Sound Off: What advice do you have for someone who is considering a career as a Realtor? How do they get started what market should they start in?

Q: “What advice do you have for someone who is considering a career as a Realtor? How do they get started what market should they start in?“

A: Being a Realtor can be a great career choice and one that offers the opportunity of immense satisfaction. It is important to realize that, despite the appearance of an easy means of income, getting to be a successful Realtor requires hard work and long hours. Immediate success and income are rarely achieved and there is a steep learning curve.

Even if an agent has great contacts and resources, in many cases your potential clients will need reassurance that your knowledge base and expertise will help them in what is often one of their largest investments. The good news is that once you have established a client base, referrals and repeat business will grow. As this takes time, new agents should have a minimum of six months living expenses available before beginning a real estate career.

Realtors are independent contractors, and while the company may help advance your career, you are almost solely responsible for your own success by committing a very significant amount of time, hard work and money to building your business.

A new agent should seek out a brokerage that really cares about their agents, and which offers a quality training program and mentoring. That, together with hard work and the willingness to learn, will help accelerate the road to success.

Bernie Katzmann, Vanguard Properties, 415-906-6000, katzmannsf@gmail.com; Mike Shaw, Vanguard Properties, 415-308-4281, mshawsf@gmail.com.

A: Being a Realtor is like running your own business, so be prepared to work hard and then show up! Create a database of everyone you...