Being a teacher is one of the most admirable career paths a person can follow. It requires spending long hours doing work that’s not necessarily always rewarded or appreciated. It’s an arduous field that requires dedication, patience, and the ability to constantly learn.
Teaching can be a lot, but in many ways, the positives outweigh the negatives. That said, the positives can also serve as helpful tools for a teacher to transition into an extracurricular career path.
Though it might not sound like it’s exactly the same as teaching, sometimes real estate requires these same skills, qualifications, and principles. No, real estate agents aren’t usually dealing with classrooms of kids (phew) but they are having to maintain certain aspects of education-based skills.
These are four reasons why teachers actually make great real estate agents, from parent teacher conferences to open houses.
1. They’re flexible.
Source: Unsplash @ŠtefanŠtefančík
Teachers learn to open up schedules, to give their students a little bit of agency, and to not always be super rigid with one single, set plan in the classroom. Just as teachers have to be willing to switch it up in order to succeed, so must real estate agents. Whether it’s a scheduling conflict or a particular household amenity, teachers know just how to pinpoint their priorities and to let their students’ (or in this case, clients’) needs lead the way.
2. They have strong people skills.
Teaching means dealing with people, big or small, every single day. It means being able to call a parent, talk to a student, and also work with the administration, each of whom may be uniquely different from one another, on a full-time basis. Real estate agents must also be able to communicate with and celebrate people of all different types in order to reach success.
3. They’re organized.
Source: Unsplash @KellySikkema
If the teacher doesn’t have their stuff in order, who does? Teachers learn over the years that the key to keeping it all together is being highly organized and extremely disciplined. Real estate agents also must value this principle, keeping documents secure, clients in order, and schedules maintained. It’s not exactly a lesson plan, but it is the secret behind the big sale.
4. They’re dedicated.
Any teacher will tell you that they give their all to their job, and not just because they get a paycheck. Being a teacher means wanting the best for those you’re educating and knowing that sometimes it takes a lot of hard work or a few extra hours. In the real estate world, this translates, and it can also mean a bigger paycheck, which is an added plus to the average teacher’s work ethic.