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A Real Estate Career Part time?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with WebTech Dezine, Gabrielle Jeans Real Estate Coach

The debate about whether people should be allowed to be real estate professionals on a part time basis rages on. What interests me about this issue isn’t so much who’s right and who’s wrong but what motivates the points of view from either side.  I believe when we look closely at the people arguing against part-timers we find they’re usually motivated by self-interest borne out of their own waning competitive edge in this business.  They mask their elitist, anti-competitive views in essentially hollow rhetoric.

real estate career gabrielle jeansPeople on the “no” or “nay” side of the question usually stereotype part-time real estate professionals.  To the nay sayers all part-timers are lazy, know little about real estate, rely on getting business from friends and family, and price their services low to undercut competitors.  Therefore, the nay sayers think all part timers are stealing business from the full-timers and not serving their clients or the general public well.

I lean toward agreeing with the nay sayers during periods of the real estate market where this part-timer stereotype is often found in reality.  During the recent boom in the real estate market (especially in the US) and with a seller’s market and plenty of buyers to go around, naturally this type of market will attract the “something for nothing” people.  It attracts the people who (like real estate or stock market speculators) jump in when times are great in hopes of making a quick buck with little effort.

But now, with the market having shifted over to the buyer side, it ups the ante for all real estate professionals and forces them to improve themselves to stay competitive in the business.  This naturally weeds out most of the “something for nothing” part-timers who never had a competitive advantage to begin with other than a booming market that would inevitably settle down.  When the gravy train stops, professionalism and expertise comes back to the fore.

I know from experience that it’s exceedingly difficult to start a new business from scratch, especially without any prior experience in the field and limited funds to back yourself personally along with your new venture.  That’s why starting out part-time is a great way to go.  Being self-employed full time is so different from being employed by someone else and so much more difficult that so many people need to go through a transition process, a weaning process from dependency to independency in every sense you can imagine.

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Comments (35)

Laura Sargent
Carolina One Real Estate - Mount Pleasant, SC

If you love real estate, represent your client's best interest, and meet or beat all contract deadlines then I don't care how many hours you work or what else you do.  Communication is important and with smart phones easier and easier.

Jul 06, 2011 11:39 PM
Morris Massre
Pembroke Pines, FL
Real Estate Instructor Broward County Florida

I don't like it and never did.  It cuts into the living that the real realtors are tryingn to make. 

Jul 06, 2011 11:51 PM
Carolyn Nelson
Realty One Carolina, LLC - Burlington, NC
Your Triangle to Triad Real Estate Expert!
I know full timers that have one closing every few months and part timers that close 5+ closings a month and provide excellent services. It is in the delivery of service and not the status. Many of the part timers I know are tech savvy and know how to deliver top service with professionalism without skipping a beat partly due to having the right people on the team. Once again, delivery. I know full timers that refuse to grow and work smarter. Failure looms
Jul 07, 2011 12:01 AM
Joy Daniels
Joy Daniels Real Estate Group, Ltd. - Harrisburg, PA

I had some very negative thoughts about part time realtors.  Then I hired one. . . she is a hard worker and does almost as much part time as many full time realtors.  She doesn't have children or a husband. . . so it works.  What I have also found is she isn't around much, so she hasn't after 1 year become "part of the team" and there have been a few times when I get frustrated calls from other agents or clients during the times when she is working and can't communicate . . . there are definitely pros and cons - as with all situations.

Jul 07, 2011 12:38 AM
Donald Reich
Madison Specs - New Rochelle, NY
Cost Segregation Specialist

If you are going to be 'part time' you still need to be reachable by phone and email 'full time', otherwise you will find it much harder to put deals together. Stay abreast of everything that is going on in the market place and know everything that a full time agent knows.

 

Yesterday I had a part time agent show one of my listings, and he couldn't figure out how to use the lockbox!

Jul 07, 2011 01:10 AM
Waynette Hoover Araj
Keller Williams Realty - Asheboro, NC
Connecting your Dreams with the Right Real Estate

I have seen those agents who, in the boom time, made money on the side. As a colleague of mine said the other day, "selling real estate used to be as easy as falling off a log." 

Not so anymore. You have to be a dedicated, motivated, organized, productive real estate machine to do a good job for your buyers and sellers. 

You can be part time, in my opinion, and make that happen. You can also be full time, and not be a machine!

It all depends on the person...

Jul 07, 2011 01:11 AM
Eileen Hsu
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON

Being a part time agent definitely will have it's pros and cons, competing with somebody who doesn't work full time in the long run you should have an advantage, but from time to time in the short run they will get their business and you will get yours.  Often I found that part time people do business from their sphere of influence, which you probably didn't have much chance of getting anyways.

Jul 07, 2011 01:55 AM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

I cannot imagine being able to represent anyone on either side of the table if you are doing it half time!

Jul 07, 2011 01:57 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Gabrielle, I've known part timers who were more productive than full time agents. Its the spare time agents who I worry about.

Jul 07, 2011 02:22 AM
Coral Gundlach
Compass - Arlington, VA
Real Lives. Not Just Real Estate.

I started part time in 2004.  I was not part time because I was holding onto another paid job, but was part time because I was a new mother and wanted to ease into working with my baby.   I did very well my first year.  Other agents who were supposedly "full time" did not put the quality or effort into their business I did, rather moped around wondering where their business was and why it was not just falling into their laps.  I continued part time and continued to grow my business until I am now full time and a top producer.   You can take whatever track you want into this business, as long as you put the proper effort into it and have the right attitude, you will succeed.

Jul 07, 2011 02:23 AM
Jonathan Dalton
Realty ONE Group - Glendale, AZ

It depends on how much effort you put into it, whether you're full, part or spare time.

Jul 07, 2011 04:35 AM
Jack O'Neal
HomeSmart Elite Group - Gilbert, AZ

Fulltime or part time is not the issue is how well they do the job and do they have a clue, what they are doing? I have seen full time agents with no clue and the same with part timers.

Jul 07, 2011 04:41 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

My belief is that there are FAR MORE full-time elitists agents and nay-sayers than their are incompetent part-timers.

I think that those who judge part-time agents are really revealing their own insecurities and looking for someone, albeit anyone to blame for their own lack of success.

Furthermore, for full timers that view part-timers as a competitive threat, it would seem that by virtue of available hours, that other full time agents would be far more a competitive threat than part time agents.

And finally, I think that those who shun their noses at part time agents have a sadistic need to elevate themselves and their value at the expense of others.

Jul 07, 2011 04:42 AM
J. Philip Faranda
Howard Hanna Rand Realty - Yorktown Heights, NY
Associate Broker / Office Manager

I am a full time broker and I run my own firm. I see both sides of this issue, but I think the real issue is not part time agents, but agents with a part time mentality. I have agents with my own firm who are not full time, yet they are excellent, and if they need help they have a broker who can fill in. 

Jul 07, 2011 05:46 AM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

There are certainly some very good and effective part time agents. Just bashing them as a group is rather unfair.

Jul 07, 2011 07:47 AM
Nancy Conner
Olympia, WA
Olympia/Thurston County WA

I think the crucial piece is whether the agent's availability and knowledge is a good match for the needs of their client and whether they are able to stay current with changing laws, rules, issues etc.  Some part timers can - and some full timers don't...

Jul 07, 2011 08:16 AM
Bill Gillhespy
16 Sunview Blvd - Fort Myers Beach, FL
Fort Myers Beach Realtor, Fort Myers Beach Agent - Homes & Condos

Hi Gabrielle,  I'm of the opinion that there are too many agents who fall short of the level of service clients should expect.  For me it has less to do with full vs part time as it does with competence and commitment ! 

Jul 07, 2011 08:42 AM
Eric Michael
Remerica Integrity, Realtors®, Northville, MI - Livonia, MI
Metro Detroit Real Estate Professional 734.564.1519

I have no problem with part time agents, as long as they're holding up their end of the deal.

This is the first thread of comments that I've seen that didn't just bash the part timers. Congrats to all of you who didn't.

Jul 07, 2011 11:19 AM
Gabrielle Jeans
WebTech Dezine, Gabrielle Jeans Real Estate Coach - Toronto, ON
Real Estate Web Solution, Real Estate Trainer and Coach

Everybody has made valid points and i am really loving the feedback. Please keep them coming.

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Jul 08, 2011 04:36 AM
Marco A. Greco
CRONE REALTY LTD., Brokerage - Hamilton, ON

I think you hit the nail on the head. The main point is that you know what you are doing, and that the client gets the service that they deserve. Thanks.

Oct 31, 2011 08:18 AM