By Melissa Evans, REALTOR, ABR, SRS, PSA

Welcome to an exciting career! It can take some time and effort to get started as a new agent, but once you’ve built up your business, you’ll enjoy the flexibility and rewards of life as a REALTOR.

Now that you’ve completed your licensing class and chosen a brokerage, you may be wondering what’s next. Where will your business come from? How will you make money? What should your day-to-day routine look like? These and many more questions probably have your head spinning. After all, while the real estate class taught you the laws and responsibilities associated with being a licensee, learning the realities of daily life as a REALTOR is another lesson entirely.

So where do you begin?

Step 1: Find a mentor in your office.

This could be your manager, or an experienced agent in your office. Ask if you can shadow them on showings or a listing appointment. Sit down with them when they write an offer. Hold open houses for their listings to meet prospective buyers.

Step 2: Learn the market inside and out.

Review market stats using SmartCharts (free subscription compliments of GBBR!). Attend broker’s opens every week. Preview new listings in the neighborhoods you want to focus on, or in the neighborhood where you live.

Step 3: Don’t be a “secret agent.”

Make sure your friends, family, acquaintances and professional networks know that you’re now in the real estate business and are here to be their local market expert (see Step 2 above!). Consider starting a facebook business page to share market updates with your network. Send out useful and helpful information on the real estate market to stay “top of mind” with the people who already know you.

Above all, remember that you are building a business based around you and what you offer to your clients– so always be authentic and genuine in all of your professional dealings.