Your Guide to How Real Estate Works in This Day and Age

It is hardly a secret at this point that the real estate market has been booming in the past few years. Part of it is thanks to the covid 19 pandemic and how many people ended up moving back in with their families. Now, we are seeing houses sell incredibly quickly thanks to the recovery period that we are in.
Now, if you are unfamiliar with this, there is no shame in that. You have definitely come to the right place! For those of us looking to become real estate agents, but unsure where to start, I have curated this guide. Hopefully, you will find it helpful!
The Basics: What is it?
Let us get down to business right away here as I answer the question of what is real estate? It is pretty simple, thankfully. We can use a variety of definitions, but in essence it is any land or property with permanent structures created by humans. Easy, right?
There are a ton of different categories out there to try to keep straight, though. What we usually think of first are the residential ones, but this hardly encompasses all of it. The important thing is that we understand that the overarching umbrella includes land that has infrastructure or other improvements made on it.
Land
This type is typically referred to as “unrefined.” That is because it is property that has been sectioned off for sale, but it does not have any buildings on it yet. It has a lot of potential, of course, but there is little there to start with.
Commercial
Property that is considered “commercial” has places of business on it. This could be something as simple as the bakery that I show above, or as intricate as an entire shopping mall. If business transactions are taking place on the land, then it is considered commercial.
Residential
As I previously discussed, this is what we traditionally think of when we hear the phrase “real estate.” Properties that fall into this category have buildings that people live in. This does include apartment buildings but excludes hotels. Funny how that works, right?
Industrial
The final type that I will mention today is industrial. As the name suggests, land that has factories or other buildings like that are under this umbrella. They are rarely something that agents work with, so let us move on.
What are Real Estate Agents?
Now that I have covered some of the basics of what real estate is, let us talk about the agents. You are probably here because you want to become one, right? The process is a little convoluted but tends to be worth it in the end. You can find an example of an agent here, https://kristamashore.com, if you would like to see a successful one. Many strive to reach that level.
The first thing to bear in mind is that in the United States, each state has different requirements for becoming one. The licensing process looks different across municipalities, so be sure to research what it takes where you live. Otherwise, you might be caught by surprise!
Obviously, you need to get a license to become one. Most likely, you will have to do some coursework and take an exam in the end. This can be challenging for some, but I assure you that it can be done. Do not let this scare you away from pursuing your passions!
As far as the definition of one, it is rather simple. An agent is someone who helps clients sell or rent out their properties and/or land. Hopefully, the certification requirement reveals that the reality is a lot more complex than that. A lot goes into this.
How it Works Post-Certification
So – you have your certification now, as outlined on this website. What do you do next? Admittedly, it can be a bit of a foggy road from here, but do not despair.
Most real estate agents who are freshly licensed end up finding a coach or mentor figure to help them through their first few months or even years. Why is that? There are in fact plenty of reasons for this, with the key one being that you forge a relationship that benefits both of you.
Real estate coaching is a fairly common practice. If you were not aware, a lot of this industry relies upon who you have connections with. The more contacts that you have, the better off that you will be. That is why forming a positive partnership with a mentor figure can be so valuable.
They can help you through the beginning stages of your career by offering practical knowledge that you may not have obtained through your coursework. Some things we can only learn about through experience, after all.
One thing I would like to note about this process is that there are very few mentors and coaches who will do this entirely for free. They might collect a portion of your commission as agreed upon, or you can pay a flat fee. I would say that it is up to you and the person that you are looking to mentor you to decide how that will work. Each partnership tends to be different.
Final Thoughts – is it Worth it?
You might be thinking to yourself that this seems like an awfully long and arduous process just to sell houses. Trust me when I tell you that it is not that simple. In fact, you will probably be thankful that you read this article if you do decide to pursue this job.
There are so many situations that we just cannot predict when we are entering the field of real estate. You never know when a home inspection will go poorly, for example, or something else will end up blindsiding you and your client. If that does happen, you will probably be thankful that you have a mentor figure by your side to help sort things out, though.