Making changes to your home can be a lot of fun. It’s enjoyable transforming an old room into one that’s modern and exciting. Besides being entertaining, home improvements can really help when it’s time to move. Not only can they entice buyers into making an offer, they can earn you more money. It’s the improvements that help sell your house for more money.

However, not every remodeling project helps you financially. Read on for some tips on picking the right project, including how to avoid some common home improvement scams.

Remodeling For Resale

If you are hoping to raise your home’s sale price, then there are some home improvements to avoid. As CNBC explains, most projects directed to your particular tastes will not translate into added value. That’s because not everyone shares your passions. For example, you might love having a home gym or a home recording studio, but that’s not always popular with potential buyers. To...

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....

If your idea of the real estate industry comes from watching shows on HGTV than you may need to look deeper before committing to real estate as a career.  Although negotiations, social interactions and appearances are in fact part of the job, real estate is much more than this.

1. Money

85% of agents run out of money their first year.  This is because they did not do a thorough evaluation of their finances prior to starting their new business.  They did not create a sufficient “nest egg” or savings to cover life expenses while their business grows.  Running out of money for basic living needs will kill your dreams of creating a career in real estate.

Remember to also have some money set aside for expenses like MLS strategies, marketing tools and ongoing education.  

2. Unrealistic Expectations

When you get your real estate license, you are signing up to become a business owner.  Having your own business means you have more earning...

“Do I have what it takes to become a successful real estate agent?” That is an excellent question to explore before you invest time and money into your new career. Here are the key traits of every successful Real Estate professional, do you have what it takes?

You need to be a people person. 

Real estate is not about selling or buying houses, it’s all about building relationships. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care. 

Exercise patience. 

You must be able to be patient when working with clients and other agents. Some of your clients will take a long time to make a decision. You will need to help them through the process from the beginning to the end, regardless of how long it takes.

Maintain a positive attitude. 

There will be slow months, times when you lose a sale, a contract falls apart, you lose a buyer or a listing and/or you fall short of your goals. You will...

As a new Real Estate Salesperson, you will need to work under a “sponsoring broker.” The brokerage you choose to align yourself with will be the foundation of your new business, providing you with ongoing mentor-ship and the backing of it’s excellent community reputation. Here are 5 key characteristics of a good sponsoring broker, you should look for:

1. Commission Split 

Most importantly, commission split percentages differ from broker to broker. Although this is important, remember not to base your entire decision off commission split. There are many other factors to consider. That being said, commission splits affect earning potential, making it an important factor. Make sure to be aware of what commission you should expect from your real estate sales. Or you can check the white label agent sponsorship, where you own your brand and the business. Also, as a white-label partner, you get to keep 100% of your commission.

2. Mentor-ship and Support

As...

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...

State Exams are Back!  What Does this Mean for Our Students and How Do We Plan to Help you PASS?

Corona-virus Halted State Exams

The Manfred School is honored to be an institution relied upon by many prospective real estate salespeople across New York State.  We felt an enormous responsibility to continue to bring educational opportunities to our community especially during the challenging recent months.  During hard times, it is important to hold onto our dreams and goals. We quickly responded to safety concerns and guidelines by restructuring our licensing and continuing education courses into webinars.  We were there to answer questions and guide our students.  However, there was one important factor that was out of our control. The Department of State halted testing and we did not know when it would resume.  After following up with phone calls and emails on a weekly basis, we are happy to announce that they have decided to continue...