If you just got your Georgia real estate license you’re about to embark on an amazing professional journey where you get to be in more control of your schedule and your potential income isn’t limited to a set salary. On average real estate agents in Georgia make $69,150, which is a great annual income that’s just over the national median household income.
But first, you’ve got to get your real estate career off the ground. It’s not as easy as starting a traditional job, but there are steps you can take to find resources that can make jumpstarting your Georgia real estate career a lot easier.
Step 1 - Pick the Right Georgia Real Estate Brokerage
The first thing any new real estate agent can do to set themselves up for success is to choose the best Georgia brokerage. Which brokerage will be the best depends on your career goals and the type of support you need.
Your brokerage is a vital support system when you’re getting started. Ideally, a senior agent can help mentor you and point you toward helpful resources. It’s also preferable if the brokerage provides leads for new agents to help them build their client list.
Want to make sure you’re choosing the best brokerage? Read about the 6 signs that you’re choosing the best real estate brokerage in Georgia.
PRO TIP: When you are looking at the services that a brokerage provides remember that they usually correspond with the commission split. Generally, the more services and support the brokerage offers the higher the commission split will be.
Join Realtor Associations
There will be annual dues and a few other extra expenses, but joining a Realtor association is usually a smart career move for new real estate agents in Georgia. Having the Realtor designation helps add to a new agent’s credibility, which helps you gain the trust of potential clients. The associations also provide agents with a ton of resources not just for launching a real estate career but also finding your specialty.
There are three types of associations that Georgia real estate agents can join:
National Association of Realtors (NAR)
NAR is the largest trade association in the country. That means you’re part of a powerful group that’s advocating for real estate professionals. But membership also comes with a number of other benefits, such as being about to call yourself a Realtor. Another huge benefit for new real estate agents is free marketing on the NAR websites and marketing tools that you can use on social media and in your property packets.
If you want to become a NAR member you’ll have to join a local board first.
Georgia Association of Realtors
There’s also the state-specific Georgia Association of Realtors. When you join GAR you’ll have access to a large library of information, monthly market statistics and breaking industry news. You’ll also get a suite of tools for free that are worth over $600. One of the biggest benefits is having year round access to the GAR legal helpline.
To join GAR you’ll also have to be a member of a local board.
Local and Regional Association Boards
New agents should look into joining their local or regional real estate association board in Georgia. With this membership you’ll get highly targeted information for your market area and learn about events that are happening. The one limitation is you can only join a local board if your broker is a member.
Take Advanced Training and Continuing Education
Here’s the thing about taking real estate courses in Georgia - you have to take a certain amount of continuing education to keep an active license. This is really a good thing for real estate agents in Georgia. The CE requirement keeps you at the top of your game. It can also help you discover a market niche that you can corner or a unique way to brand your services.
Two of the most valuable things that agents have to offer their clients is market knowledge and transactional experience. In your first year you are working on both, but the experience will only come with time. Taking advanced training and continuing education will at least help you deepen your knowledge base. You also may be able to add a few new fancy designations to your resume depending on the courses that you take.
Attend at Local Business Events
Getting to know other professionals is a really good idea because they can be great sources of repeat referrals. But mixing it up at local business events is just as much about getting into a professional mindset as it is growing your lists of contacts. The inspiration and motivation you get from other professionals can help you get past the challenges you’ll face in your first year.
There should be ample opportunities to attend professional events if you’re in a mid-to-large size city. The local Chamber of Commerce or city economic development department should have a calendar with monthly events that professionals and the general public can attend.
Get Out and Meet People
One of the best things you can do to jumpstart a real estate career is to simply meet people. Growing your network will increase the number of leads you receive, and those leads are among the best you’ll get as a real estate agent.
Join a Braves fan club that meets to watch the games. Help Habitat for Humanity build a home. Become a PTA member at your kids school. Take every opportunity you can to build relationships and strike up a conversation. Before you walk away, it never hurts to give the person your business card and let them know you can help with buying or selling a home. Getting a new client really can be that easy.
Like every career, getting started as a real estate agent in Georgia takes time and effort. Take advantage of all the resources that are available and get as much support as you can to get your real estate career off to a great start.