ADVICE TO A FRIEND...

Great advice-he needs to dedicate himself the the choice to make it happen.

Ken - it is good advice for someone who is hungry, however it is difficult to split your time between two jobs. For me, this is a full time career.

I am with Eric on this one.  If he cannot devote his time full time I dont want to get one of his offers that needs lots of help to go through.  Pick one or the other sometimes the hungriest realtors are the most productive and sharp ones out there.  He will suffer for a little bit until he gets his feet off the ground.

An agent working nights does not seem so bad. He can still respond to offers. If he is working 4 days a week in the office now, I doubt he change in hours will affect him.

It is tought to do real estate and something else; however sometimes very necessary.

Hi Ken ~ I burned through 10s of thousands of dollars when I was starting in real estate - in a much better time.  While I do tend to think it's always best to do this full or more than full time, I think it's really hard right now to survive as a new agent.  Your advice is very good *if* the agent can really really focus during the time he's doing real estate work.

Liz

Ken-I think you gave great advice to this new agent, I once worked with a new agent that also was a waiter, and in time he was able to quit his waiter job and is now a full time successful Realtor.

Hi Ken ~ Your advice should help the new agent quite a bit. His waiter job makes him happy, he is earning money and being around people is a great way to market, if he wishes, real estate!

Hi Ken!
You did your friend a great service...mainly because he is doing something he loves and earns good money from.  If this is the case, there is nothing wrong with a career in it. There are a couple of restaurants I go to that has had the same waiters for over 20 years.  I love going in there and having them help us...and they must love it because there are intelligent men who could do something else!

Hi Ken... it's a tough call for me to make for someone else... I can see benefits/opportunities in both scenarios.  The bottom line is that each agent knows his/her own financial situation and how he/she works best.  I think your advice shows a lot of thought and logic.  My advice would be to your colleague would be to do what feels right based on his circumstances.

I would have given him that advice also. I own a hair salon and know it is possible to do both. Why? Being a waitress or being a salon owner we come in contact with up to 50-70 people a day and can talk real estate to many, Some full time agents sit at their dest and wonder why they are not busy. My reply is get social.....go where there is people and talk real estate.

Ken--I have to say spend more time doing real estate.  This is not a part time business, however a few part timers have been successful.  I know a waitress who wears her real estate name badge when she waits tables and picks up clients on the two night she works.

I quit my full time teaching job and worked twice as many hours getting my real estate career off the ground.

Each person has to find what works for them.  I wish him the best.

Hi Ken,

I can see both sides of this one but sitting in the office with other agents isn't going to make your colleague any money unless he is prospecting.

Working nights could be dual purpose for now.  Make some money plus social network.  He really is prospecting as he is talking to people and that is what we are supposed to do on a regular basis.

I don't know if his boss would be too happy about him passing his cards out to everyone but I'm sure he hears lots of "real estate" conversations.

Being hungry for some agents may be motivating but for others it can cause anxiety and depression.

If he listens to you he might go all the way.  It is great that you are helping him.  Thanks for sharing and I wish you the best.

Ken,

I think your advice was great. I liked the idea you gave about spending one night's earnings on marketing. What a fabulous idea.  Good luck to your friend.