Real Estate Agent Job Satisfaction
Behind the glamour of closing deals and showcasing properties lies the reality of a career in real estate. Are real estate agents genuinely happy with their jobs, or is the industry’s reputation for independence and success hiding significant challenges?
In this blog, we explore the factors that influence job satisfaction among agents to help you decide if this career is right for you.
Are Real Estate Agents Happy With Their Jobs?
Real estate is a challenging, fast-paced job, but that seems to be the upside to the 68% of real estate agents who are satisfied in their careers. According to research by the Conference Board, real estate agents outpace the average American worker in terms of job satisfaction by 17%.
Top Reasons Real Estate Agents Love Their Jobs
Why do real estate agents love their jobs? There are as many reasons as there are professionals in the business, but let’s look at some of the top advantages they see.
Out-of-Office
Real estate is one of the few “email jobs” that doesn’t leave you chained in front of a screen in the office. Instead, real estate agents spend most of their time out in the community, networking, meeting clients at the homes they’re selling, or showing them homes available for purchase.
The “out of office” nature of real estate sales is truer now than ever before. Twenty years ago, real estate agents still needed to spend a considerable amount of time at their desks to communicate with clients, schedule meetings, do routine administrative tasks, and handle paperwork. But in the modern world of everywhere-internet, most of that “desk work” can now be handled anywhere, including in the car, from bed, or at their kids’ soccer practice.
Flexibility
Real estate is not a traditional nine-to-five, and the work-life balance flexibility is often one of the most appealing parts of the job.
Don’t get us wrong, you won’t have total control over when you work – you’ll need to make yourself available around your clients’ schedules if you have any hope of making money. This will mean working evenings and weekends when others have free time.
But if you can live with that, there are many benefits. Just as the “desk work” for real estate can be done anywhere, a lot of it can be done at any time. This allows agents to march to the beat of their own circadian rhythm, getting a jump on the day or working late into the night. You’re also least likely to be in demand when everyone else is at work, which means running errands at the quietest times of the day.
It's not just your routine schedule that is flexible in real estate; you also have control over your total time commitment. Agents can choose to work full-time, part-time, or anything in between. There are advantages and disadvantages to part-time real estate, but you get to decide what’s right for you.
Financial Opportunity
Unlike a typical job, a career in real estate doesn't have a payment structure or management scale holding you back from getting a raise. Your income as a real estate agent is a direct reflection of personal effort and success.
That’s because, for the vast majority of real estate agents, their entire income is earned through sales commissions rather than a fixed salary. The more you sell, the more you earn. The more expensive the property, the more lucrative the deal.
As a result, there’s no cap on a real estate agent’s earnings. The best real estate agents pull six or even seven figures. Not bad for a job that doesn’t require a college degree.
That said, real estate agents need a lot of hustle to make a lot of money. Successful real estate agents always know where their next sale is coming from and are frequently working on multiple deals at a time. Your pay is also highly dependent on your niche, the local housing market, and the terms of your contract with your brokerage.
Career Advancement
Once you’ve gotten your feet under you as a real estate agent, there are many ways you can move up or over to advance or change up your career.
The most traditional route for career advancement in real estate is to become a real estate broker. This means taking on more responsibility by earning a higher level of real estate license. It also allows you to operate without a boss or start your own brokerage firm. Plenty of brokers end up somewhere in the middle, working for someone else’s firm while supervising other agents.
The upside of being a broker? More money. You’ll get a more favorable commission split, and you’ll also get a cut of the commissions from everyone below you.
Not everyone wants the responsibility of brokership, but there are other ways to up your game as a real estate agent. Many agents are satisfied with simply beating their own records or becoming a top producer, the best in the game.
Another option is to make a lateral move to some other aspect of the real estate business, such as becoming a property manager or home appraiser. There are many related options, depending on your strengths and interests.
What Do Realtors Struggle With The Most?
For every upside of being a real estate agent, there’s a natural downside.
There’s no cap on your earnings, but there’s also no floor – if you don’t sell, you won’t earn. You’re beholden to the housing market and the economy as a whole. If you’re not a people person, you have an uphill climb. Perhaps the most common difficulty is that not everyone is cut out to be their own boss – many struggle with staying motivated or managing their time and resources. For some, this extra independence only equals extra stress.
Real estate has its challenges, and it’s not a job for everyone. It’s up to you to decide whether the benefits and upsides are worth it for you. But for the right type of person with the right type of attitude, it can be the best job of your life.
Ready to Earn Your Real Estate License?
Does real estate sound like the career for you? The good news is that getting started is easy. Sign up for your state’s pre-license coursework and get to studying!
As a training provider with over 20 years of experience, we offer pre-license courses, exam prep help, and continuing education for real estate agents all across the country. Our courses are online and self-paced so that your education will be as flexible as your future career.
Get started today!
Top Reasons Real Estate Agents Love Their Jobs
Flexibility
Real estate is definitely not a nine-to-five job. Depending on your lifestyle and other commitments you may have, this can be a great benefit. Whether you enjoy staying up late and answering emails, or if you prefer to work before you take the kids to school, real estate allows you to create your own schedule.
Real estate agents typically don't need to go into an office. Instead, they meet clients on their schedules. Agents will take clients to prospective homes, meet clients at the home they're looking to sell or set up an open house. Plus, you can answer emails, calls, and texts anywhere there is an internet connection.
However, there is some element of structure to a real estate agent's daily life. Every agent has their own regular schedule. Still, most tasks are the same—checking MLS listings, contacting clients, generating leads, and marketing their businesses. Agents are also always on-call for their clients, playing the part of a negotiator and an emotionally neutral third party.
Financial Opportunity
Unlike a typical desk job, a career in real estate doesn't have a payment structure or management scale holding you back from a six-figure income. Your income as a real estate agent is totally tied to what you can sell (or help clients purchase) as an individual.
While there are factors that you cannot influence, like market fluctuations and economic health, your desire to succeed, and the work you put in to achieve that success, are directly dependent upon you. If you want to maximize your earning potential as a real estate agent, make sure you choose your location carefully.
You'll want to ensure the market is growing in your area so that you're set up for success right from the beginning. Also, don't forget to invest time in your marketing and lead development process.
Successful real estate agents always know where their next sale is coming from and are frequently working on multiple deals at a time. It's important to note that commission checks are almost always higher when they're from the sale of one of your client's homes, as opposed to helping a client find a home. Your pay is also highly dependent on the brokerage you've paired yourself with.
Career Advancement
Getting your real estate license doesn't mean you can only be an agent or salesperson. You can advance your career even further and become a broker. The prerequisites to become a broker vary from state to state, but generally, you will need a few years of experience as a real estate agent, as well as additional hours of specific training.
Once you become a broker, you can hire additional real estate agents to represent you. Then, you will take a portion of each agent's commission under you, which significantly expands your financial opportunities.
Fulfilling Career
Most real estate agents entered the field because of an interest or passion for real estate. If that's the case for you, then you will undoubtedly find a fulfilling career as a real estate agent. Not only do you get to spend your days browsing homes for sale, but you also get to help clients start new chapters in their lives as they purchase their first homes or move to new cities.
Generally speaking, being passionate about your career will make your life happier and less stressful—and who doesn't want that?
Take the First Step To Get Your Real Estate License
Does being a real estate agent sound like it will be a fun and satisfying career? If so, take the first step by completing our pre-license training course. Sign up for your training course and get one step closer to becoming a real estate agent today!
