I started in this business with big dreams and a very shallow bank account and decided that if I'm going to make it in this business with very little to put towards marketing myself, I had to be VERY smart and VERY careful.
I sit on a committee with other Rookie's of the Year at my local Realtor board and we all told our horror stories of how much money we spent to get started, I thought I was bad with a total of about $5000, but to hear my fellow "rookie" say he spent over $20,000 just to get started...I thought, I have to do something!!! I have to tell all the other new licencees about the pitfalls of getting into real estate and getting roped into these grand schemes to help them make money...when really it was the companies luring them in to make a sweet dollar for themselves.
I received my license in October of 2008 and not long after, started getting calls from websites, printing companies, title companies, you name it, they were calling. At first I felt valued, but then after a couple coffee meetings and lunches I started to wise up to the fact that, these people didn't truly want to help me and help me get started, I was just an appointment they needed to schedule in order to "make contacts with realtors". This time could have been better spent marketing myself to people who would possibly utilize my services in the future, some of these companies have over 1000 real estate agents they could contact at anytime, my job should have been to make them choose me over any of the 1000! I know that now, but I didn't when I was being "wooed".
Almost anyone can take a test to get their license, but not everyone can survive the economy and the task marketing yourself to people, convincing them that you are the perfect person for the job and that you will run circles around all the other agents out there.
That doesn't take a lot of money,
it takes
heart,
drive,
and a willingness to be defeated every now and then.
It takes
passion, commitment, and the strong desire to succeed.
I'm glad my $5000 was on the low end. I survived, I won an award from my peers, and I have the love and support of my sphere! Now, I want to educate, for free, on what has worked and what hasn't for ME and over the next few weeks. They may be long blogs, they may be short, but they will be here nonetheless.
I hope that my fellow Rookie's to real estate will welcome my advise and know that my intentions are just to look out for those who are starting, and maybe even those who have made the same mistakes. We're all in this crazy business together and we are like one big family. I look forward to your comments and get ready!!!
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