How to Get into Real Estate

Become a Real Estate Agent

Take classes that will prepare you for the real estate license exam and train you to be a sales agent. Look for opportunities to take courses at a large brokerage agencies in your area. Several real estate firms provide training, classroom work and help with studying for the licensing exam. They usually take a few weeks and cost from $200 to $900, depending on where you live. Enroll in real estate training courses at your local community college. These programs often take longer but cost less. You will learn the basics of being a real estate agent and prepare for the licensing exam.

Get your real estate license. Each state will have different ways of licensing real estate agents, and an exam is always required.

Work with an established firm. Most real estate agents build their client list by working with a large and well-known real estate company such as Re/Max, Coldwell Banker and Long & Foster.

Network and market yourself aggressively. Let everyone know you are a real estate agent and that you are willing to help them find their dream home or sell their current house.

Continue your education and training as you work. There are courses you can take through the National Association of Realtors and other groups that will help you develop your skills and knowledge in real estate.

Become a Real Estate Investor

Build your finances to the point that you can begin investing in real estate. You will need a lot of liquid cash to pay for properties and make down payments as well as excellent credit to ensure loans and financing.

Decide on a strategy. Some real estate investors buy properties, update them and then sell them again (known as flipping). Others buy investment properties they will rent out to tenants and some investors buy commercial buildings such as apartments or properties in malls and shopping centers.

Buy shares in a real estate investment trust (REIT) if you do not have a lot of capital to invest, but you want to get into real estate investing. REITs attract individual and institutional investors and pay dividends on the earnings they accrue.

Look for investment opportunities, based on your strategy. You will need to develop close professional relationships with real estate agents, mortgage lenders and property managers who can help you identify and secure profitable investment properties.

Become a Property Manager

Educate yourself on the rental market in your area. Property managers help property owners lease their residences to qualified tenants and take care of any maintenance, repairs, inspections and evictions during the tenancy. Study the real estate and landlord/tenant laws in your state. As a property manager, you will need to understand Fair Housing Laws and other state and local ordinances that oversee how you manage property.

Look for opportunities to join an established property management company.

Find a job working as a leasing agent with an apartment complex or development. This is a good way to get started in property management and real estate because you can help people find places to live and screen applicants who want to live in the building you work for.