[SilkySpeed7]

Any one know anything about real estate......I am thinking this might be the career for me. How does one get started? Good money? Anyone do it for a living?

[SpazKatt]

If you're good at it you can make a bunch of money. If you want to be a realtor you don't have to go to college. But if you want to do corporate real estate you do. Plus you'd make more money if you went to college. I know a bit since I'm in the community development field. I do know that if you want to be a realtor you do need to be licensed but I don't know how to do that.

[Gemstone]

I am a commercial real estate agent. Depending on where you live the licensing laws are different.

You will have to go through real estate school, and then take a state test. My course was only a few months in Maryland. It was all about residential real estate and did me not much good at all.

You need to have a lot of money set aside to start off with. Most agents will be in the negative at the end of their first year. In Maryland, most agents dont last their first year.

You can make a lot of money if you work hard at it. I do pretty well for myself, but I came into the business with a lot of commercial contacts.

Were you looking at the residential market? Commercial real estate is totally different, but the licensing requirements are the same.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions. I can try to help.

[SilkySpeed7]

I think I would just do residential for now. Which ever would be the easist to start at and then I duppose I will go from there. I have about ten years in customer service. I have sales expierence. I have a good feel about people as well.

I live in Wisconsin. Is it true that you have to start at a firm before you can get licensed? Now, I have a couple misdemeanor possesion of THC and an obstruction on my record. Does that impact anything?

I wonder if the test is extreemly hard and where to find information that is on it?

[Gemstone]

As an agent you have to hang you license with a broker. So you will be an independent agent working under the broker (head of firm).

You can do all the testing, but can not activate your license until you have a broker. In Maryland you have a year to do this after passing your test.

The test isn't incredibly hard. You just have to pay attention in the class. All of the material on the test will be covered in the class you take, and you will be given a book. Most of the time you will have to pass a test in the class before you can go on to take the state test. The class test will be harder then the state test.

I am licensed in Maryland, WV, and Pa and I passed all the tests the first time. You can go and take it again if you fail. The broker of my company had to take it 3 times.

In Maryland and VA you can not be licensed with any drug offenses on your record. It is different state to state. I have been told (though I dont have a record myself) from other agents that they dont check up on it. There will be a question on your licensing papers that asks about criminal record, but if you lie they wont know. They wont do a background check on agents, but if you ever go for your brokers license they will do a background check.

Check out these links.
Wisconsin Association of Realtors
http://www.wra.org/

National Association of Realtors
http://www.realtor.org/

I will say again that you need to go into this with some money saved up. For classes, licensing fess, membership to NAR and a local association (which will be required from most brokers), business cards, etc. you are looking at about 3 grand. You will also need money to live off of while you are getting set up. Even if you do a deal your first day you wont get paid on it for 3-4 months.