How hard is it to become a real estate agent? - YouTube

Hi, it’s Mark Ferguson with Invest Four More.

Thanks for checking out another one of my videos.

This one is about how hard it is to become a real estate agent.

I am on my way back from a new HUD assignment I just got.

So I’ve been a licensed realtor since 2001.

Primarily, I’ve had my success from being a HUD and REO listing broker.

But there’s a ton of ways to make money as a real estate agent.

That's one of the reasons why I love it, and why I think it’s one of the best professions

out there, if you’re willing to put in the work, plan, set goals, and really go after

success.

Now it’s rare, but it’s actually a Sunday right now.

I usually don't get HUD assignments on a Sunday.

But I get 24 hours after I’m notified of an assignment to inspect the property, put

a lock box on, take pictures, then fill out a report about the condition, and send all

that in to HUD.

So I do have to work on weekends, occasionally.

It’s actually pretty rare, lately, but once in a while I do.

And really if you’re a real estate agent, there’s so many different ways you can make

money just working with buyers, working with sellers, completing BPOs, commercial, residential—there’s

a ton of different opportunities out there.

But the real question here is how hard is it to actually become a real estate agent?

And that’s hard to answer because every single state has different regulations, rules

and requirements.

I am in Colorado, and Colorado’s actually one of the toughest states to get your license

in.

You have to have 168 hours of education before you can take the test, and it’s a two-part

test, a state exam and then a national section.

You have to be fingerprinted, pass a background test, and get all of that approved as well

as pass your test before you can become a licensed real estate agent in Colorado.

Once you have your license, you have to hang it with a broker before you’re able to actually

start working and selling houses.

That’s a completely different video and different article.

So there are quite a few requirements to become an agent.

Many different states have much less hours of continuing education.

I’ve got an article about the 50 states’ requirements.

And many states are in the 40 to 60 hour range for education before taking a test.

There are very few that have as many as Colorado.

I think Texas might be the only state with more; I think they’re up over 200 hours.

And almost every state has a test you have to pass.

Most states are requiring background checks now, as well, to make sure the agents, you

know, aren’t major criminals.

So it is involved; it does take some time.

But we’re talking about a career here, about your livelihood, and if you’re not willing

to take a little bit of time to take the education, take the test, then you’re probably not

going to be successful even if you do become a real estate agent.

Once you become an agent, it’s not just clear sailing.

You’re going to have to work, you’re going to have to plan, you’re going to have to

have goals.

And you’re going to have to focus on ways to make money as an agent.

It doesn’t just fall in your lap, it doesn’t all just happen for you—you’ve got to

go out there and make it happen.

So this article this video’s attached to talks about how one of my team members got

his license in Colorado, what it was like.

He took his classes online.

There are a couple different options; online is probably a faster way to do it if you dedicate

enough time to do it.

Obviously, it’s more flexible with work schedule.

But it can be extremely boring.

I mean, I took my classes online—this was a while ago when I took mine—but it is pretty

tough staring at a computer screen for hours every day, trying to read and comprehend extremely

boring information.

The real estate classes are not there to teach you how to sell houses, or how to make money,

they are there to teach you the laws and regulations and keep you out of jail.

And it’s very, very, very boring—lots of dates, lots of memorization, and it’s

really not a lot of fun.

So in class, in-person classes, if you have the flexibility, if you have the time, are

probably going to be a lot more exciting.

Plus, you will be able to network with other agents, the instructor—probably a better

option, if it’s possible for you to do in-person classes.

Either way, I think it’s well worth it becoming an agent.

You know, I have had a lot of success.

I love doing it—the flexibility, the freedom.

You know, I’m able to run my own business by being an agent.

I have eight people on my team.

And I still handle the HUD and REO assignments, but the rest of my team handles most of the

buyer leads, the seller leads, and I’m making money off them while they’re doing their

own thing showing houses and selling houses.

So I hope you enjoyed this video.

Please be sure to check out the article, a lot more information there.

I’ve linked to it in the discussion below.

Have a great day!

We’ll talk to you soon.