Which Jobs Give You Transferable Skills to be a Real Estate Agent in Boston?

When you work as a professional real estate agent in the Greater Boston Area, you have uncapped income and earning potential. There are very few industries left in America that offer you the opportunity to make six figures in your first year at the job, with zero previous experience. Many of the skills that you need are often life skills intangibles such as professionalism, kindness, attention to detail, prompt service, and knowing your product. Even with high interest rates and low inventory, agents can thrive and build an incredible life if they have the right training, attitude, and advanced tech platform. Regardless if our economy is in a recession or roaring with rapid GDP growth – you can always make money in real estate if you have the right skills.

If you want to break into the real estate industry, you will need to obtain your license.

Do not be alarmed or frightened at passing the real estate exam in Massachusetts. Numerous people pass it on the first try with just a few evenings of focused studying. You probably know a lot more about real estate than you think you do. You may also have a lot of previous “real life” job skills that are readily transferrable, and translate into quick success. Over many years, our team has come to realize that some of our most successful agents came from other industries not related to real estate at all. We have noticed patterns of success that we would like to share with you.

Honestly evaluating yourself is a good start to understanding if you could be a great real estate agent. Do you have the customer service skills needed to make your clients want to stick with you to get deals completed? It’s your first test on the path to becoming a real estate agent! You will need to market yourself not just to future clients, but to your future brokerage. They want to see how you present yourself in a job interview. Can you call and connect with people? Are you a good listener? Do you have the ability to remember real-time facts and figures in the marketplace? Can you multi-task and manage your time well? All of these will help you become a highly successful real estate agent in Boston.

So, let’s look at some (but not all) of the jobs that give you transferable skills to be a real estate agent in Boston.

Bartenders

Bartenders in the Greater Boston Area typically make fantastic real estate agents because they are experienced in providing exceptional customer service. Utilizing your people skills is a big plus for any successful real estate agent in Boston. Challenges will inevitably arise in sales and rental deals.

Bartending and real estate are similar in that they usually require people to work odd hours to maximize their income. However, real estate is a much more independent career path. You can put together deals and work on sales proposals at night or early in the morning. Basically, any time you are not showing or prospecting for new business. You will most likely want to work at an technology advanced office with a massive number of leads generated for you. Consider a distinguished real estate company with a lot of leads as akin to a bar full of high paying customers. You are going to make a lot more “tips” if the people are coming into a full “real estate bar”. Bartenders make the most tips on nights when the bar is packed and companies with the most web traffic and leads always deliver the best commissions.

In addition, bartenders have experience working in a fast-paced environment. If you want to get into real estate, it never hurts to be at a busy office with an incredible lead system from the jump. If you are at the right office, you will constantly be on the move meeting with clients, touring properties, getting keys, and calling for more inventory. If you are a bartender looking to get into real estate, ask how many leads pour into a real estate office on a daily basis. Ask about their lead generation and technology package. Details matter. Some real estate offices do not provide any marketing support and suggest to you to simply call expired listings for hours and hours each day. The burn out on calling expired listings is very high. Having ample leads with incoming calls is nearly always a better route.

Car Salesmen

Car salesmen have a sales background, and often work with a small base salary couple with much smaller commissions. Car salespeople often shift from dealership to dealership based on hot car models and incentives. Some years the car franchise can be lucrative and yet other years can be very lean. In many respects the car industry is similar to the real estate industry – you will probably want to work with the people with the most inventory and provide the best products. Search for real estate offices with the most overall web and social media presence. Many car salesmen are now looking at real estate as a way to make much more money and not have to worry about supply chain disruption problems.

Good car salesmen have great listening skills. They make their customers feel comfortable and ensure that their needs are being addressed. To be a successful real estate agent in Boston, you need to listen to your client’s desires and preferences. It goes a long way in building credibility and rapport with potential clients. Car salespeople must also rely on their interpersonal skills to help customers feel welcome and confident about their purchasing decisions. By acknowledging the independent research consumers have already performed, car salesmen can simultaneously build trust while moving customers closer to the point of purchase. The same holds true in real estate sales. We have seen many people come from the car industry and make tremendous income in real estate. The other thing we have noticed is that many people in car sales like the fact that they can break six figures in commissions a lot easer than they could in the auto industry.

Drivers

Drivers- from taxis to ride-share drivers- characteristically make fantastic real estate agents in Boston as well. Dealing with the public, especially during stressful situations, takes a bit of patience. Customers may be angry about things that are out of your control, such as traffic. Successful drivers have the ability to take all of that in stride. That’s a skill that you will absolutely need as a real estate agent in Boston. When clients are in the middle of a real estate transaction they are often and understandably under a lot of stress. Agents must be mindful of this and respond patiently and kindly to reassure their clients.

Drivers are also familiar with driving clients around the city and know the best routes to take during rush hour. This will not only help you save time when taking your clients on showings, but also help you understand the nuances between neighborhoods. Clients often have questions about differences in pricing, parking, accessibility to bars/ restaurants/ groceries stores, and more. Taxis or rideshare drivers will likely be able to easily help with those questions as they are already familiar with the city’s diverse neighborhoods!

Lastly, ride-share drivers and taxis are used to working on their own time. They make their own schedules to maximize their income. Real estate agents must do the same. Doing the right thing at the right time is a crucial part of agent success.

The Time is Right to Become a Real Estate Agent in Boston

All of these are customer- facing roles, so customer service skills are essential as we mentioned throughout the article. However, there are many other skills a real estate agent can deploy to become even more financially wealthy. For example, being analytical and able to recognize trends in the Boston market, and within specific neighborhoods will certainly give an agent an edge. New real estate agents should be: driven, diligent, willing to learn and enjoy working with people. Does this sound like you? Then submit your resume here, and talk to one of our experienced managers about how you can take the first step towards a successful real estate career.