What are the pros and cons of being a real estate agent?

Pros:

• Flexible schedule. Many in the real estate business get into it because it allows for a flexible schedule. Real estate agents often act as their own bosses and can dictate how much or little they work.

• Unlimited earning potential. On average, real estate agents make 25% more income than most workers in the United States. If you are smart, personable, persuasive, and business savvy, there is no limit to how much money you can earn as a real estate agent.

• You get to help people obtain their dreams. It can be very emotionally gratifying to help people find and purchase a home, especially first-time home buyers. This is one of the biggest and most important moments in their lives, and not only do you get to be a part of it, but you also help facilitate it.

Cons:

• A flexible schedule can sometimes be a bad thing. Sometimes real estate agents end up working more because they don't have set hours.

  Most real estate agents must work outside the confines of the typical job time frame of 9am to 5pm. Most real estate agents also work weekends because this is the only time available for their clients to view homes.

• You don't have an income safety net for slow periods in real estate. Most real estate agents are not on salary, meaning they rely fully on their own abilities and the fluctuation of the housing market in order to make a living each month.

  A slow month can result in little to no earnings. The job is based on commission, so if you don't make a sale, you do not get paid.

• Dealing with stressed-out clients. While you may be able to make a client's dreams come true, you are also likely to deal with a lot of stressed-out homebuyers.

  For most clients, the decision to buy a home is serious and significant, especially in financial terms. This can make working with certain clients unpleasant and present challenging situations to overcome in order to make a sale.