The job of a real estate agent has certain characteristics that make it fitting to the hectic schedule of busy moms. This is not to say that beginning a career in real estate while also having a lot of family responsibilities is easy, however, it can be done. From setting your own hours to handling business from home, becoming a real estate agent can prove to be a good alternative even if you are a busy parent. With that said, is becoming a real estate agent a good option for busy moms?
First, as a real estate agent, you get to choose your own work hours.
This means that whether you have to pick up your child from preschool, need to attend a parents-teachers conference, or simply have to watch over your little ones, you can still continue working whenever you are free. It is worth mentioning that to yield results in the business, you will have to find and invest time in it. This is where your time-management skills and your ability to balance work and your personal life come to play.
On the other hand, just like taking care of your kids when the need arises, clients need care as well.
While the schedule of a real estate agent is very flexible and you can show house listings during the evenings or the weekends, most clients won’t appreciate it if they feel that their needs aren’t being attended to or if you aren’t flexible enough with your time schedule. This means that at times, whether it is a babysitter or a significant other, you will definitely need some help. Setting specific times of when you can work from home, when to show houses to clients, and when the kids need your full attention can be a good start to separating the responsibilities with a significant other or hiring a babysitter who can watch over the kids when you aren’t home.
Income-wise, the salary of a real estate agent depends on how many house sales or purchases they close throughout the year.
Real estate agents get paid by commission, where more transactions lead to a higher salary. The commission of a transaction is split between the seller agent, buyer agent, and their brokerages and if you have little experience in the field, you have less negotiating power on how the commission is split. As a busy mom, you can benefit from this payment structure because it means that if you are good at closing deals, putting in little time can still generate you a large income that other traditional 9-5 jobs do not offer.
However, this is a double-edged sword, as it also means that your income is uncertain. Therefore, if you are someone that appreciates security in a job where you can clearly plan out your spending, then you might find that the job of a real estate agent is not the right fit for you.
Another benefit of being a mom and a real estate agent is that the skills required can be used in both.
As a parent, you have probably come across situations when you have had to multitask, had to put your children’s needs first, and had to be super flexible with your schedule. The same applies to the job of a real estate agent. To truly succeed, you have to put your clients’ needs above yours, attend to their requests and answer their concerns. Your networking skills are also worth mentioning. Talking to teachers or to other parents can give you the confidence you need to talk to clients and close deals as a real estate agent. Therefore, being a mom provides you with a lot of people skills that other agents might have to work on to acquire.
Apart from the packed schedule, the biggest challenge of being a real estate agent as a mom is the high-stress situations you will find yourself in at both “jobs”.
In fact, NAR’s Realtor Magazine has ranked the job of a real estate agent as the 10th most stressful profession. As a real estate agent, you might have to deal with difficult clients who have unreasonable expectations, which can be frustrating when you have a lot on your plate. Moreover, it is stressful not being able to find a house for a client after months of searching. Finally, as a real estate agent, being on calls all the time may shift attention from your kids even when you are at home. To avoid this, it is useful to set clear times when you will be responding to phone calls, texts, and emails.
It can be said that the most important factor that will decide whether you will make it as both a parent and a real estate agent is your attitude to it.
If you are someone who needs to have a clear structure of their work schedule, tasks, responsibilities, you will find it hard to juggle both the job of being a parent and your career as a real estate agent. No two days in the life of a real estate agent look alike, and the same goes for the day of a busy mom, which is why some people may find it impossible to handle two jobs that are unpredictable. However, if you are motivated and determined to succeed, you will be better at multitasking, arranging business meetings, and working around the schedule.
It is definitely not easy to be a mom and a real estate agent, but it is also not impossible. Learning how to manage your time, how to deal with stress, and stay organized even in hectic situations, will determine whether you succeed as a real estate agent and as a mom.
