this time to November or around February to May, but these are probably the WORST months for me to leave because the market is usually the most busy. And when I can leave, it can get quite busy for my guy because he's in construction project management and the warmer months is when his industry goes at it the hardest. So trying to find a balance on certain things can be quite difficult.

My days can get really long and sometimes it just really sucks to not be able to see my guy, especially if I'm having a sucky day or just missing him in general. But like I mentioned in the previous post, I love what I do. With any other career, it takes a lot of hard work to really be successful in both their work life and personal life. It's just trying to find that balance between the two of you. Keep a discussion going, go on dates, cherish the moments you do have together, and most importantly, remind them of the good job they're doing (even if you have no clue what their day is like etc). Sometimes this job (or any job) can burn us out REAL quick, and a simple "I'm proud of you," or "you're doing such a good job," is the best thing we can hear all day. Especially if we're dealing with soul suckers. LOL.

[dat_steve]

Sometimes this job (or any job) can burn us out REAL quick, and a simple "I'm proud of you," or "you're doing such a good job," is the best thing we can hear all day. Especially if we're dealing with soul suckers. LOL.

very VERY true. it's easy to let yourself be blinded by negativity and forget that a shit day is only "shit" for as long as you hold onto said "shit". take some time to pat yourselves on the back once in a while people! :victory:

(not an agent myself, just a fellow rat racer)

[TomSmith]

Well, I am Tom and recently moved in Toronto from NYC due to my job transfer presently looking for an affordable apartment in Toronto. If someone can suggest me some trust-able agents who can provide an apartment rapidly as well as in negotiate value then please leave your massage.

[CamiloGomez]

Hello Tom I have suggestion for you i am Latin American but last 3 years i am living in Toronto I bought an apartment in m city last year and i must say in this case i estimate myself so fortunate when i met them I bought a condo in m city this condos situated in Mississauga with beautiful luxurious interior as well as near of market and prices of this condos are so affordable as a foreigner I can understand your trust issue but I have a good experiences with m city condo agent you can check out here. M City Condos By Ted Rogers Communications Company (http://mcitycondosvips.ca)

[punkwax]

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dr-evil-right.gif

[Mr.HappySilp]

Friend is a real estate agent and the part where you don't have a steady income is true. She works full time but sometimes she wouldn't have any sales for months. But I think she is doing decent so far. Decent not great. It can be tough seeing no money coming in but you have to pay bills every month. Is not something I would like. I like a steady income every month.

Is not for everyone you have to be very out going, smart, able to pick up small details, great at connections.