Broker Agent Question:

For most people entering the profession, the biggest limitation to address is money. Most practitioners will tell you that it could be months before you make a sale. So you should have at least six months' seed money to pay the bills until you sell a home. If you are married and reliant on another's income, your partner and you should be prepared to do without your income for at least that long or longer. In addition, you should be prepared to shoulder the expenses of doing business. If you get a listing, for example, certain advertising may not be covered by your broker and may come out of your pocket, including the sign you stick in the yard. Are you ready for that?

Are you responsible for children or an elder? You will need to provide day and/or after school care just as if you were at an office job. While you can work at home on your own computer, you may find it difficult to be responsible for a family while concentrating on work details. That means that you may only be able to work part-time, and if so, you should plan your income needs accordingly.

Are you poor with math or grammar? These aren't skills that can be improved overnight, but they can be worked on little by little. Your real estate math courses will show you which types of calculations you will need to learn. Practice them over and over in hypothetical situations until you are comfortable. Grammar skills can also be improved, but in the meanwhile, be prepared to use spell-checkers in your e-mail and word processing software, and ask someone to look over your contracts until you feel more confident.