I Was A Real Estate Agent For Six Months, But I Couldn’t Afford It
I Was Nicely Dressed But Poor
I was in my fourth year of teaching; one of my colleagues in the science department made the switch from teaching to a realtor. I had difficulty adjusting to being a teacher, and I decided to take the real estate license course and later the real estate license exam.
I passed both the course and the test to get the license on my first try. I saw my colleague and others doing well in real estate; therefore, I assumed I could do the same.
I would be at work and teach for seven hours and then go directly to the real estate office. It was a time in my life when I was making little income but dressing like I was making a six-figure income.
As I recall, I kept my license for six months before I let it lapse because I couldn’t afford to pay for it, and the continuing education classes in real estate were too expensive. During that time, I never got a client to sign a contract.
The Day I Almost Got My First Sale
One day I didn’t go into the office after teaching and went home instead; I didn’t check my real estate office voicemail until the next day. I thought it was a reminder to check my box at the real estate office, but it was a call from a relative. The message was that my cousin needed someone to represent him in a sale of land or a parcel from another state.
I immediately contacted my broker to see if it was possible because the sale was out of state. My real estate broker said it was possible, but he had to get involved.
I thought, “Wow, this would be my first real estate transaction deal.” That was only the start. My cousin proved to be non-committal about selling the property for the six months that I was a real estate agent.
I couldn’t afford to pay the license fees and the other charges that came with being a real estate agent; therefore, I let it lapse and expire. One week after my license expired, my cousin called and said, “I’m ready to sell my property.”
I thought to myself, “Are you kidding me?” I had to tell my cousin I was no longer a real estate agent; I had to refer him to my old boss, the real estate broker, to take care of the transaction.
The value of the property and home was around $330,000. It was a land and house passed on from previous generations.
I also think the commission was 6% (3% for the buyer, 3% for the seller); at 1.5% for my commission, my first sales commission would have been $4950.
That was the closest I ever got to smelling a commission from selling a house or condo.
Takeaway
My part-time real estate agent career was short-lived; it lasted six months. My broker also sent his real estate agents Christmas cards.
The card said thank you. I thought, “Of course, thank you. You kept 100% of the commission for my work of hounding my cousin for months to sell the property.”
Final Thoughts
Working as a real estate agent felt like I was in a Multi-Level Marketing company. I was nicely dressed, but poor.
My colleague became a successful real estate agent, and I returned to the classroom.
I still remember the suit I used for the real estate firm; I kept it because I wanted something that reminded me I was a real estate agent. I don’t have the business suit anymore because I cleaned my home several years ago.
Being a real estate agent was one of several jobs I tried early in my teaching career, before settling into teaching.
I write about my experiences as a high school teacher, writing, and anything that comes to mind. Sometimes I write about satire.
Don Sabado
Teacher | Author | Writer
Follow me on: