Part-Time Real Estate Agent Jobs

Some people are lured by glimmer of extra income by working as a part time real estate agent. Sounds good, right? Finish the day job and show houses during the evenings and weekends to make an extra $20K a year “Don’t do it!” will be the overwhelming response by brokers and salespeople. After all, many full time real estate agents work 50 to 60 hour work-weeks, and still are not successful.

How can people only working 20 hours a week do well? Here are the top arguments against starting as a part time agent:

First: it will be more difficult to find a brokerage to work with, as many do not accept part time agents. Real Estate brokers are concerned that part-time agents may not keep up with the legal developments in the industry and thus make mistakes that lead to legal complications.

Second: the real estate industry is a complex field that values knowledge and experience. Real estate agents learn something new from every transaction so part time agents only have half of the opportunities to develop.

Third: part time agents struggle to keep clients happy, as their schedules are so limited. Clients have a wide variety of schedules: those who work 9-to-5 will want to view houses in the evenings. Those who work during the evenings will want to view houses during the day and those who are visiting an area to find a house quickly will want your undivided attention for several days.

However, there are exceptions to the rules. Those exceptions tend to be people with flexible schedules, i.e. homemakers who only want to work a few hours a week, teachers who are available during the summer months and retired agents who enjoy the work but don’t want to take too many clients or people with a wide circle of connections, i.e. PTA presidents, coaches, teachers, church leaders, etc.

If you are considering becoming a part time real estate agent, consider whether your current career and lifestyle has the flexibility to accommodate another demanding job.