Real estate is a career that has unlimited potential but your reputation and how you represent yourself online is your greatest asset as your starting out. A common misconception is that a new agent only needs licensing education in order to be successful. The truth is, there are strict limitations on what can and cannot be taught in a licensing course. Here are 5 easy ways to increase your online presence in real estate, especially for the newer agent.

It’s Your Reputation

Your reputation isn’t just built by word-of-mouth anymore — potential clients are often checking you out online before they even get in touch with you. They’ll look at your social media profiles, new listing, reviews and other places. Where your name appears on the Internet to get a full sense of your social profile.

Clients are particular about their real estate agents, which makes sense—they’re about to make a costly and potentially life-changing investment. What’s...

Ethics and fair housing are two of the most important issues will face in your real estate career. The Ethical Agent Always Wins! Although ethics, as a philosophical discipline, is a vast topic, in the simplest sense, ethical behavior can be thought of as nothing more than doing the right thing, behaving with integrity, treating people fairly, evaluating a situation and choosing the moral path, even if that path is not the easiest one to follow.

How would you characterize an ethical person?

• You might answer “an ethical person would treat other people fairly and honestly. Regardless, of their background or ethnicity.”
• You might think “an ethical person would be compassionate toward others. Consider the needs of other people when making a decision”.
• You would probably agree “an ethical person would have integrity. In upholding principles and convictions in his or her actions regardless of personal consequences.”

In fact, all of these...

Being a real estate agent can be a rewarding job. It isn’t easy to start, and it certainly isn’t easy
to become the best. However, knowing the most common mistakes real estate agents
make might help you get off to a solid start in your real estate career. Knowing these mistakes
from the beginning and learning how to avoid them will take you higher in your career and much
faster. So keep reading to find out how you can start on the right foot.

Expecting immediate success

Success doesn’t come that fast and that easily. Real estate is a growing profession that requires time, patience, and dedication. And if you are just starting your career in real estate, it’s
impossible to have all the knowledge that comes with experience. However, if you have
perseverance and are hard-working, you might become successful from your first year. Therefore, take your new job seriously and commit to it.

Try to keep a strict schedule and don’t make too many compromises....

By Sydney Roy, Marketing Advisor @Manfredschool

Continuing Education is Required to Renew Your License

Every two years, real estate salespeople and brokers are required to complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education including at least 3 hours covering the topics of fair housing and/or discrimination and one hour of Law of Agency (two hours if it is the licensee’s first licensing cycle).  Beginning July 1, 2021 the Department of State will require that your 22.5 hours of continuing education will also include 2.5 hours of ethical business practices and at least 1 hour of recent legal matters governing the practice of real estate brokers and salespersons in New York.  

Also notable is that the Department of State will no longer recognize the 15-year real estate broker continuing education exemption.  Beginning July 1st, 2021 all brokers who are currently exempt will be required to complete continuing education.  The new requirements are...

How Much Does the Average Real Estate Salesperson Make in New York State?

According to careerexplorer.com, the average salary for a real estate agent in New York State is around $116,460 per year.  Obtaining your real estate license is quite quick and easy.  However, having a real estate license does not guarantee a high income.  As a salesperson, you are essentially starting your own business.  Whether you make above or below the average salary will be entirely up to you.

Earning Potential is Directly Proportional to Dedication

Having your own business has some distinct advantages like making your own schedule and not having to answer to a “boss.”  Getting into real estate means you do not have to be at an office or at a desk from 9-5.  It also means that you do not have a set salary or hourly wage.  What you earn is directly proportional to the amount of work you put in.  “Work” in the real estate industry means...

The real estate industry is not for everyone.  Here at The Manfred School we prefer to guide potential students towards a career that will be realistic for them.  We like to be very clear that it takes special characteristics to succeed in real estate.  Prospective agents should either already have these skills or at least be willing to work to have them.  For some, real estate would be completely outside of their comfort zone.  However, we would argue that teachers have natural real estate salesperson potential and here’s why:

Real Estate Agents Should be Social

Real Estate is a communication and interaction centered profession.  As a Real Estate Salesperson, it will be very helpful if you are confident and assertive in social situations.  Social interactions such as cold calling, community engagement and follow up meetings with clients will be crucial in establishing and maintaining client relationships.  Having long term strong...

What is a Real Estate appraiser assistant and where could it lead? Real estate appraiser assistants provide support to the individuals in their company assessing the values of property. Typical tasks performed by the appraiser assistant include entering data into their company's computer system, doing research on properties and sometimes helping manage relationships with clients. They also need to understand how to process and file reports and appraisals, as well as perform various clerical duties as required. The real estate appraiser assistant is in charge of keeping track of various data points such as workflow, contracts and statistics used by their company. Additionally, these assistants may be required to answer phones for their office.

The appraiser assistant usually works with a real estate appraiser or a team of appraisers, and they typically report to an office manager. These assistants generally work in an office setting; some travel may be possible depending on the...