Real Estate Agents Rattled by Market Swings
Experienced and aspiring real estate agents are facing increasing instability and uncertainty. This stems from fluctuating market conditions, changing commission structures, expensive lead generation, and the unpredictable nature of client relationships and listings. Many feel unprepared and lack the practical knowledge needed to navigate these challenges.
SOURCES (60)
“Hello beautiful humans of the internet. I am a female in my 30s looking to do a career change and go into luxury real estate sales in Southern California San Gabriel Valley area and have zero experience. I was wondering if anyone in this group…”
“I thought this might be an interesting question for the community. I feel like the ground is shifting from underneath me at an increasingly alarming rate, and the market feels more crowded than ever, so my question is: In an increasingly crowded and volatile space where it’s hard for a two-person MSP to differentiate themselves from a 50 person MSP, what are you doing in your business to stand out? My personal opinion is the MSP market has always felt a bit crowded and it’s always been hard to s”
“Lots of doom and gloom on here, would love to hear about what you like about your job, if you do. I have a friend who absolutely loves it (she deals with real estate). submitted by /u/sophanon2 [link] [comments]”
“For Realtors who have been in the business 5+ years, what has kept you in the industry? I'm curious to hear from experienced Realtors. If you've been in real estate for five or more years, what has kept you in the business? What made you stick with it when others left the industry? I'd love to hear your experiences. submitted by /u/Live_Travel_970 [link] [comments]”
“Dude, you rock! You already have a huge edge- you create value with your own skills. If you are thinking 30+ years the ADU on a property you already own is the lower-risk play. You control costs, reduce land risk and create flexible rental income without relying on tourism or speculation. The real long-term advantage isn’t chasing hot markets- it’s building below market cost keeping leverage conservative and holding solid assets in stable areas. Control and patience will outperform trends. The n”
“The tenant concentration point is the one that trips people up most. It's easy to underwrite a single-tenant NNN deal like a guaranteed income stream, but the moment that tenant leaves you're not down a percentage of income, you're down all of it, and the vacancy period plus buildout costs to land a new commercial tenant usually runs longer than anyone coming from residential expects. If you're weighing single vs multi-tenant, stress test what 12 months of full vacancy does to yo”
“For sure. Appreciate it. We’ve found industry specific legal and banker. It’s more just focusing on keeping the train chugging to ensure we can go to market and not have to pull out due to slow periods/ebitda declines due to the process being somewhat long”
“Out of curiosity, how many of you, or how often, are your agents (not managers; ignore the managers for a moment for purposes of this question; include then in your personal connections for now) bringing you writing job opportunities (as in you didn't know about it or you didn't have a connection to the job already), versus negotiating deals you found yourself (such as through friends, colleagues and other connections, and then you put them in touch with your agent)? I'm curious what”
“For context my first years in Real Estate I worked a lot more with buyers. Recently the only buyers I’ve worked with have been for my own listings. Other buyers have actually backed out a lot due to the numbers once were under contract. I now post and have been getting a lot of buyers reach out. However, it’s reminded me why I don’t like it. Buyers will call tell me their previous lender qualified them for 80k. A LOW home for sale in that area is $220,000 she makes 25k a year. Then I get others”
“Working full time and starting to start a real estate career is no joke. How many of you worked other jobs while building up your business? Do you still? It’s hard to imagine not having to do other work while doing Real Estate for at least a few years… I’m a year in, I have 3 active strong buyers 😮💨 thank goodness I’m seeing some momentum. That being said, I’m pretty discouraged when I hear of people who closed 10-20 deals their first year. I want to stick with it because honestly, I really e”
“Do you have a local home builder association you can join? Here is the link to more information: https://www.nahb.org”
“I’ve been licensed since 2021 and doing RE part time since. I’ve been with KW and moved to a smaller local neighborhood brokerage. My priorities have since shifted, as I used to prioritize a higher commission split and 0 fees as I really saw it as a place to hang my license and do a few deals a year , just enough to go on vacation etc. I was laid off from my biotech 9-5 last year and it really shifted my priorities. While I’ve gotten another job, I want to focus on growing my RE business so if I”
“I am thinking about a career change and I am thinking about getting my California Real Estate License. Please give me your pros and cons. Also, if you were to get into it right now, would you still pick this career? submitted by /u/mrscupcakes23 [link] [comments]”
“I got an interview for APM, I’ve been in hospitality for 7 years, been a manager and I just got my real estate license in Illinois back in March. I’ve only done 2 rentals, haven’t done anything else with my license. I’m worried about my experience and is it easy to learn. I’m very quick at learning and grab on to things fast, any advice? submitted by /u/Admirable-You3720 [link] [comments]”
“I come from a retail background with no experience in this field and I’ve got a third interview coming up with the regional sales manager and the asset manager for a luxury active senior apartment complex . I’ve never even interviewed with a job where I wasn’t hired 15 minutes into the first interview, I have no idea what to expect for this. does anyone have any advice on questions they’ll ask and what I should ask them? I just want to impress! submitted by /u/NoLawfulness1736 [link]”
“Interesting angle. Short-term rentals catering to Americans abroad can definitely have strong ROIs. That said, I think that's a different beast entirely from the BRRRR play I'm chasing here, and probably requires a lot more hands-on management, especially from the US. For now I'm trying to keep scope tight: test the BRRRR/rental fundamentals in one new market (Birmingham) before expanding. STR adds operational complexity and tax headaches that I'm not ready to solve yet. That sai”
“Good question. Honest answer: I'm going to Birmingham for pleasure in October anyway, so I figured I might as well kick the tires on the market while I'm there. I'd been hearing a lot of hype about Birmingham as an emerging rental market, so I wanted to test the math against actual data before committing capital. This analysis is basically my answer to "is the hype real?" Spoiler: not at the MLS level, anyway. That's why the October trip is going to focus on talking to”
“Hi everyone! Is anyone here based in Melbourne and currently working in real estate, especially in property management? I’m about to finish my Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice and would love to connect and hear about your experience or any advice you have for someone trying to break into the industry. For a bit of context, I’m currently on a Bridging Visa B while waiting for my PR, so I have full working rights. I’ve recently completed a three month internship with a real estate agency and”
“With 85-100 hour weeks you must be barely sleeping, respect for still pushing into real estate on top of that NNN is the right instinct if you want hands-off but the entry barrier is real, not just the down payment. Banks treat commercial completely different from residential, they care way less about you and way more about the property's numbers. Be ready to explain debt service coverage ratio until you're blue in the face One thing nobody on YouTube mentions is that when a NNN tenant l”
“Title: After one year of real estate cold calling, what sales career should I pursue in South Florida? I’m 24 years old and trying to determine the right sales career path after spending approximately one year in residential real estate. Most of my real estate experience involved cold calling expired listings, FSBOs, FRBOs, and other homeowners. During that time, I practiced prospecting, sales scripts, role-playing, follow-up, qualification, and objection handling. However, I did not close any t”
“I used to be a full time agent from 2022-2023. I ended up getting a 9-5 job but I have maintained a license and do 2-3 deals a year. I moved to a new state and got my license here. I’d like to start selling here part time and maybe eventually transition back into full time if business is good. I have 22 closed transactions but none in this new state. I interviewed with the brokerage that has the most market share in my county and the top agent in the state. The offered me a 65/35 split. KW offer”
“Hey everyone, new here. I have been saving for a while and finally am able to afford a property that I will turn into an airbnb. I am a little nervous on how to manage the property well though and hopefully many properties in the future. I know the basics like cleaning and automated locks and such for the property, but before I jump in with both feet I want to know if there are other big things I am missing that I should go ahead and be prepared for. Any advice would be great! Edit: also, are th”
“hey guys for the past month I have been applying constantly to leasing agent positions. I’m interested to get into the industry though I don’t have no leasing experience however I do have retail, marketing, customer service and sales experience so I would think it would be a right fit for me to apply for this job and start my career. However, the market has been so fucked where I don’t think it’s worth applying for these positions anymore, I keep getting interviews and the interviews been going”
“I have some experience as a realtor (2020-22) but still very new to sales. Moved from PA to FL. Interviewed with over 15 brokerages to make sure I chose a good office to get me started. I’m on my second brokerage in 2 months of having my license and no calls from my brokers/mentor. I have reached out to them but all empty promises. Any advice? submitted by /u/Immediate-Bad8374 [link] [comments]”
“Hey everyone I’m a realtor for 3 years now and I was wondering how to get bank foreclosure leads. As in be the listing agent for foreclosure submitted by /u/Potential_Regular200 [link] [comments]”
“Investor focused agents are really the move here. Most residential agents have never sold a property with rental income, and they just don't have the framework for it, it's not their fault they keep defaulting to price per square foot. I'd pull comps on small multifamily even if it's technically single family with an ADU and just hand those to the agent yourself, sometimes you have to do their job for them”
“I’ve been in real estate a little over a year, and I’ve been incredibly blessed to help 26 families buy homes. I’m thankful for every single one of them, and I genuinely love helping people. That said, I feel like I’ve become more of a professional tour guide than anything else. 😂 I know that’s just part of being a buyer’s agent. The advice I keep hearing from experienced agents is, “You have to list to last.” The problem is, my principal broker hasn’t really been an educator or trainer. I’ve h”
“Hi guys, Can anyone tell me about their experience working for a builder as an agent? I kinda like knowing that people will just come to you. I know you have to work certain days and times every week so you don’t have the flexibility of a normal agent… I was just wondering if anyone had real experience in this and their pros vs cons of it all! submitted by /u/thisishardtolookat [link] [comments]”
“Any real estate/mortgage agents here looking to collaborate, help each other out, and keep each other accountable? I specialize in offering homebuyer/seller grants in Central Florida, I'm great at my job, but one area I definitely fall short is graphic design and helping Spanish/Creole-speaking clients. If anyone here is willing to volunteer and be a good friend for accountability, let me know 407-214-2222 submitted by /u/MelodicOpening5547 [link] [comments]”
“Wife and I have been realtors for 20 years, she’s good at high-end homes, me multifamily. Just getting a little tired of needy clients, lol, as well as constantly being “on”. Is there any way to do this realistically without marketing all the time and constantly being available? Or is this just the fantasy we all wish was true but really isn’t, lol? submitted by /u/Ambitious-Dinner-840 [link] [comments]”
“I’m not sure if this is the best place to ask, but I can’t post in other subreddits. Would getting my real estate license be a good idea as a side gig? I’m currently working a full-time job, about 55-60 hours a week, and making a good salary. A friend of mine is thinking about getting his real estate license and would like to know if I’d be interested. Would it really be a bad idea to just get it? submitted by /u/Any-Discussion766 [link] [comments]”
“I’m looking to get my real estate license, however, need to earn and save some money for a year(ish). What can you guys recommend that would be smart to look into for this year. I just quit my construction job for good reason. Set on this, I’m going to do this, just asking for some advice on where to start? submitted by /u/JJxx27 [link] [comments]”
“A little precursor... I've been in the business for 10+ years, on track to close between 40-50 deals this year. I'm a 30-35 year old Solo agent in a low cost of living area, and I've been struggling with one thing... communication. I didn't always find the job this draining, but more and more recently I'm exhausted. I'm blessed with some great clients... but a few of them text 15-20 times a day, nobody calls. Some messages are at 7am, a ton are between 7pm and 10pm. I set”
“Hey. I am planning to join coldwell banker because I've read theyre good with training new agents. I have gotten in contact with someone and they are going to reach out but till then, ive heard they train newbies in groups? Is that true and if thats so do you know how often they get together new people to train? Like if ill be waiting a while or not to start. submitted by /u/ceejolilo [link] [comments]”
“Hello everyone, I am 21 years old and soon to be starting in an office to be a commercial real estate broker, I have some experience cold calling as I have tried wholesaling in the past, just wondering what is the best way to kick start this career in the best way possible, what is a realistic timeline to potentially have my first deal and what are the best tips you wish you heard when you were first starting? submitted by /u/Soggy_Chocolate_7909 [link] [comments]”
“Hello, I'm hoping to ask a question on my mom's behalf. Her house has been on the market for 27 days, and she just had a conversation with her real estate agent where they dropped the price, and they're planning on giving it 2 weeks before pulling it from the market and waiting until the spring! I don't know anything about real estate but this seems super weird to me? The house is in a prime location for skiing in Utah, it's priced well, and it hasn't been up that long. C”
“I’m currently working my way through (the ordeal) of the Florida real estate course. Since applying to take the exam, a lot of brokerages have been reaching out to me wanting to work for them. I interviewed one today called Macken Realty at their Orlando office. Woman seemed real nice and gave me a rundown of what sounded like an awesome brokerage to work for. 90/10 commission splits No annual fees or desk fees of any kind Lots of free training and coaching Just curious to know if anyone works w”
“Hi all. I’m planning on quitting my corporate finance job in Manhattan by year end. Currently working on getting real estate salesperson license and hoping to start this new chapter by early next year. Can someone provide me with some advice/tips on how to be successful my first year? submitted by /u/New_Fish_5372 [link] [comments]”
“I need access to a network of agents with state licenses.. where can I find a good platform or something? submitted by /u/EtikDigital512 [link] [comments]”
“I have only been a leasing agent for 8 months, but I love it and I love my property manager. I found out today that she is leaving us. I think I have done a good job here, she gives me more responsibilities than a normal leasing agent. We’re still in lease up, so it’s just the two of us in the office, but I want to make sure I don’t miss my change of her advocating for me. I was in retail management before I came here, so I have some experience, but would it be crazy to apply for her job? I know”
“I’m a 20-year-old Realtor, and honestly it’s been kind of tough finding people around my age in this industry. Most of the networking events I go to are filled with older agents. Don’t get me wrong—I actually learn a lot from them and they’ve been super helpful. It’s just harder to build actual friendships when everyone’s in a completely different stage of life. Are there any other younger Realtors in here? What do you guys do to make connections while also building actual friendships? They’re p”
“Hey all! 2026 market sucks! I feel like I’ve been losing clients left and right. Mostly market conditions. - I got fired from a very niche listing that didn’t sell after 6 months despite vigorous work & smart price reductions to try and get it sold. - a couple I worked with for months handling multiple offers every weekend for them went and bought with a listing agent a month after our bac expired. - I lost a listing because I didn’t want to do a “cancel anytime” listing agreement. - had ano”
“This is for my Canadian realtor that work in Florida. How do you do it? How do you get permission to market to Canadians and work down there? Just curious submitted by /u/Smurfmuppet [link] [comments]”
“So we’re potentially moving for spouses job in the next 6 months. It would be at least half way cross country and we obviously want to limit what we move with. Is it possible to list the house as optional partially furnished (I’m talking couches, beds, rugs, possibly tvs)? Could that be a potential selling point? Nothing tiny/no trash. Not really looking to make extra money not having the headache of it all would be worth enough. Obviously if they didn’t want it, it would be removed. submi”
“Hello everyone. I've been an agent for about 6 months now. I have closed on 2 deals so far in my short career. I joined a team within my firm to try and help me get started properly. I wanted to jump start my career and was okay with a bigger split if that meant I could learn more. I'm posting on this page for insight on what exactly I should be getting out of being on a team. My team lead doesn't answer the phone most the time I call and need help with a problem. I don't get any”
“Hello everybody I am a student who would like to become a real estate agent in the future. I wanted to know the problems of real estate agents. How much time in a day does it for an average real estate agent to answer basic customer questions, schedulling appointments and providing property information to customers? What other problems do real estate agent face everyday? submitted by /u/Hot-Experience-5810 [link] [comments]”
“I am trying to understand some of the problems that you guys as real estate agencies experience. Am I correct to say that sometimes you guys find it hard to find new properties to buy and sell? Sometimes the amount of people that come to buy from you guys can be inconsistent? If not, please let me know if I’m wrong. submitted by /u/chhadatr [link] [comments]”
“I'm 18 and my family and I are moving to Kitchener Waterloo from Mississauga, we have never lived in another city but I have some family in Cambridge so we know the area a little bit. I just want a good realtor who can understand what we need and who is available when we are but my parents are not newcomers but they still prefer to handle bigger business decisions in their first language of Punjabi or at least hindi. Anyone know someone good? I have a cousin who sells homes but he lives in S”
“If you are just starting in Real Estate and have questions about what tools to invest in to help grow your business, send me a note. I have been through it and wasted money on crap and found some of the best value tech. submitted by /u/Major_Finance5923 [link] [comments]”
“Did any of you have a difficult time getting hired or a difficult time making enough in your first year of starting real estate? Are your hours flexible enough if you have medical appointments to take off? How much do you pay annually in fees to keep your license. Can this job be done Sunday to Wednesday if you have another full time jobs at night? I work 6pm to 11pm at my other job. I estimate I could make $20k working part-time which would be enough with my other job. submitted by”
“I am currently taking the 60 hour course in California. There is so much information to take in. Am I supposed to read everything few times so l can learn every detail or read through the program and get to the end fast so I can study for the exam? I'm just worried if I breeze through it and not learn everything I would run in trouble when I'm trying to perform my job as a realtor. Please provide some information if you can. submitted by /u/farzin90 [link] [comments]”
“I’m off Sunday to Wednesday and want an idea of what are typical first year earnings after taxes, fees and marketing. I currently make $32k a year in a criminal justice profession so I’m not trying to get rich. I just need to supplement my current income. What are good companies for a newbie to get the best training to be successful. submitted by /u/Salesgirl008 [link] [comments]”
“If a licensed real estate agent also works for a property management company, is there a certain ethic he needs to abide by? Like if the property management company was stealing from tenants, let’s say, and the agent was aware?(completely hypothetical reason). The agent would be obligated to do something or be complicit, right? submitted by /u/nonamouse1111 [link] [comments]”