Do you have what it takes to become a real estate broker? That is really is a good question. This can be answered in two parts: the technical aspect which looks at state requirements; then there is the personal aspect. To become not just a real estate broker, but to become a successful one, you have to be able to answer both parts of this question.
The technical aspect of becoming a real estate broker is fairly simple.
In Illinois, there are several requirements. A potential broker must 21+ years old, a high-school graduate, and must complete 90 hours of real estate education. These requirements are all fairly straight forward and are the first things anyone looking to become a real estate broker should think about before they take the first step.
The second part of answer to the initial question is the more difficult and introspective. Being a real estate broker requires a special breed of people to be successful. Being a broker is not just a part-time or full-time job. A broker is required to be on call at all times. Every handshake, game of golf, casual drink, or conversation in a line at the coffee shop can and needs to be treated as the next potential client. Be prepared to find that client in the most improbable places. Also, a broker has to be prepared to be a friend and confidant to every client with which they work. Those friendships need to be maintained.
A real estate broker needs to be prepared and good with money.
There will be times where an you might close a dozen deals in a month, but then go two months without a closing. You must be ready to go with the flow of the market and have set the money aside to weather the doldrums that inevitably will come.
There are more aspects that a real estate broker must face on a daily basis, but these are a few of the most prominent. Anyone looking into getting into the real estate business should do so with a prepared mind.
To answer the first part of this question contact us. The Chicago Real Estate Institute can help guide any potential real estate broker to even greater success.
