What Previous Career Makes for a Great Real Estate Agent?

Do you ever look at someone and have that familiar tug in the back of your mind that you know them? Is this false recognition, Déjà vu, or do you really know them? As you sit and stare at this person, you realize they have noticed your gaze. They smile and wave. You look over your shoulder to see if they might be waving at someone behind you. Now you need to say or do something, but what? We’ve all been in this awkward and sometimes embarrassing situation. You feel as though your memory is failing you and you don’t want to admit it! In the real estate business, this will not be an uncommon occurrence. Real estate is a frequent career choice for those transitioning to a new path. The person you see could be a former teacher, a firefighter, or anyone from your past who decided to make a career shift! 

U.S. News ranks “real estate agent” as the #5 job in sales and marketing jobs for 2022. The ability to create a work-life balance, the potential for growth, and the salary that is offered even for those without higher education push this career near the top of this list. Real estate is open to anyone willing to put in the work to grow their own business and help the community. This attracts many of those dissatisfied with their current professional life with hopes of freedom and promises of making dreams come true.  If you’re curious about how difficult it is to enter this career check out my blog How Hard is it to Become a Real Estate Agent.

Is real estate a good fit for everyone? No, not everyone will thrive in real estate. We’ve all heard the saying “my job is so easy a monkey could do it!” Well, that saying doesn’t apply to real estate, unless the monkey has its real estate license and received good training, of course. To be a successful real estate agent, you must reflect on your character and interests to decide if this career will be a good fit. Real estate is an on-the-go career, meaning you need to be flexible and ready to change your plans quickly.

Depending on the state of the market, if you don’t act fast enough, you may have cost your client their dream home. Speaking of clients, this career is one for extroverts! You will need to have very strong communication skills and you will be using them all the time. You will need to be in close communication with your clients, other agents, and the many, many people who work behind the scenes to buy and sell homes.

Not only do you need to be good at communicating, but you also need to be good at listening. You need to hear what people literally and figuratively are trying to say. It would be great if we all said exactly what we meant, however that’s not reality. You have to be able to hear a client say they have 4 dogs and understand that a backyard will most likely be a priority for them.

Think Realty has a list of 5 Qualities of a Good Realtor that goes into more depth on this subject. If you like harsh truth, Forbes lists Three Truths You Must Understand Before Becoming a Real Estate Agent, telling you some of the ways people can prepare themselves for this career.

As someone shifting from another career, you stand to bring valuable experience that might not be easily gained by those who have only had 1 career. Any customer service experience is extremely helpful. No matter what your job is, you will always have to deal with people who don’t see eye to eye with you. With this background, you bring the skills to convince people to do something they may be skeptical or hesitant to do.

You also bring skills that allow you to remain calm, even when others are beginning to escalate their feelings. Many careers would have provided you with skills in problem-solving. Teachers are constantly problem-solving and creating quick diversions, giving them a leg up when needing to come up with creative ways to solve problems. Anyone who has assisted in running a small business will have a plethora of skills as they attempt to build their new real estate business. The list is endless of skills that are helpful when transitioning to real estate. No matter your age and experience, real estate could provide the change you need. Shift happens, don’t be afraid to try something new!



For additional advice and tips as you enter the real estate profession, browse the Real Estate Career Corner section Where to Start.