Last week, I reviewed the job qualifications of selling real estate, but there are many more careers available in the real estate industry. If you love living in Ukiah but wonder how you can support yourself financially, especially if you don’t have a college degree, a career in the real estate industry might be a good fit. They all require a real estate license, but little additional schooling.
If working on commission or being available during non-traditional business hours doesn’t fit your lifestyle, property management might work for you. Many of the same traits as a sales agent are important (e.g., working with people, solving problems), but property management has more security. You may pay for that security with a lower salary, but for some, it’s a worthwhile trade.
A property manager takes care of real estate for a property owner, including all the details of renting the home or space to qualified tenants and coordinating care of the properties if something breaks or needs maintenance. A property management position comes with a salary and often benefits like health insurance, paid time off, and a retirement account. Property managers are expected to be in the office, working regular business hours, so there’s less flexibility than for a realtor.
If you are detail oriented and like solving problems, but prefer to work with numbers and a computer, being a loan officer could work for you. Loan officers work for banks or loan brokerages to lend money. And again, you work on commission and you establish your own schedule (and to a large degree your own income).
If you’ve been a realtor for a long time and would like to use that experience a new way, consider joining the management side of the team. Successful managers (in real estate and other industries) recognize that their success is dependent on the people they manage. This is where the problem-solver portion of your personality needs to be on steroids. If you can’t get satisfaction from helping others succeed, management isn’t for you.
If you’re looking for a job, it’s worth thinking about more than just the money. Find a position in which you can take advantage of your strongest attributes. If you enjoy the outdoors, see if you can find a job that allows you to get out of the office. If you like people, make sure you aren’t stuck in front of a computer all day. Find a job you love and you never work a day in your life.
I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. I am grateful for many things, one of which is this wonderful community I call home. I appreciate the folks who put together the Ukiah Valley Christmas Effort. As I mentioned last week, the Christmas Effort folks anticipate providing 750 food baskets and toys for some 2,200 children for local families in need. All donations are tax deductible. Check out their Facebook page for more information: www.facebook.com/ukiahchristmas. If you’re looking for a place to share some of your good fortune, this is a good one.
Next time I’ll write about interest rates, and encourage you to make your move (buy or refinance) before the end of the year. If there’s something you would like me to write about or if you have questions about real estate or property management, feel free to contact me at rselzer@selzerrealty.com or visit our website at www.realtyworldselzer.com. If you’d like to read previous articles, visit my blog at www.richardselzer.com. Dick Selzer is a real estate broker who has been in the business for more than 35 years.
