Do You Have What It Takes to be a Realtor?

Greater Des Moines Real Estate Podcast with Betsy Sarcone

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Today I'm with one of our best buyer's agents, Karoline Benskin. She's going to be speaking about her journey of becoming a licensed Realtor and what it took to get her where she is today.

Karoline has been licensed for two years now. She had to take a 60-hour course that lasted about a week and a half, and after that she took a test related to the course. After passing the exam, she then had to take an 18-hour course that focused on the ins and outs of being a Realtor.

Something that most people don't realize about being a real estate agent is that you don't have endless amounts of free time. We have to cater to the needs of our clients, and we take this very seriously. The market never stops running, so we never really stop working.

Another thing to remember is that success does not come overnight. Some people expect sales right away, but usually nobody gets a sale until 60 days in. We did, however, have an agent get five deals in his first few days.

Another thing to consider is which brokerage you want to work with. Certain companies offer you varying levels of independence, so you need to do some research and find out where you would fit best. We've both been with Keller Williams, and we love it. Anyone who starts working with KW has to read "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent". It's like the bible around here, and it contains all the systems and models you need to succeed in this business.

What drove me to get into the business was when I lost my job at a marketing firm in 2008. I decided I never wanted anyone else to determine my wealth again, so I became an agent. I also used the skills I acquired at the marketing firm to build my business here.

As always, please don't hesitate to contact us with questions. We look forward to hearing from you!