Discover Your Ideal Career Path in Real Estate

Real Estate Agent

Real estate agents are the dream-makers of real estate. Part teacher and part friend, agents guide their clients through the often-daunting process of buying, selling, or leasing real estate. This most often involves helping a client find and buy their dream home - or sell their beloved home for top dollar. Real estate agents don't only work with residential properties, though. Depending on their specialties, skills, and interests, agents might also help clients:

• Buy and sell vacant land
• Buy, sell, or lease commercial property

Agents are skilled generalists of real estate transactions. They help clients navigate through the many moving parts of a transaction, from touring a property to making an offer, negotiating a sale price, performing due diligence, securing a loan, and finally, closing the sale. Agents earn a commission - which is typically a percentage of a property's purchase price - on every transaction.

If you have a passion for touring beautiful homes and properties, love working with people, and are comfortable negotiating, becoming a real estate agent might be your best fit!

Working as a Real Estate Agent: The Facts

Ideal Skills: You're a self-starter with excellent motivation and self-discipline. You enjoy networking, meeting new people, guiding clients through complex processes, and (of course) touring properties!

Average Salary: Real estate agent salaries vary based on location, frequency of deals, and experience. Check out the national average salary, according to Indeed. As an agent, your earnings are essentially limitless and depend only on the number of deals you bring to the closing table. Specializing in a real estate niche, forming a real estate team, and becoming a real estate broker are all great ways to build your earnings.

Career Prerequisites: Most states require that you have a high school diploma before applying for a real estate license. In most states, you're also required to complete real estate pre-licensing courses, which can take anywhere from two to eight weeks to complete, depending on your state. Then, you'll need to pass a real estate exam and join a real estate brokerage before you begin working deals as an agent.

Part-Time or Full-Time? Whatever works for you! Jump in and become a full-time agent or pursue real estate part-time for a little play money. It all depends on your career goals.

Job Growth & Stability: Real estate agents are in demand! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of real estate agents and brokers is projected to grow 3% through 2032.

Mortgage Loan Originator

Mortgage loan originators (MLOs) are the financial guides of real estate. Using both their number and people sense, MLOs help their clients apply for loans and secure the financing needed to buy a home. MLOs prepare, analyze, and shepherd mortgage loan applications along to approval during purchases and mortgage refinances.

MLOs typically work for banks or mortgage brokerages. They interact directly with clients, guiding them through the complex process of applying for a real estate loan and obtaining the documentation needed for a loan application. MLOs earn their income in a few different ways. They might work on commission only, on a combination of salary and commission, or on salary only.

If you want to help people achieve their dream of homeownership or real estate investment, you're great with numbers, and you're big on offering guidance, becoming an MLO might be your best fit!

Working as a Mortgage Loan Originator: The Facts

Ideal Skills: You are highly detailed-oriented, love crunching numbers, enjoy networking, and thrive on serving and guiding people toward their real estate goals.

Average Salary: MLO earnings depend primarily on the pay structure, which could resemble commissions on loans, a base salary and commissions on loans, or a base salary with bonus incentives. Check out the national average salary, according to Indeed. Whether commission-based, salaried (or both,) the more experience you have as an MLO generally translates into a higher income.

Career Prerequisites: Most states require you to have a high school diploma before applying to become an MLO. You'll need to complete MLO pre-licensing education, which takes as little as a few weeks to a month to complete, depending on your state. You'll also need to pass the SAFE MLO Test, complete a background check, and find a sponsoring employer before beginning your work as an MLO.

Part-Time or Full-Time? The majority of MLOs work full-time, but that doesn't mean you can't be a part-time MLO. Often, many MLOs start out working full-time for an employer, gain experience and build income, and then scale back to a part-time schedule. No matter your schedule, working as an MLO can be as flexible as you need it to be.

Job Growth and Stability: Mortgage loan originators are in demand! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of MLOs is projected to grow 3% through 2032.

Home Inspector

Home inspectors are the building and safety experts of real estate. As specialists who understand the inner workings of houses, inspectors evaluate the major systems in a home during a real estate transaction. Home inspectors are typically hired by homebuyers to provide a detailed, objective home inspection report that explains the condition and safety of a home. This is valuable knowledge that homebuyers (and sellers) need to make more informed real estate decisions.

Home inspectors are usually self-employed. They run their own businesses, make their own hours, and enjoy flexible full- or part-time schedules. Some inspectors choose to work for multi-inspector companies to gain experience and grow along with a team. Inspectors earn income per home inspection, and they generally charge between $400 and $600 per inspection. Their income is limited only by the number of inspections they choose to perform each week (some inspectors do 4-5 a week!).

Contrary to what you might have heard, you don't need a background in construction to become a great home inspector. You can learn! That's the beauty of home inspection training. Plus, you can pay for your training in as little as two inspections, making it a career that's easy to invest in and pay yourself back.

If you'd love a hands-on career in the field, have a detailed eye, enjoy processes, and are a good communicator, becoming a home inspector might be your ideal fit!

Working as a Home Inspector: The Facts

Ideal Skills: You have an eye for detail and processes. You're also a good problem-solver, a savvy communicator, and enjoy hands-on work. Being a motivated self-starter is also helpful when you're building an inspection business.

Average Salary: Home inspector salaries vary by state and locale. Check out the national average salary, according to Indeed. As a home inspector, your earnings are unlimited and depend only on the number of inspections you handle per week. To build even more income, many inspectors also offer specialty inspection services, such as mold or radon inspection.

Career Prerequisites: Some states require home inspectors to be licensed and some don't. So, it's best to check your state's requirements. It's also important to complete quality home inspection training to learn the Standards of Practice and ensure you know what you're doing. A high school diploma is also required in most states and by most multi-inspector companies.

Part-Time or Full-Time? Either! Some inspectors inspect homes as a side hustle while others start out part-time and plan to grow into full-time. And still, some home inspectors jump in full force after training as full-time inspectors. Home inspection is a career path you can truly make your own - and build a great income.

Job Growth and Stability: Home inspectors enjoy steady demand for their services! In fact, an estimated 95% of homes that are sold in the US are inspected as part of the transaction. As long as homes and properties are bought and sold, home inspectors will always be needed to ensure safety and offer important insights to buyers and sellers alike.

Real Property Appraiser

Real property appraisers are the data scientists of real estate. As real estate valuation experts, appraisers provide independent, impartial, and unbiased opinions of a property's value. They do this using savvy data research and analysis skills, a detailed eye, and deep-learned knowledge of appraisal methodology. Appraisal reports are used by lenders, real estate agents, and homeowners to confirm the value of a home or property and ensure it justifies a loan amount.

Appraisers also have their choice in how they work. You can find them working full-time in salaried positions at banks, lenders, or private appraisal firms. Or, they might work independently - full- or part-time - earning fees per appraisal, building their own appraisal businesses, and hiring other appraisers to work with them. Plus, you might find other appraisers teaching the craft of real property appraisal and mentoring trainees. Appraisal is a licensed profession with four different licenses you can earn, and your income generally grows with additional education and license upgrades.

If the data analysis side of real estate fascinates you and you love digging into property research, touring properties, and documentation processes, becoming an appraiser might be up your alley! (Sidenote: seasoned real estate agents make GREAT appraisers!)

Working as a Real Property Appraiser: The Facts

Ideal Skills: You love working with data, analyzing numbers, and researching property information. You're also highly detail-oriented and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You also have a passion for real estate and a love of procedure, as every appraisal assignment follows a similar process.

Average Salary: Real property appraiser salaries vary by state, locale, and type of appraiser license. Check out the national average salary for appraisers, according to Indeed. Appraiser earnings generally correspond with the type of license you have, amount of education, and your years of experience. Certified general appraisers - the highest license level available - can appraise any type of real estate property (from a condominium to an airport!) and typically earn the most.

Career Prerequisites: Real property appraisal is a nationally regulated profession that requires appraisers to be licensed before beginning work. In most states, appraisers start their journey by completing appraisal qualifying education to become a trainee appraiser. Next, they move on to work alongside a supervisory appraiser mentor, earning the required experience hours to be eligible to take the national licensing exam. A high school diploma is required in most states for entry-level appraiser licenses. Some college coursework or a college degree is required for more seasoned appraiser licenses.

Part-Time or Full-Time? Once you're licensed, you can choose either! Real property appraisers don't solely work in full-time positions. Many work for themselves and make their own hours. Once you're an appraiser, your schedule and who you work for depend on your career goals.

Job Growth and Stability: Appraisers are always in demand! In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 5% growth in appraiser jobs through 2032, which is faster than average.

Property Manager

Property managers are the caretakers of real estate. They oversee and manage residential or commercial properties on behalf of property investors or owners. A property manager's typical job duties include screening tenants, handling lease agreements, collecting rent, solving tenant concerns, working with maintenance professionals, conducting property visits, preparing lease rental income reports, and more.

Because a job in property management involves a variety of tasks, it's ideal for people who want to work independently and have a flexible schedule. Property managers can work part-time or full-time. They're either paid a fee per property - negotiated with the property owner ahead of time - or a salary.

Becoming a licensed real estate agent and a property manager gives you a great financial advantage. You can help clients buy, sell, and lease property as well as manage property as a side income. Earning extra designations and certifications as a property manager can increase your earning power and set you apart in a competitive industry.

If you're a problem-solver, you like working with people, you're organized, and you'd love a flexible schedule, becoming a property manager might be your ideal fit!

Working as a Property Manager: The Facts

Skills: You have effective communication skills that help you interact with all kinds of people. You also have healthy organizational skills and are a good problem-solver. Being a self-starter and someone who needs little management oversight - since you'll work mostly independently - is also useful.

Average Salary: Property manager salaries vary by state, city, type of employment, and education. Check out the national average salary for property managers, according to Indeed. Property managers generally make more money as the number of properties managed grows - and with additional education and designations.

Career Prerequisites: Some states require a real estate license to become a property manager, and some states don't, so be sure to check your state's requirements to confirm. Even when a real estate license isn't required, career advancement may be dependent on becoming a licensed agent. That means enrolling in real estate pre-licensing courses and passing a real estate exam. Some employers may require you to earn additional designations in property management to enhance your skills and qualifications. A high school diploma is usually required by your state to earn your real estate license and to be employed by property owners.

Part-Time or Full-Time? Either! Property management makes a great part-time side hustle or a full-time job with good income potential. Many licensed real estate agents also run successful property management businesses on the side. It all depends on your career goals.

Job Growth and Stability: A recent study shows that property management - in particular, apartment management - is essentially a “recession-proof” career because of the necessary nature of the job. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 5% growth in property manager jobs through 2032. This is faster than average.