How to start your real estate business?
1. Develop and refine your idea
Real estate is an enormously competitive field. The chances are that your area already has at least one or two successful and popular brokers already actively engaged in the marketplace.
If you want to have the best chance at success, you need to consider your strengths, weaknesses, and any areas you are particularly interested in or experienced with.
Make sure you are deeply familiar with the area you’d like to set up your business.
Knowing the towns and surrounding areas of where you’ll be helping people locate to is a critical part of running a real estate business, but it can also influence how you’ll decide to present yourself in the marketplace.
Take a look at the other realtors and brokerages in the area to determine what your competition is doing in the marketplace, and take stock of how these existing businesses are approaching things.
2. Write a business plan
Although a business plan isn’t mandatory, it can help you to crystallize your ideas.
3. Decide your legal business structure
There are many different types of legal structures for various business entities. For new business owners, choosing the best one for your business can feel overwhelming.
Real estate also has special business requirements to consider.
Most real estate agents operate as self-employed business owners affiliated with a licensed real estate brokerage. In this case, agents run their independent businesses but under a licensed broker’s supervision.
Opening your brokerage has some similar considerations, but with an expanded focus. In most states, opening your brokerage also requires a special type of real estate license.
In both cases, you are starting a business.
4. Get a license
Whether you are working in New York, California, Texas, Illinois, or another state, you’re going to need to have the appropriate license for your real estate business.
A real estate license
If you are entirely new to the business, you’ll need to get your real estate license before you can start working as an official Realtor.
5. Purchase business insurance
You’d be surprised how many new business owners forget to protect themselves and their business by purchasing insurance before they start their business.
It doesn’t help if you buy insurance after you start your business and incur claims.
Insurance can cover property damage, theft, intellectual property lawsuits, and other incidents. Those can be very costly to small businesses, and you need to protect yourself and your new business. This is especially true in real estate, where transactions include advice, guidance, and large amounts of money.
6. Crunch the numbers
When you start a new business, even if it’s a home-based real estate business, understanding the numbers involved is crucial.
These numbers include being able to track your sales and profits – but a smart business will need to account for much more than sales alone.
Real estate sales tend to ebb and flow with the economy. That means you need to prepare for the ups and downs of inconsistent revenue. You need to know how much income you need to cover the times when things are leaner.
Plan for the cost of health and life insurance, and be sure you included potentially unpaid vacation time in your budget. Everyone needs a break at some point, and your budget needs to account for that.
7. Create a strong brand identity
Crafting a memorable brand identity is a crucial element in any real estate professional’s success. This is crucial in the real estate industry. Real estate agents and brokers often market their services on the strength of their brand and personality.
8. Build a web presence
According to a study on homebuyers, 90% start their search online, and 40% contact a real estate agent after researching on the web.
The web is an essential sales and marketing tool for all small businesses, and real estate agents and brokers are no exception.
Customers choose real estate services based on the brand, the person behind the brand, and the reputation of that person. Your website is often the first contact point between you and prospective customers. Make that first impression a good one with a well-designed site.
Ensure that your website design truly embodies your brand. Visitors should be able to understand who you are, the services you offer, and your qualifications and reputation.
9. Create a sales plan
Market research remains a valuable, necessary tool every business owner should use when starting a new business venture.
When you’re ready to open your real estate business, having a well-researched plan will save you time, stress, and money in the long run.
Make sure you understand all of your choices and then consider which will work best for your business.
10. Join a team
The first step in choosing to join or starting your own brokerage is understanding the pros and cons of the two basic types of real estate brokerages: franchise brokerages and boutique brokerages.
11. Grow your business
Real estate is a challenging industry to enter. Competition is fierce, and there’s plenty of it.
Getting started can feel daunting, especially if you’re fresh from earning your real estate agent or broker’s license.
Real estate is an enormously competitive field. The chances are that your area already has at least one or two successful and popular brokers already actively engaged in the marketplace.
If you want to have the best chance at success, you need to consider your strengths, weaknesses, and any areas you are particularly interested in or experienced with.
Make sure you are deeply familiar with the area you’d like to set up your business.
Knowing the towns and surrounding areas of where you’ll be helping people locate to is a critical part of running a real estate business, but it can also influence how you’ll decide to present yourself in the marketplace.
Take a look at the other realtors and brokerages in the area to determine what your competition is doing in the marketplace, and take stock of how these existing businesses are approaching things.
2. Write a business plan
Although a business plan isn’t mandatory, it can help you to crystallize your ideas.
3. Decide your legal business structure
There are many different types of legal structures for various business entities. For new business owners, choosing the best one for your business can feel overwhelming.
Real estate also has special business requirements to consider.
Most real estate agents operate as self-employed business owners affiliated with a licensed real estate brokerage. In this case, agents run their independent businesses but under a licensed broker’s supervision.
Opening your brokerage has some similar considerations, but with an expanded focus. In most states, opening your brokerage also requires a special type of real estate license.
In both cases, you are starting a business.
4. Get a license
Whether you are working in New York, California, Texas, Illinois, or another state, you’re going to need to have the appropriate license for your real estate business.
A real estate license
If you are entirely new to the business, you’ll need to get your real estate license before you can start working as an official Realtor.
5. Purchase business insurance
You’d be surprised how many new business owners forget to protect themselves and their business by purchasing insurance before they start their business.
It doesn’t help if you buy insurance after you start your business and incur claims.
Insurance can cover property damage, theft, intellectual property lawsuits, and other incidents. Those can be very costly to small businesses, and you need to protect yourself and your new business. This is especially true in real estate, where transactions include advice, guidance, and large amounts of money.
6. Crunch the numbers
When you start a new business, even if it’s a home-based real estate business, understanding the numbers involved is crucial.
These numbers include being able to track your sales and profits – but a smart business will need to account for much more than sales alone.
Real estate sales tend to ebb and flow with the economy. That means you need to prepare for the ups and downs of inconsistent revenue. You need to know how much income you need to cover the times when things are leaner.
Plan for the cost of health and life insurance, and be sure you included potentially unpaid vacation time in your budget. Everyone needs a break at some point, and your budget needs to account for that.
7. Create a strong brand identity
Crafting a memorable brand identity is a crucial element in any real estate professional’s success. This is crucial in the real estate industry. Real estate agents and brokers often market their services on the strength of their brand and personality.
8. Build a web presence
According to a study on homebuyers, 90% start their search online, and 40% contact a real estate agent after researching on the web.
The web is an essential sales and marketing tool for all small businesses, and real estate agents and brokers are no exception.
Customers choose real estate services based on the brand, the person behind the brand, and the reputation of that person. Your website is often the first contact point between you and prospective customers. Make that first impression a good one with a well-designed site.
Ensure that your website design truly embodies your brand. Visitors should be able to understand who you are, the services you offer, and your qualifications and reputation.
9. Create a sales plan
Market research remains a valuable, necessary tool every business owner should use when starting a new business venture.
When you’re ready to open your real estate business, having a well-researched plan will save you time, stress, and money in the long run.
Make sure you understand all of your choices and then consider which will work best for your business.
10. Join a team
The first step in choosing to join or starting your own brokerage is understanding the pros and cons of the two basic types of real estate brokerages: franchise brokerages and boutique brokerages.
11. Grow your business
Real estate is a challenging industry to enter. Competition is fierce, and there’s plenty of it.
Getting started can feel daunting, especially if you’re fresh from earning your real estate agent or broker’s license.