startup will be worth more than the original
Stock Basics Tutorial
Turn on the TV news or open a newspaper, surf
the internet or listen to the radio, and you will
probably come across some information about
the stock market: “The Dow Jones closed at
record highs”; “The S&P 500 is trading down two-
tenths of one percent”; “The stock market is
reacting to news from Washington.” The stock
market seems to be everywhere in our daily lives,
but what exactly is the stock market? And, what
are stocks that are bought and sold on this
market? What does it mean for you, for your
employer, or for your country’s economy when
the stock market had “a good day”?
The answers to these questions are not always
obvious once we begin to think about what stocks
are.  For example, you may have heard that
owning stock means that you become an owner
of that company. But what does that  mean? As
an "owner" can you rightfully walk into one of its
offices and take home a chair or a desk? Can
you hire and fire people? Of course, if you only
own a small number of shares, you only “own” a
small percentage of the company – but what if
you own a majority of the shares, could you then
take home a chair or fire workers?
In this tutorial, we will answer these questions
and more, often going into some depth to explain
core concepts. Once you’ve come to grasp these
concepts and understand what makes the stock
market tick, the hope is that you’ll become a
smarter, more informed, and savvy investor.
Even if you don’t have a brokerage account of
your own and invest with your own money, you
may very well be exposed to stocks via
your 401(k) retirement account, pension plan,
college savings plans, health savings plans, or
insurance policies. Once a tool for the rich, the
stock market has now turned into the vehicle of
choice for growing wealth for many segments of
the population. Advances in trading technology
and low-cost stock brokerage services on the
internet have opened up stock markets so that
today nearly anybody can own stocks with the
click of a mouse.
Before proceeding, however, it is important to
distinguish between two common uses of the
stock market: investing and speculation.
Investing is when you hand over your money so
that it is put to use for productive projects such as
growth or expansion. Investing in a factory, in
research and development, in a new business
idea – these are all done with the expectation
that in the future, the factory, the research, or the
investment. That means you have a reason to
believe the factory needs to be expanded, or that
you understand broadly the type of research
being done and what the payoff might be, or that
you understand and believe in the business plan
of the new venture. In other words, investing is a
rational decision made with an eye to the future.
When you invest, your money is intended to be
put to work increasing value.
Speculation, on the other hand, is akin to
gambling. Speculators purchase something with
the hope that they can soon sell it at a higher
price, but without necessarily understanding – or
even caring – about why the price should go up.
Sometimes, speculators have a gut feeling, or
are trading on rumor, but ultimately they do not
concern themselves with the factory, the R&D, or
the business plan. Speculation should not always
be viewed as a bad thing, however; speculators
add liquidity to markets, and many have done
very well for themselves. At the same time, many
smart investors have lost their fortunes in the
stock market through speculation. The important
distinction between investors and speculators is
not a normative one, but rather that investors are
generally more interested in the processes
underlying prices; they are in it for the long haul,
while speculators are more interested in the price
itself, and with shorter time horizons for making
money.
Stocks Basics: What Are Stocks?
You have probably heard a popular definition of
what a stock is: “A stock is a share in the
ownership of a company. Stock represents a
claim on the company's assets and earnings. As
you acquire more stock, your ownership stake in
the company becomes greater.” Unfortunately,
this definition is incorrect in some key ways.
To start with, stock holders do
not own corporations; they own shares issued by
corporations. But corporations are a special type
of organization because the law treats them as
legal persons. In other words, corporations file
taxes, can borrow, can own property, can be
sued, etc. The idea that a corporation is a
“person” means that the corporation owns its
own assets. A corporate office full of chairs and
tables belong to the corporation, and not to the
shareholders.
This distinction is important because corporate
property is legally separated from the property of
shareholders, which limits the liability of both the
corporation and the shareholder. If the
corporation goes bankrupt, a judge may order all
of its assets sold – but your personal assets are
not at risk. The court cannot even force you to
sell your shares, although the value of your
shares will have fallen drastically. Likewise, if a
major shareholder goes bankrupt, she cannot sell
the company’s assets to pay off her creditors.
What shareholders own are shares issued by the
corporation; and the corporation owns the assets.
So if you own 33% of the shares of a company, it
is incorrect to assert that you own one-third of
that company; it is instead correct to state that
you own 100% of one-third of the company’s
shares. Shareholders cannot do as they please
with a corporation or its assets. A shareholder
can’t walk out with a chair because the
corporation owns that chair, not the shareholder.
This is known as the “separation of ownership
and control.”
[Visit Investopedia's reviews of the best stock
brokers to find a broker that matches your
trading needs.]
So what good are shares, then, if they aren’t
actually the ownership rights we think they are?
Owning stock gives you the right to vote in
shareholder meetings, receive dividends (which
are the company’s profits) if and when they are
distributed, and it gives you the right to sell your
shares to somebody else.
If you own a majority of shares, your voting
power increases so that you can indirectly control
the direction of a company by appointing its
board of directors. This becomes most apparent
when one company buys another: the acquiring
company doesn’t go around buying up the
building, the chairs, the employees; it buys up all
the shares. The board of directors is responsible
for increasing the value of the corporation, and
often does so by hiring professional managers, or
officers, such as the Chief Executive Officer, or
CEO.
For ordinary shareholders, not being able to
manage the company isn't such a big deal. The
importance of being a shareholder is that you are
entitled to a portion of the company's profits,
which, as we will see, is the foundation of a
stock’s value. The more shares you own, the
larger the portion of the profits you get. Many
stocks, however, do not pay out dividends, and
instead reinvest profits back into growing the
company. These retained earnings, however, are
still reflected in the value of a stock.
Stocks – sometimes referred to as equity or
equities – are issued by companies to
raise capital in order to grow the business or
undertake new projects. There are important
distinctions between whether somebody buys
shares directly from the company when it issues
them (in the primary market) or from another
shareholder (on the secondary market). When
the corporation issues shares, it does so in return
for money.
Companies can instead raise money through
borrowing, either directly as a loan from a bank,
or by issuing debt, known as bonds. Bonds are
fundamentally different from stocks in a number
of ways. First, bondholders are creditors to the
corporation, and are entitled to interest as well as
repayment of principal. Creditors are given legal
priority over other stakeholders in the event of a
bankruptcy and will be made whole first if a
company is forced to sell assets in order to repay
them. Shareholders, on the other hand, are last
in line and often receive nothing, or mere pennies
on the dollar, in the event of bankruptcy. This
implies that stocks are inherently riskier
investments that bonds.
The same is true on the upside: bondholders are
only entitled to receive the return given by the
interest rate agreed upon by the bond, while
shareholders can enjoy returns generated by
increasing profits, theoretically to infinity. The
greater risk attributed to stocks has generally
been rewarded by the market. Stocks have
historically returned around 8-10% annualized,
while bonds return 5-7%.
https://www.investopedia.com/university/stocks/sto
cks1.asp
https://www.investopedia.com/university/stocks/sto
cks2.asp

A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE ,
THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU
Imagine working for yourself in a flexible career
where you can set your own schedule with
annual earning potential of $100,000 or more.
There are so many reasons to choose real estate
as your career. But there are always two sides to
every story, and a real estate career is no
different. Below is a straight-forward look at the
pros and cons of a real estate agent career.
Getting Started in a Real Estate
Career is Quick and Painless
Pros: In most states, you can complete
the required training, become a licensed real
estate agent, and start a new career in just a
matter of weeks or months (depending on state
regulations).
Cons: There is an investment in time, money,
and effort required. Also, it comes with no
guarantees. Passing the state real estate
licensing exam is difficult and demands an
understanding of complex topics and a varied
skill set.
As a Real Estate Agent, You
Are Your Own Boss
Pros: You’re an independent contractor and
control your own book of business. You make the
decisions. Couple together a good attitude and
solid work ethic, and there are virtually no limits
for the growth of your real estate business. 
Cons: You’re an independent contractor and are
on your own to learn the market and the
business.  You are in charge of building your lead
list, maintaining your client’s needs, networking
relationships, marketing your business, and
managing the day-to-day office needs. It’s all in
your hands. Many new agents fail to recognize
how much work it takes to become a successful
real estate agent.
Real Estate Agents Make a
Good Income
Pros: Your income isn’t limited by an hourly
wage or a corporate-dictated salary range. As a
real estate salesperson, your income is largely
dictated by the time you invest. Grow your real
estate business by adding an assistant or get the
appropriate license that lets you build your own
brokerage. The growth potential is huge.  the real estate business from both sides of
Cons: At first, your cash-flow direction will be
out. Most new real estate agents need a nest egg
to begin their careers. Getting your first sales to
come in will take some time, and it will likely be a
couple months or more before you cash your first
check. Depending on the market you cover and
existing relationships you can farm, it can be a
feast or famine situation.
Thinking about starting a real
estate career? Download
the Launching Your Real Estate
Career eBook.
Real Estate Agents Work
Flexible Schedules
Pros: You don’t work a mundane 9 to 5 job. Real
estate agents set a daily work schedule that
works for them. Much of a real estate agent’s
time is spent socializing, meeting people, and
building relationships.
Cons: Having a flexible schedule in real estate
means you have to be flexible to the client’s
needs.  In real estate, you tend to work when
everyone else is not. That includes weekends.
If a client calls, can you drop everything and be
attentive to their needs, even if it’s a time that you
normally would be spending with your friends or
family?
As a Real Estate Agent, You
Help People With Their Largest
Transactions
Pros: Real estate agents receive genuine
satisfaction from helping clients find the perfect
home or sell their property at a great price. This
is an exciting time for both buyers and sellers,
and they look to the real estate agent as the
expert to help them manage their way through
the process with excellent client services.
Cons: Real estate transactions generally are one
of the most stressful times of a client’s life, and
you will need to be confident in your skills and
abilities when things don’t go as planned. If a
client leaves unhappy, whether it was due to your
efforts or not, word-of-mouth spreads quickly and
can affect your referral network and, ultimately,
your bottom-line.
Real Estate is a Great Business
Real estate really is a great career choice. This
article isn’t meant to scare anyone away from
real estate, but is offered to be an honest look at
success and failure. It can be a very difficult
career if the training and work ethic fails, but it
can be a seriously rewarding career if you are
self-motivated, hard-working, honest, and enjoy
networking and helping people.
WHATS EXPECTED OUT OF A REAL
ESTATE AGENT?
Updated November 28, 2018
With so much information readily
available online, clients sometimes
ask, "Why should we hire a real
estate agent?" They wonder (and
rightfully so) if they couldn't buy or
sell a home through the Internet or
regular marketing and advertising
channels without representation,
without a real estate agent. Some
do fine on their own, but many
don't. Here are 10 reasons why you
might want to consider hiring a
professional real estate agent.
 01
 Education and Experience
Caiaimage/Martin Barraud / Getty
Images
You don't need to know everything
about buying and selling real estate
if you hire a real estate professional
who does. Henry Ford once said
that when you hire people who are
smarter than you are, it proves you
are smarter than they are. The trick
is to find the right person. For the
most part, they all cost roughly the
same, so why not hire a person with
more education and experience
than you? We're all looking for
more precious time in our lives, and
hiring pros gives us that time.
 02
 Buffering Help
Agents take the spam out of
your property showings and visits. If
you're a buyer of new homes, your
agent will whip out her sword and
keep the builder's agents at bay,
preventing them from biting or
nipping at your heels. If you're a
seller, your agent will filter all those
phone calls that lead to nowhere
from lookie-loos and try to induce
serious buyers to write an offer
immediately.
 03
 Neighborhood Knowledge
Agents either possess intimate
knowledge or they know where to
find the industry buzz about your conditions, the agent will devise a
neighborhood. They can negotiation strategy.
identify comparable sales and hand
 05
these facts to you, in addition to
 Market Conditions Information
pointing you in the direction where
you can find more data on schools,
Real estate agents can disclose
crime or demographics. For
market conditions, which will
example, you may know that a
govern your selling or buying
home down the street was on the
process. Many factors determine
market for $350,000, but an agent
how you will proceed. Data such as
will know it had upgrades and sold
the average per square foot cost of
at $285,000 after 65 days on the
similar homes, median and average
market and after twice falling out of
sales prices, average days on
escrow.
market and ratios of list-to-sold
 04 prices, among other criteria, will
have a huge bearing on what you
 Price Guidance
ultimately decide to do.
Contrary to what some people
 06
believe, agents do not select prices
 Professional Networking
for sellers or buyers. However, an
agent will help to guide clients to
Real estate agents network with
make the right choices for
other professionals, many of whom
themselves. If a listing is at 7%, for
provide services that you will need
example, an agent has a 7% vested
to buy or sell. Due to legal liability,
interest in the sale, but the client
many agents will hesitate to
has a 93% interest. Selling
recommend a certain individual or
agents will ask buyers to weigh all
company over another, but they do
the data supplied to them and to
know which vendors have a
choose a price. Then based on
reputation for efficiency,
market supply, demand and the
competency, and competitive
pricing. Agents can, however, give
you a list of references with whom disclosures dictated by local
they have worked and provide custom. Most real estate files
background information to help you average thicknesses from one to
make a wise selection. three inches of paper. One tiny
mistake or omission could land you
 07
in court or cost you thousands. In
 Negotiation Skills and
some states, lawyers handle the
Confidentiality
disclosures—thank goodness!
Top producing agents negotiate
 09
well because, unlike most buyers
 Answer Questions After Closing
and sellers, they can remove
themselves from the emotional
Even the smoothest transactions
aspects of the transaction and
that close without complications
because they are skilled. It's part of
can come back to haunt. For
their job description. Good agents
example, taxing authorities that
are not messengers, delivering
collect property tax assessments,
buyer's offers to sellers and vice
doc stamps or transfer tax can fall
versa. They are professionals who
months behind and mix up invoices,
are trained to present their client's
but one call to your agent can
case in the best light and agree to
straighten out the confusion. Many
hold client information confidential
questions can pop up that were
from competing interests.
overlooked in the excitement of
 08 closing. Good agents stand by ready
to assist. Worthy and honest agents
 Handling Volumes of Paperwork
don't leave you in the dust to fend
One-page deposit receipts were for yourself.
prevalent in the early 1970s.
 10
Today's purchase agreements run
 Develop Relationships for Future
ten pages or more. That does not
Business
include the federal- and state-
mandated disclosures nor
 The basis for an agent's success and an emphasis on long-term benefits to
continued career in real estate is investors.

referrals. Few agents would survive

if their livelihood was dependent on
consistently drumming up new
business. This emphasis gives
agents strong incentives to make
certain clients are happy and
satisfied. It also means that an
agent who stays in the business will
be there for you when you need to
hire an agent again. Many will
Benefits of being
Public Mutual’s unit
trust Agent:
 Opportunity to build your
own business at almost no cost.
 Flexible working hours.
 Enjoy up to eight types of
income.
 Achieve financial
independence.
 Free trips and recognition.
 Special housing and car loan
subsidy.

Why Join the No 1

periodically mail market updates to
you to keep you informed and to
stay in touch.
Unit Trust Company
In Malaysia

How To Become Unit

Trust Agent In Malaysia
I became a unit trust agent of Public
Mutual since 2005. I have a great
passion to empower people,
especially families with children in
their 20’s – 40’s, to build a stream of
retirement income, regardless of
market condition.

In fact with the right methodologies,

we can achieve it together potentially
5-10 years earlier.
Unit Trust Agent generate income
from personal financial services with
 The Brand Laureate Best
Brands Awards 2015-2016
 Reader’s Digest Trusted
Brand Platinum Award 2016
 The Asset Triple A Islamic
Finance Awards 2016
 The Edge | Thomson Reuters for women interested in a career in
Lipper Fund Awards 2016
 2016 Morningstar Malaysia the financial services industry
Fund Awards
With up to 265 awards won to date,
Public Mutual is here to stay.

Reasons to become
a Unit Trust Agent
Industry-wide, financial services
firms are eager to hire the next
generation of leaders

More investors than ever are seeking

the advice of professionals in the
wake of the economic uncertainty,
creating an increasing need for the
next generation of financial advisers

Large amount of wealth will be

transferred to the next generation of
investors over the course of the next
30 years. As this wealth is
transferred, many in the next
generation will be looking to align
themselves with new financial
advisers
Unit Trust
Agent Income
There are 8 types of income that are
offered to you as a Unit Trust Agent.
Interestingly, this income can be
passed on to our next generation.

In a 2012 Cerulli Associates report, 1. Direct Commission

2. Carrier Benefit
only 7.9% of financial advisers were 3. Overriding
women. At the same time, women 4. Year End Bonus
have decision-making power over 5. Breakaway bonus
6. Appreciation bonus
39% of all investable assets. 7. Equalization bonus
8. Annual Performance
This need for female financial Bonus
advisers provides ample opportunity Being a Unit Trust Agent is not a
lucrative venture if it is not followed
up with hard work and excellent
service. At the same time, you have
nothing to lose by becoming a Unit
Trust Agent.
Super Star Unit Trust Agent earn six-
figure income a month. They are rare
species and highly valued. They
build influence by giving superior
service to investor and creating
success with whoever joining them.
They are like a money magnet and
the public is also interested to invest
with them.
How they generate income from
selling unit trust?
# 1 Direct
Commission
Direct Commission is payable to the
unit trust agent who holds a valid
contract with Public Mutual and is
registered and licensed to distribute
the scheme. For example, a Unit
Trust Agent will receive 2.75% of the
total cash investment secured.  .
Example of Direct Commission;
First month you bring in RM
100,000 sales, you get RM
2,750
Second month you bring in
RM 150,000 sales, you get
RM 4,125
Third month you bring in RM
200,000 sales, you get
RM5,500
Fourth month your bring in
RM 200,000 sales, you get
RM5,500
Interestingly, the customers will
continue to invest for 10 to 25 years
with you. It is good if there are repeat
sales like this, isn’t it?
Let’s guess how much the Unit Trust
Agent earns in the form of direct
commission as compared to the
profit made by the investors.
For example, of RM100,000
investment capital, available amount
after sales charges of 5.5% is
RM94,786.73.
Calculate the account value after 20
years at the rate of return of 10% per
annum?
Answer;
FV = PV × (1 + i) n
FV = RM94,786.73 × (1 + 0.1) 20
FV = RM637,677.72
Profit = RM637,677.72 –
RM100,000
RM 537,677.72!
FV = Future Value, PV = Present
Value
Investors will get more value (RM
537,677) than the RM2700 direct
commission received by the Unit
Trust Agent 20 years ago.
The longer the time the better the
investment return. It is therefore very
important for the Unit Trust Agent to
provide continuous service to
investors even if this is just a direct
commission for one transaction only.
#2 Carrier Benefit
Carrier benefit is a commission that
is calculated from the size of
investment assets that we manage.
Over the years, the asset under my
management have grown
tremendously.
Suppose there are 10 investors who
invest RM 1 million each, then the
total assets I am managing is RM 10
million.
From the RM 10 million assets under
my management, I will get paid
0.00066% daily. In this example the
amount is RM 66 every day.
This income will increase as the
assets under management increase.
Assuming all investors continue to
invest for another ten years, at the
rate of 10% per annum, the assets
under my management will rise to
RM 24 million. So my carrier benefit
will double passively.
This means that my passive income
will increase with the value of my
client investments. And vice versa if
the value of investments declined.
To increase the value of client
investments, I must do the following
three things:
 Monitor the performance
of investment
 Balance the investment

portfolio accordingly
Identify opportunities for
the benefit of investors
Failing to do so or simply running
away from unhappy investors will
cause investors to pull out their
investments and thus shrink the size
of investment assets that I manage.
For example, if all investors decide
to withdraw all of their investments in
the second year, my carrier benefit
will fall to zero.
Carrier benefit is to encourage long
term relationship with investor. This
will align perfectly with investor
objective for long term investment.
# 3 Overriding
Promotion in Unit Trust Agent career
depends on your own. You decide
what rank you want.
The highest rank in this career is
Group Agency Manager (GAM).
Direct commissions payable to GAM
is 2.6% for EPF scheme. If the GAM
downline make sales in the EPF
scheme for example, he/she the
GAM will get paid an overriding
commission of 0.6%.
What if the GAM has 100 downline
under him?
Interestingly as a leader, not only
they earn direct overriding
commission, but the GAM also earn
indirectly from the downline.
This is the power of duplication.
Look at the structure AT THE LAST
PAGE.
On level one, you only have 5
commanders. A, B, C, D and E.
Each of them goes on to make
another duplication of their own 5
commanders. They copy you.
This will make an agency structure
that consists of 155 manpower or
womanpower. If each of them works
8 hours a day, then you generate
1240 man hours a day working with
you!
This new 5 commanders is just for
starters. What if you could produce
20 or 40 commanders? Ehmm …
countless woman hours!
# 4 Year End Bonus
Year-end bonus is paid for the
personal sale of more than RM
400,000 per year at the rate of
0.15%. The higher your personal
sale is, the higher the rate. The
maximum rate is 0.3% for the
personal sale of more than RM 1.5
million.
# 5 Breakaway
Bonus
Breakaway Bonus is an incentive
payable to the recruiter at GAM rank
in recognition of the recruiter’s effort
and achievement in guiding and
grooming another Unit Trust
Agent who is his downline, until the
downline’s promotion to UTC-
GAM/SCM rank.
Total bonuses is RM 20,000.
# 6 Appreciation 9 Additional
Bonus Benefits
Once off RM 10,000 Appreciation In addition to the cash earnings,
Bonus is an incentive payable to there are 9 types of additional
GAM who is the immediate upline of benefits of becoming a UTC. Yes,
the newly promoted GAM in the there are 9 more!
event that the recruited is promoted 1. Free Overseas Incentive
ahead of his recruiter. Trip
2. Group Agency Manager
# 7 Equalization 3.
Oversea Retreat
Housing Loan Subsidy
Bonus 4.
Scheme
Car Loan Subsidy Scheme
Equalization Bonus is an incentive 5. Computer Loan Interest
payable to the upline when the Subsidy
6. UTC’s Personal Plan
downline equalises with the 7. Benefits for Deceased
recruiter/immediate upline. Parent’s Beneficiary
8. Benefits for Deceased
PRC’s Beneficiary
While at the rank of Group Agency
9. Free Term Life and
Manager, 0.06% will be paid Personal Accident Coverage
perpetually. Yes, perpetual bonus!

# 8 Annual
Performance Bonus
This bonus is paid to the Top 25%
GAM or GAMs who achieve group
sales of RM 60 million a year.

Those are the 8 types of income

available to you as a Unit Trust
Agent. It all starts with your first sale
with/to? the client first. And then Eligibility for
repeat it again from person to
registration as a
person. This process is then
emulated by your downline too. Unit Trust Agent
 Any person who meets the following
requirements is eligible to register as
a Unit Trust Agent:
 Must be 21 years old or
above;
 Must obtain credits in 1.
any three (3) subjects in SPM 2.
or equivalent or academic 3.
qualification (s) higher than
SPM;
 Must be fit and proper; 4.
The person must sign a statutory
declaration attesting to the above
attributes and must not be in breach
What you should
do:
Prepare the necessary documents
as below:
IC Photocopy – 2 pieces
Passport pictures – 4 pieces
A Photocopy and original
copy of SPM/Diploma/Degree
Certificate
RM250 exam fees.
Contact Me, Elias at 0127176903

of the signed statutory declaration

at all times.

Upon satisfying the requirements,

the person must pass the
Computerised Unit Trust
Examination (CUTE) before being
authorised to market and distribute
UTS. A person who does not
satisfy the basic requirements will
not be registered to sit for the
CUTE.

7 Things Beginner
Real Estate Agents
Should Know
When Starting Out
When starting out in real estate any
aspiring agent should know a few key
things. You might be looking to change your
career or simply earn extra income. But did
you ask yourself: “What would a broker
want in me?” or “What should I do to
increase my chance of becoming a
successful real estate agent from the get
go?”
To answer to these questions and more we
spoke to Gary Malin (President) and  Louise
Schnaier (Sales Recruiting Manager) at Citi
Habitats who were very kind to provide
practical advice that any new agent can use.
Question #1:
What are the 5 most important
evaluative criteria you look for when
hiring a new agent?  as a notary or appraiser? Will
The most important qualities are
motivation, strong commitment, resilience,
genuine interest in the field, the ability to
learn quickly, flexibility and good
communication skills. I wish that I could say
that there is an easy formula but there isn’t.
Our successful agents come from a wide
variety of personal and professional
backgrounds.
Question #2:
What is the best way for a new agent
to get the attention of a big real
estate brokerage/firm in order to get
interviewed and potentially hired?
Potential agents get noticed by being
engaging, curious and personable. They
present themselves as professionals in
every way and are assertive without being
aggressive. Having a history of previous
success in another field demonstrates
ability and commitment.  
Question #3:
Is having a degree in finance,
fashion, or any other field an
advantage for a new agent? Do you
see agents performing better based
on their previously acquired
education?
Not necessarily although a background in
sales and customer service can be useful in
understanding the innate fluctuations of the
real estate business.
Question #4:
Will it help a new agent to get license
wearing several “hats” impact the
agent in a positive or negative way?
Being an appraiser or notary isn’t helpful.
It’s more important to focus on being really
a good informed and knowledgeable agent.
Question #5:
What type of technology is an agent
expected to be able to work with?
What technology would you
recommend new agents get familiar
with before starting out?

In today’s world, comfort with technology is

Beginner’s
crucial for any professional. Basic skills
using Microsoft Office, photo editing Guide to
Being a Real
programs, and the ability to learn how to
use various user friendly databases and
clients management systems are important.

Question #6:
Many new agents ask about a
“finder’s fee”. Can you please shed
some light on what are the best
practices regarding the “finder’s fee”
and when should an agent use it and
for what purpose?
DOS guidelines strictly prohibit offering a
fee to a non-licensed real estate
professional. The best way to earn referrals
is by providing the best possible services.
Question #7:
What are different ways to earn
commissions with your license?
1. Rentals- Tenant Representation
2. Rentals- Landlord Representation
3. Sales- Owner Representation
4. Sales- Seller Representation
5. Commercial
6. Referrals to other real estate
professionals
Estate Agent
There are many different
players in the residential real
estate industry—property
managers, publishers,
builders, banks, and
government agencies, to say
nothing of buyers, sellers, and
renters. Nevertheless, the
real movers and shakers are
the intermediaries, the people
constantly moving between
and communicating with
these players: agents and
brokers.
Middlemen (in a good
way)
The real estate agent is the
workhorse of the industry.
He’s a salesman one
moment, a buyer’s advocate
the next; he’s an analyst, an
auctioneer, a consultant, a
negotiator, and a marketer;
he occasionally performs the
services of an appraiser, a
clerk, and a loan officer; he
accommodates his clients on
nights and weekends, and
often works well beyond forty
hours a week.
Basically, a real estate agent
does a little of everything,
and for that, he’s paid a
modest commission
(provided, of course, that he
closes the deal). It’s no
wonder, then, that so many
agents cycle in and out of the
industry. It’s also no wonder
that demand for their services
remains high even in a slow
market.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be: this
guide will tell you everything
you need to know about the
challenges and essentials of
being real estate agent, as
well as important tips to help
you get off to a strong start.
1. Real estate is not a
hobby: it’s a business.
In recent years we’ve seen
some new trends when it
comes to the consumer’s
relationship with the real
estate industry. More than
ever before, the average
person has access to the
kinds of statistics, market
analyses, technology, and
expert opinions that were
previously reserved for
people who actively made
their living as a real estate
agent or broker.
Consider, for instance, the
guide you’re reading. Before
the Internet, much of this
information would only exist
in the mouths of working
agents or in agent licensure
textbooks. Consumers had
little need for this information
because they trusted their
real estate professional to
know it.
Today, Realtors are blabbing
all over the blogosphere,
even making a buck by telling
consumers how to do their
jobs. “How to Make Money in
Real Estate: Five Easy Steps.”
“Flipping Homes for Fun and
Profit.” Consequently, some
seem to think of becoming a
real estate agent like taking
up a hobby, something to
occupy your down time and
earn you quick cash at the
same time.
But most hobbies are cheap,
and even the expensive ones
are about the sheer
enjoyment of the activity.
With a hobby, you’re allowed
to be careless because you
don’t have anything to lose.
Neglect your herb garden for
a few days? No big deal.
Don’t play your guitar for a
month? It’ll still be there
when your fingers get the
itch.
Real estate, on the other
hand, is a business. It’s about
money, and as the market
has shown in the last few
years, when you get careless
in real estate, you stand to
lose a lot of it. As an agent,
you’re an independent
contractor, which means it’s
up to you to manage your
own business. Any agent who
picks up your slack isn’t
handing it back to you.
Finally, hobbies are personal,
while real estate is
professional. Typically, only
the people with whom you
choose to share your hobbies
know about them, which
means they don’t have a
huge impact on your public
image. (Unless, of course,
you’re still collecting Beanie
Babies).
But since your conduct as a
real estate agent takes place
in the professional world, it
has much a longer paper trail.
Pretty much anyone can find
out about it. Fail to satisfy a
client, and you’re telling her
and everyone she knows that
you’re unreliable—which can
have serious ramifications for
other areas of your life.
None of this means you
shouldn’t enjoy working as a
Realtor. On the contrary,
you’re not likely to be
successful if you don’t. But
the best agents are those
who marry the pleasure they
get from their work to an
understanding that it’s, well,
work.
2. Leads and listings, but
not necessarily in that
order.
No matter what business
you’re in, selling is hard. As a
real estate agent, however,
the challenge is even greater
because repeat customers
are few and far in between.
Homes, after all, are not
electronics or fashion items.
They’re not designed to be
replaced after a year, nor do
they become obsolete. People
buy homes with the intention
of staying put. In a perfect
world, your clients won’t need
you again for a long time.
True, unforeseen
circumstances require people
to move, and according to the
latest census, 69.3 percent of
all movers stayed within the
same county, which means
more than two-thirds of
movers could be returning to
the same Realtor.
Nevertheless, altogether only
12.5 percent of the U.S.
population changed
residences in 2010. That’s a
slight increase since 2008,
but in general, this share has
decreased by about half since
the late 1940s.
Furthermore, these statistics
vary widely depending on
where you live. About 14.7
percent of Westerners moved
in 2010, but that does you no
good if you work in the
Northeast, where only 8.3
percent did the same.
So how do you grow your
business when demand for
your services is limited? By
working both sides of the real
estate equation. In the old
days, agents worked
exclusively with sellers, listing
their properties for sale and
rent. Back then, your job was
to get the word out about a
seller’s property and attract
buyers. The more listings you
had, the better off you were.
Today, however, it’s also
common to work with the
buyer. In this scenario,
success is all about leads,
people who are interested in
buying a home. Once you’ve
found a lead, your job is to
turn him from a prospect to a
customer by helping him
secure the home he’d like to
rent or purchase.
This usually means you’re a
matchmaker, connecting
buyers with listings your
agency already has. You
could also be an advocate,
helping them browse
someone else’s listings. In
either case, the arrangement
is basically the same: agents
use their experience to
ensure that buyers don’t get
screwed. Instead of selling a
property, you’re selling your
expertise.
So which is more important,
leads or listings? That
depends on your location. But
regardless of the figures, it’s
crucial to keep a close eye on
both. In a difficult market and
a changing industry, the best
path to success for an agent
is to be adaptable and willing
to work with sellers and
buyers. Concentrate solely on
one, and you’ll find yourself
struggling keep your business
afloat.
3. Relationships are
everything.
Every agent is glued to his
iPhone or laptop screen these
days. However, it’s important
to remember on the other
side of all those zeroes and
ones are real people, and
they’re the ones who keep
your business going.
Relationships are your bread little league team. Attend
and butter—and when we say town government meetings.
that, we’re not talking the Get exposure in the flesh, and
little dinner rolls you fill up on make sure people know what
before your meal arrives. you do.
By showing you’re interested
To understand how to
in the life of your community,
maximize your relationships
you demonstrate that you
as a real estate agent, start
have a personal stake in all
by asking the basic questions:
the business you do as a real
who do you know, and who
estate agent. You should also
knows you? The answers will
treat everyone you meet with
go far in revealing the extent
the same courtesy and
of your sphere of influence,
attention, no matter who they
the collection of people for
are or what they can do for
whom you and your business
you—after all, you never
have weight. The greater your
know who may become a
sphere of influence, the more
customer.
of a magnet you become for
prospects—and the better Knowing and being known by
your chances of turning them as many people as possible is
into customers. crucial, especially when there
aren’t a lot of prospects to go
The cliché goes that real
around. But while quantity is
estate is all about location,
good, quality is even better.
location, location. This isn’t
Visibility is great, but if your
just about inventory: it’s
only goal is to get everyone
about involvement. To
and anyone on the hook,
maximize your business, you
knowing everybody in town
need to participate in your
will actually work against
community. Join your local
you. Your reputation in your
Realtor’s association. Coach a
community greatly influences
your trade. People obviously
want to work with agents
they trust.
The most sustainable
business model is one in
which your transactions with
others are always mutually
beneficial. Real estate, is
about making money; but
focus too much on your profit
margins, and you’ll find you
have fewer and fewer
customers looking to hand
theirs over.
Finally, once you’ve
established your
relationships, it’s vital to keep
them up, whether or not
they’re making you money
right now. Follow up with
recent customers to see how
they’re settling in. Distribute
an email newsletter to all
your clients. Send
personalized notes and
birthday cards. Use social
media and maintain a
presence online. If you feel
like you haven’t spoken to an
old customer in a while, send
them an email to ask how
they’re doing. The gesture
only takes a minute or two,
and it can pay huge dividends
in the long run.
Each contact you make has a
value, and each customer has
a lifetime value. Lose contact
with your prospects, leads
and customers, and you’ll be
squandering your greatest
asset.
4. Develop a personality.
It’s often said that as a
salesman, you’re not just
selling your product: you’re
selling yourself. That’s why as
a real estate agent, it’s
important to develop a
personality.
We’re not saying you don’t
have one: we’re just
suggesting that you lean into
it. Whether you’re a pet lover,
a motorcycle enthusiast, a
foodie or an online gamer,
don’t hide your personality:
embrace it. You’re
in real estate—so, for God’s
sake, be real. Your
personality fosters
relationships, which builds
your reputation, which
generates leads. You get the
picture.
Getting involved in the life of
a community helps build your
relationships, but it’s
important that your
involvement be consistent
with who you are as a person.
Enthusiasm is difficult to fake,
so if something you say or do
doesn’t ring true to you,
people will pick up on it.
If you’re an avid carnivore, for
instance, looking for leads at
an ASPCA meeting probably
isn’t a good idea—and in fact,
it may cause both the people
you meet and the people you
already know to think of you
as a hypocrite.
Instead, you’re better off
finding opportunities to
broadcast yourself to people
with whom you have common
ground. As far as those
opportunities go, some say
it’s better to keep politics and
religion out of business, and
in many cases those people
are right. But politics and
religion build strong
communities, and depending
on where you are, getting
involved can have huge
benefits. At the same time,
it’s important for you to
decide what you’re
comfortable wearing on your
sleeve.
Finally, we’re talking about
work here, so it’s important to
see personality in a
professional context. In
general, moderation and a
sense of boundaries are keys
to success. Come on too
strong or get too personal in
your dealings with clients,
and you may end up
alienating more people than
you connect with.
Instead, let customers be the
ones to open up to you, and
they’ll often be happier for it
—after all, many people enjoy
talking about themselves
more than anything else.
5. The best agents have
endless hustle.
The real estate industry has
had a rough few years.
Agents in many markets are
still reeling from 2008’s
housing fiasco. Meanwhile,
agents increasingly have to
contend with giant real estate
publishers like Zillow and
Trulia for visibility and leads.
The fact of the matter is,
things have changed, and as
a new agent, you’ll have to
accept that more than
anyone. The days of plenty
are over, and that means the
only way to be a successful
agent is to have hustle.
Talk to any top producing
agent about their work habits,
and you’ll find he or she is an
incredibly hard worker.
Successful businesses don’t
create themselves, and being
a Realtor is no exception.
There’s a direct correlation
between how hard you
work and how successful you
will be.
Still, having hustle doesn’t
simply mean working twelve-
hour days from Monday to
Friday. After all, working in
real estate isn’t just about
putting in a lot of time—it’s
about putting in
the right time and doing
what’s necessary to close the
deal.
Because of this, hustle is also
about being prepared to work
at a moment’s notice. It’s
about getting a phone call
from a potential buyer at
eight o’clock on a Friday
night, when you’re sprawled
out on the couch watching a
movie, and not thinking twice
about contacting your client
to set up a meeting.
Are we saying you should
neglect your responsibility to
your family or your spouse for
the sake of work? Of course
not. But if the benefits of
working outweigh the benefits
of whatever you happen to be
doing when an opportunity
presents itself, you need to
be prepared to suck it up.
If this all sounds incredibly
difficult, here’s a bit of
encouragement: most people,
and in particular most agents,
don’t work hard enough. If
they did, they’d all be top
producers. So don’t worry
about competing with every
agent on the planet. If you
work hard enough, you’ll be
in a class of your own.
6. Measure, analyze, and
evaluate.
We’ve discussed
the importance of hustle in
becoming a successful agent.
But no matter how hard you
work, if you don’t measure
your performance, you won’t
know whether that labor is
yielding results. This is not
just a fact of real estate: it’s a
fact of life.
When I first started studying
martial arts, I was interested
in being as strong as possible.
Like any seven-year-old, I
figured strength equated to
ability. As time passed,
however, I began to observe
moments where my
movements were effortless
and had nothing to do with
strength.
To a certain extent, we
improve subconsciously.
Through repetition, we learn
how to perform a function
more swiftly and more
efficiently; through
observation, we internalize
better practices and adopt
them, often without even
realizing it. Through sheer
muscle memory, I was able to
make some strides as a
martial artist. But it wasn’t
until I took the time to
perform the same move over
and over in front of a mirror
that I showed real
improvement.
The most significant gains
come from consciously
reflecting on the way we do
things and actively
questioning whether that’s
what works best. The top
quarterbacks spend hours
watching film, examining
their throw and looking for
missed opportunities. The
best teachers don’t wait for
their annual evaluation to
determine if they’re doing all
they can for their students.
Instead, they ask themselves
that question after every
lesson.
Similarly, as a real estate
agent, you should constantly
be examining and measuring
your performance. You can do
this in a number of ways. First
and foremost, consider
keeping a daily journal to
record your impressions of
that day’s work. Keep count
of how many prospects you
talked to and how those
conversations went.
At the end of the day,
determine what you
accomplished. Did you get
enough done? If not, why
might that be? No need to get
incredibly detailed: just get
into the habit of jotting down
a few ideas. You’ll have time
to organize them into
something more coherent
later.
You can also learn a lot about
your performance by taking a
long view on your prospects.
Track them from beginning to
end and figure out what your
pipeline looks like. Are some
parts of your sales strategy
working better than others?
Do you tend to lose prospects
at a particular stage? If so,
you might need to change
your approach.
Finally, crunch the numbers
to see the results your work is
really getting you in black
and white. Check your
prospects against the
numbers you have and the
numbers you need. Getting a
lot of leads, but not making a
lot of sales? You may be
better off devoting more time
to fewer clients. How many
closings do you need to make
a living? Compare your stats
to that number and set goals
accordingly.
I’d like to say that after my
brute strength revelation, I
spent the next few years
overhauling my martial arts
technique. Alas, I still have
the tendency to rely on my
strength and size. This brings
us to the last step in the self-
evaluation process:
implementation. If you’re not
going to try to correct the
mistakes and inefficiencies
you’ve worked hard to
uncover in your business
practices, what’s the point of
seeking them out?
Start making a weekly list of
skills you plan to work on or
solutions you plan to try out.
At the end of the week,
evaluate your progress. Did
you practice what you set out
to practice? Did the
corrections you made lead to
more prospects, more sales,
more success? If not, why do
you think that is, and what
else could you try next week?
Make no mistake, self-
evaluation is usually not fun,
and it can add a lot of work to
an already hectic schedule.
But if you’re really committed
to being a successful real
estate agent, you’ll find the
time—and pretty soon, you’ll
see the results.
7. Make peace with
technology.
Let us tell you what you
already know: the Internet
has transformed the entire
real estate industry. Twenty
years ago, potential real
estate buyers were largely in
the dark about their choices;
all they had were a string of
abbreviations and a grainy
photograph of a property’s
exterior.
Real estate professionals, on
the other hand, were wizards.
They had a secret, mysterious
knowledge of their trade, and
clients could benefit from that This has led not just to
knowledge for a price. changes in communication,
but more importantly, to
Welcome to the twenty-first
changes in advertising
century. Today, there are no
and marketing. The Internet
secrets. Buyers can view live
has come to dominate real
video feeds of the area,
estate marketing. That means
read reviews of your agency,
there are increased
get perspectives on the
opportunities to reach
neighborhood from current
potential clients more quickly,
residents, access government
more efficiently, and more
stats on traffic and
cheaply.
environmental hazards, check
On the other hand, this also
the seller’s asking price
means there’s more pressure
against trends for the
on agents to adopt the new
surrounding area, take virtual
tools. But agents who
tours of every room,
complain by responding that
even sign contracts digitally.
they “just don’t understand
Nevertheless, if clients now
technology” are ignoring their
have increased access to
business sense. Fads and
information, agents also have
trends become norms on the
increased access to potential
Internet for a reason: because
clients. Social media and
they make life easier, they
marketing technology are
make life better, and they
changing the way agents
make people money. True,
interact with their clients. Ten
there’s a learning curve,
years ago, Facebook didn’t
particularly for agents who
exist; today, more than 80
didn’t come of age with the
percent of real estate
Internet; but that’s no excuse
professionals are using the
for ignoring it.
service in their jobs.
An effective real estate agent
keeps current and continues
to educate himself on the
ways technology is being
adopted and adapted to the
industry. That means
humbling yourself and asking
people in the know, who are
often younger. There are also
more formal ways to educate
yourself. Read books. Take
classes. Go to conferences.
Put in the time.
Finally, it’s important to
remember that when it comes
to technology, just because
you have to understand it
doesn’t mean you have to be
an expert. You always have
the option of recruiting
someone else to handle your
technology for you.
Nevertheless, you’ll have to
know enough to be sure that
you’re not throwing your
money away. Hiring someone
to build your website will be a
waste of time if what they
produce is based on the
demands of last year’s
customers.
This brings to mind a final
point about technology:
perhaps the biggest challenge
of using it is the fact that it’s
always changing. But that’s
all the more reason to be
active about adopting it.
Don’t wait for some grand
epiphany: search for
knowledge. It’s part of your
job.
8. Know your market.
Though more real estate
professionals are beginning to
work internationally thanks to
globalization and the ease of
communication, most agents
continue to work close to
home. This brings us to an
important and often-
overlooked fact about the real
estate industry—namely, that
it isn’t a single industry at all,
but rather a collection of local
and regional markets.
Though in many ways we’re
no longer limited by
geography and boundaries,
the real estate profession is
still regulated at the state
level, not the federal level.
True, some of the differences
in laws practices between
states may seem arbitrary;
others, however, exist for a
good reason. But regardless
of how you feel about this
reality, you must accept it
and plan accordingly
The dynamics of your market
can have a profound effect on
how you conduct your
business, and with whom—
and the lower to the ground
you are, the more evident this
becomes. To illustrate, let’s
consider two very different
urban rental markets: Boston
and Los Angeles.
In Boston, students make up
a fourth of the population,
and inhabit an even larger
share of the city’s rentals.
This means agents in Boston
experiences two rushes: First
from January to May, when
the undergraduates start
looking for a place to live, and
then from May until mid-
August, when graduate
students and young
professionals get their
acceptances or job offers. The
vast majority of leases run 12
months, from September to
September. Off-peak leases
and shorter arrangements,
including month-to-month,
are difficult to find and
usually more expensive.
There are a few large
management companies, but
agents and agencies tend to
dominate Boston’s real estate
market; though most
properties are advertised
online, renters must almost
always go through an agent
to get to them.
By contrast, Los Angeles’s
rental market is characterized
by flexibility. Though it has a
similarly high population of
students, they make up a
smaller overall proportion of
renters, leading to more
variation in leases. Since Los
Angeles is not a city governed
by public transportation, most
residents drive, which means
that renters can be less picky
about where they live in
relation to where they work or
learn. Whereas Boston
occupies less than 90 square
miles, Los Angeles counts 500
square miles within its
borders.
Consequently, though Los
Angeles has over five times
as many inhabitants, its
population density is a third
lower than Boston’s. That
means there are fewer people
competing for more
properties, so it’s easier to
find a decent place to live,
which decreases demand for
agents’ expertise.
Consequently, agencies are
less dominant in Los Angeles,
with more property owners
handling their own marketing
and working directly with
renters. Less competition also
tends to mean fewer hoops
for renters to jump through,
which translates to more
informal, less stringent
contracts.
At the same time, as a huge
hub for the entertainment
industry, Los Angeles has an
unusually large proportion of
people looking for expensive,
high-quality rentals. Unlike
the typical rental market,
competition in the high-end
market is fierce, which means
agents handle such listings
almost exclusively.
As these two examples show,
your location as an agent has
an enormous effect on how
you do your job. The
technologies and software
that work for agents in New
York and San Francisco may
not be right for agents in
Minneapolis or Detroit. It’s up
to you to learn what aspects
of your business you need to
focus on and what solutions
to employ in order to be
responsive to your clients’
needs.
9. Learn from the best. a truth about confidence, it’s
In Part 6, we talked about that the person who has too
learning and improving from much doesn’t know it.
reflecting on and measuring
The only way to solve this
your own performance. One
problem is to “average” your
of your greatest assets as a
perspective as an agent with
real estate agent is self-
those of the agents around
reliance. But you should still
you—and the top performers
look elsewhere for guidance
are the ones who have done
and support, especially if
this work for themselves.
you’re new to the game. Let’s
Start by building and
get philosophical for a second
maintaining your
here. We live in a subjective
relationships with your fellow
world. Everything you
agents and brokers, the
experience is colored by the
people you see every day.
unique flavor of your
You’ll not only strengthen the
consciousness. This means
network of contacts you need
that we all see the world
to be an effective salesman—
differently, but it also means
you’ll also have access to
we all see ourselves
their hard-earned wisdom.
differently. That goes for your
Listen to horror stories as well
reflection in the mirror as well
as their success stories. Find
as your sense of your
time to ask questions. If an
abilities. This has major
experienced agent doesn’t
implications for your work as
have time to help you during
a real estate agent.
work hours, offer to buy him
Confidence is an important
or her a beer afterwards.
quality in a salesman; but too
Worried about your rapport
much confidence can alienate
with prospects? Have
your prospects—and if there’s
someone whose opinion you
trust listen to one of your
sales calls. He or she may be
able to point out a tic or
mistake that you’re unable to
see. Not getting the response
you want from your
advertising? Get feedback
from someone who has it
figured out.
Next, you should widen your
focus. Step outside your office
and find out which agents are
the best and/or most visible
in your community or region.
Do your research. What are
they doing that others aren’t?
How do they market
themselves? What tools do
they use? Look at their
numbers. How much business
are they doing, and where are
they doing it? You may say
that because agents are
independent contractors, they
won’t be ready to divulge
their sales secrets. True, it’s
not in their best interest to
tell you everything. But if
there’s one thing people in
real estate profession—in any
profession, really—love, it’s
being viewed as an expert. By
consulting a peer, you’re
telling him that he is worth
consulting. You’re validating
his years of hard work. Plus,
the people you’ll be asking for
help are already successful at
what they do. That doesn’t
mean they’ll give up their
edge completely, but it does
mean they can afford to help
the little guy. In truth, the
secret that most people are
keeping is that they don’t
really know what they’re
doing. If they have real
wisdom, they’ll have no
problem sharing some of it
with you.
10. Choose your broker
wisely.
As a realtor, you have both
added freedom and added
responsibility. Your business
is your business, but it’s your
business. Still, working for
yourself doesn’t mean
working alone. Unless you
choose to earn an additional
broker’s license and work
completely independently,
you’ll almost certainly be
working under a broker at an
agency. That being said, just
because you can hang your
license anywhere doesn’t
mean you should. Before
committing to a broker, you’ll
want to make sure you have
the right fit. Start by doing
some research on the
company’s earnings. Clearly,
it’s important that your
agency be profitable—but
how successful are they in
your niche? If you find you
work primarily with buyers,
an agency made up of seller’s
agents probably won’t help
you; if you’re most
comfortable selling to middle-
class families, an agency with
primarily high-end listings
may not be the right place.
In choosing a broker, as in
cultivating your personal
relationships, visibility and
reputation are also crucial. If
you’re going to tie yourself to
an agency, you want to make
sure they’re going to help you
get noticed and gain clients’
trust, particularly when you
don’t have many contacts of
your own. The most profitable
agency in your region may
have a reputation for being
full of shysters and snake-oil
salesmen; a big, international
franchise may sound like the
ticket, but people your area
may be more comfortable
and more experienced in
dealing with local, family-
owned establishments.
Furthermore, there’s a reason
plenty of real estate brokers
don’t opt into a major chain:
they’re expensive. Franchises
can charge local thousands of
dollars as an initiation fee.
They can also charge renewal
fees and get additional
income by marking up
“business & promotional
items.” Plus, most franchises
take an additional percentage
of every commission sellers
pay. All of these costs will
affect your bottom line as an
agent. Additionally,
depending on where you are,
a big name may not amount
to much at all. That is,
RE/MAX may have offices in
82 countries, but if everyone
in a twenty-mile radius knows
“Big” Jim Sullivan at Sullivan
Realty, you’d probably be
better off with him.
Finally, it’s important to get a
sense of the nuts and bolts of
working at an agency. The
best way to do this is by
talking to other agents. Try to
meet with as many as you
can from the agencies you’re
considering. Ask about
commission splits,
technology, administrative
support, and advertising. Try
to get a sense of the culture
there. Is the lead broker an
egomaniac with a temper? Is
he interested in expanding
the business, or apathetic? Is
the dynamic among agents
competitive or collaborative?
How does this match up with
your philosophy? Align
yourself with the agency that
is going to support your
success.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the tips we’ve
given you will help you get off
to a strong start. But as any
seasoned veteran will tell
you, this is by no means an
exhaustive account of the
potential challenges you’ll
face as a real estate agent. It
may be a while before you
start closing deals regularly,
and you can be sure you’ll
have your share of failures
and awkward or embarrassing
moments. But don’t get
discouraged. Like many jobs
that require a high degree of
social interaction, real estate
is best learned by doing, by
interacting with as many
leads, clients, agents, and
brokers as possible. So get to
work!