Got the Back-to-Work Blues? Here are 10 Signs You May Destined for Real Estate!
With the first full week of 2016 nearly under our belts, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that we’ve almost made it through this seemingly never-ending week that follows the holidays. Sure, you may have hit the snooze button a few extra times and it may have taken a few days to readjust to your morning commute; but, the week is nearly over now.
If your post-holiday back-to-work hangover has been too much to bear, the New Year may be the perfect time for you consider a career in real estate. While you’re busily replying to your overloaded inbox this morning, take a minute to peruse 10 signs that you may be destined for a career in real estate:
You’ve been thinking about a new career. It’s a New Year. Most people may be making resolutions about losing weight or quitting a bad habit. If you’re unhappy with your current career or have been removed from the professional world altogether, a career in real estate could be your perfect resolution. You may be just a few courses and a licensure exam away from earning a new professional title!
You actually like helping people. And, we’re not talking about one of those trendy jewelry, skin-care or fitness multi-level marketing programs that offer benefits galore. We’re talking about really helping people. Real estate agents help people make some of the largest purchases of their lifetimes. Now, if only there were a 21-day fix for those slow closing processes!
You’ve often shown that you could work from anywhere. Seriously, anywhere. We’ve all pulled out our laptop at Starbucks, but you… you’re comfortable fielding calls and making appointments from your car while in line to pick up the kids from school. You’d gladly take an important call in the check-out line. And, yes, you’ve absolutely fallen asleep at your laptop while in bed. Therefore, you couldn’t go an hour without your cell phone… and, it MUST be a smartphone. Forget Instagram, Twitter or games like Clash of Clans. Your phone is a vital part of your everyday existence. In fact, you’ve mastered so many tasks on your phone that you’ve even questioned whether or not you need a computer anymore.
You’re a boss. You’ve always been a boss. And, you know it. Well, obviously. Being a real estate agent means that you’re your own boss. You make your own hours and put in just as much effort as you… and only you… deem necessary for success. But, don’t be confused. You have one heck of a work ethic. You realize that making your own hours may mean that you don’t work 9-5 every day, because you’re actually working from sun-up to sun-down… some days. And, you’re willing to do that. Because (see numbers 3 and 5 above), you know that you’ll reap what you sow. You’ve always wanted an unlimited earning potential. Who doesn’t, right? But, speaking seriously about reaping what you sow, in reality, a career in real estate actually can offer unlimited earnings. It’s all about the amount of work you’re willing to put in. You’ve always wanted more tax write-offs. As a self-employed real estateprofessional, you’re entitled to deduct a boat-load of common business expenses that you incur throughout a year’s time. Curious as to what qualifies as a business expense? Think advertising, business meals and entertainment, mileage, insurance, cell phones, office supplies, internet bills, retirement plan contributions… the list goes on and on… and on. You love snooping around other people’s homes. No, we’re not trying to get creepy here. But, it’s OK to admit that when you visit a friend’s house, you’re eyeing up some of the finer architectural details, renovations or even color options they’ve chosen. When you’re working in real estate, you’re constantly exposed to all types of homes – new, old and still under construction! You embrace change. From rising and falling markets to tightly-packed and barely-busy days, life as a real estate professional is never the same. Day-to-day, you could be running from appointment to appointment to open house. You could be working from home, catching up on emails, reaching out to new clients and scheduling showings. You could be attending closing with one of your buyers or sellers. In the real estate industry, things are constantly changing, so you’ve got one option… embrace that change!
