Plenty of column inches have been dedicated to making your first steps in property ownership
Plenty of column inches have been dedicated to making your first steps in property ownership – from getting your finances in order and honing your research skills through to finding that right first address from which you can then build equity and stability (hopefully) and making your offer. Its not getting any easier for first timers out there but hopefully the counsel is at least a little bit useful.
Today’s topic however, is about getting your start in the industry. Not that I would push the point too much, but when it comes to the bar set to be legally qualified to work in the real estate industry in QLD, it would be harder to limbo under it than jump over it. The bare minimum requirement today can sometimes feel more like a prize in a cereal box than an actual accreditation, with the ability to complete the coursework for registration as a salesperson or property manager in as little as a couple of days, with far more time spent waiting for the Office of Fair Trading to process the paperwork than actually do it (I won’t argue with that side of it, there is a point to the checks and balances).
Licence (or registration) in hand though, its what you do next which is the most important. A licenced agent is able to immediately start their own office (or business, at least) on their own, with limited supervision or guidance from there. A registered salesperson or property manager however has to work under an existing licensee. For the vast majority of new starters, working in an existing office, alongside established agents is the best bet, and a better opportunity to do some actually learning of the trade. Despite the hype, real estate is actually a challenging industry, with as much time spent seeking new business, as in actually selling or leasing and you need to develop skills on both sides. Its no good being salesperson extraordinaire with nothing to sell, and equally if you can sell yourself but not houses you’ll find yourself similarly unstuck.
The best advice I can give, is to start from the beginning, with an associate (assistant) or property management role a great way to cut your teeth, learn the pitfalls and establish yourself in an area. Its hard work, not particularly glamorous and often doesn’t feel terribly rewarding, but for those that excel, its an exceptional launching platform from which you can scale VERY quickly.
Like any industry, there is burnout, sometimes long hours and its not for everyone. But its looked after me and my family for three generations, so there must be something to it!