What should it cost to become a Realtor?

I came across this posting from a prospective real estate agent in Texas. He is asking a pretty straight forward question, but is still hard to answer.

At AgentCampus, we offer real estate licensing courses in all states that will let us. But that is just the first step. I have been talking to many new agents in Texas recently, and they all say the same thing: it costs a lot of money to be a real estate agent in your first year. The training is the easy part.

The fees for local associations, exams, and that 60 hours in your first year is what really gets you. To be a real estate agent requires training and exams. To be a REALTOR and have access to the MLS, that's a more. But it is what is required to be a serious agent.

Just like I said about Home Inspection becoming more regulated, this is most likely a good thing. It keeps the people who are only "so so" about becoming an agent out. It's the barrier to entry. If you want to do this, you have to be serious. But when it is just ridiculous? Are other states the same way?

Don't get me wrong, I am not slamming the MLS, NAR, or anyone else. Truthfully I don't know enough about that subject to really do it justice. I am just posing that question. What should it cost to become a Realtor? Does anyone really tell you in the beginning what the investment really is? How important do you think it'd be to tell prospective agents this?

On a side note: We are developing Prospective Agent kits for people who want to become agents in the states we offer training. Keeps your eyes out for them. I might even post some of the knowledge I find on here and see what you all think. I'd love input on what you would have liked to know BEFORE becoming an agent.

The Maze of Marketing

Being in the internet marketing industry for the past 5 years has taught me one thing. Marketing is only effective when used in it's entirety. You cannot rely on one piece alone.

• Print advertisements are a necessity because it builds awareness, the beginning of relationships.


• Sponsorships are a necessity because it also begins Word of Mouth. Want people to know who you are, tell them.


• Calling prospects is a necessity - you are talking to people who are actively in the market!


• Networking is a definite necessity. If you need to know why, ummm ...


• Search Engine Marketing is a necessity because it builds your brand and reaches the next generation of buyers.

Online advertising leads are fresh, active, and hot. They are looking for you and WANT you to contact them. But they aren't the entire market. Having a blog, linking, website development - that's all a part of that one area of marketing. So many blogs out there spout to have the best tips and tricks for marketing on the internet. Some can be confusing, some can be full of great advice, most have both.

But in the end, it's only one part of your business. Build your business as a whole business. Use all the tools available to you, not just one. You wouldn't try to do your hair for a night out with only hairspray right?

Kickstarting the Real Estate Market

This week I heard something really funny. After all of this mortgage and foreclosure talk, the real estate market was not looking fun for anyone. Just because of some spending and lending gone bad.

To make up for it, every real estate agent has been pushing on the fact that its a buyers market. Short sales are happening, and on that day, the National Association of Realtors got into it. They launched a national ad campaign to boost the buying of homes and using certified Realtors to do so.

Then today happened. The Fed cut rates by 0.75%, the largest cut since the 1990s. Shailesh Ghimire of AgentGenius commented on the situation well. What are we missing? What is the government not telling us?

As a marketer to the real estate industry I am happy about these two developments. As a possible home buyer, I am highly ecstatic. I hope the jumpstart works to counter act what the media created in talking about some missed opportunities.

Let's go real estate agents. Time to make some lemonade!

Home Inspection of the Future

The Real Estate industry is highly regulated. Each state in the US has it's own set of rules and regulations, and each one is completely different from the other. Many are moving into fingerprinting and streneous background checks as well as.

On the other hand, the Home Inspection industry has been largely unregulated. Recently I've noticed that many states are picking up Home Inspection regulations; requiring licenses, continuing education, and registration with the state.

Specifically I've seen mention of Arkansas and Florida thinking about moving to a regulated home inspection model. Florida promises to put recently approved legislation into effect in early 2010.

With the home loan industry in trouble, and the mass of houses on the market due to foreclosures, we might see this industry regulation pushed even faster than previously thought.

While it'll be nice to have this part of Real Estate regulated, it brings up the question, how happy are the newly regulated home inspectors going to feel? This will definitely restrict entry into the market, but from my perspective, I can't see anything bad about it. What do you think?

The Truth About WOM

Word of Mouth Advertising. It's the glory of all marketing programs. Free advertising that is almost guaranteed to convert. In the real estate industry, it is the best way to find clients. Referrals are the stuff life is made of.

Seth Godin posted a new insight to word of mouth, and uses the Iowa caucuses as an example. The gist is that while WOM marketing is the highest converting it is rare. To get someone to refer friends to you just doesn't happen as much as searching the internet. But that is why it is so powerful.

Your regular advertising campaigns are still needed, but getting your current clients to speak out is the key. In another post he tells you how. Overdeliver.