<p>I'm currently a sophomore with a 3.0 gpa in a community college here in miami fl. I've always had a passion for luxury real estate and it's something I always dreamed of having. In recent years I've noticed how luxury water front condos have been slowly increasing. In 2013 miami chose to develop around 25 new luxury condos and have them all completed around 2020. This is due to the massive demand of international investors. South floridas economy is mainly increasing because of the real estate market. Apart from community college I'm also attending a real estate school so I can get my real estate sales associate license. I'm taking my course and state exam beginning of this march so I can get my license and start working. It's something I want to dedicate my full time too because it's a true passion and something I love. And to think that I finally have this opportunity I want to take full advantage. I don't need a college degree to get Into real estate so I feel that I am wasting my time. </p>
<p>People have done well in real estate, but that job depends on commissions. The housing market fluctuates, and so in low times, you could be at a job that pays little over periods of time. The luxury market depends on cultivating buyers and home listers with high incomes, and this includes all kinds of business and sales skills. People with luxury homes look for real estate agents with a strong track record and contacts.
I don’t have personal real estate experience, but I know that there are a lot of agents out there, so it must be competitive. If you were my child, I would say great, follow your passion, but get the kind of education that would enhance your ability to prevail in an uncertain market by getting a degree that could be versatile- in case you need other employment. Such a degree might be in business, marketing, and would include something like a public speaking class and communications to include your ability to encourage clients and people to list their homes with you. You mention working with international sellers, so having classes in the language and culture of some of your buyers might help you relate to them better.
I would tell you that there is no easy or quick path to success. Yes, there are the stories like Bill Gates, who followed his passion and succeeded, but there are many more unknowns who did not. You are not wasting your time by getting a degree that will enhance your success while doing part time work/ internships in real estate.</p>
<p>Real estate, especially in a place like south Florida, is a boom and bust market. When it’s booming you may do great but when it busts, may real estate agents have to find another line of work. I have seen this happen many times. Since you are a sophomore, you should at least plan to finish your term through May or June or whenever your school finishes. You can tell your parents that after completing your sophomore year, you’d like to try working for at least a year or two before considering going back to college. If you are successful as a real estate agent, great! But save some money, because when the market tanks–and it will at some point–you will want to consider going back to school.</p>
<p>I would finish this year, and then first tell your parents you want to concentrate on real estate. But, I would suggest you continue towards a degree part time. As penny lane said, a degree in marketing, finance or business in general. This will also help you in the long run if you ever want to become a broker or enter into a partnership. Plus, if you hope to be working with highly successful clients, you will want the education to compete. No you don’t have to have a degree, but it would certainly give you an advantage. Personally, i think you should consider finance and marketing emphasis.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this is the norm, but every real estate agent I’ve ever known started off part-time. The stay-at-home moms fit it in when they could. The rest fit it in around their full-time work schedule. Most of them never sold enough to convert to full-time, and eventually they stopped altogether.</p>
<p>Remember that it takes a special personality to succeed in sales of any kind, and different personalities seem to fit different products better or worse. In my own case, I worked for a year before graduate school. I couldn’t sell photocopiers to save my life, but I was very successful in men’s clothing.</p>
<p>I suggest working at real estate part time for at least a year before deciding it’s really the right career for you. Stay in school at least part time while you do this.</p>
<p>I appreciate all your opinions. I would also like to Say that I speak 3 languages which are Portuguese, English and Spanish. My aunts good family friend has one of the best luxury real estate agency here in miami. With branches in New York and Orlando and he is willing to help me and educate me about the business and guide me as my mentor. Don’t you guys think that in this industry the more experience you have the better you’ll be. And since I’m coming in young and starving to succeed I’ll be able to master this being that it is already something that I love?
And finding clients won’t be that hard. My mom has many friends in brazil who come often to invest in property. As a matter of fact one of her good friends is coming and she wants to buy a 3/3 condo in fisher island.( the most expensive zip code in the us) avg price around 1.5 - 3 million. And they’re going to buy it through me!!! So I mean I’m starting in a really good position I believe?</p>
<p>“And since I’m coming in young and starving to succeed I’ll be able to master this being that it is already something that I love?”</p>
<p>Nobody is suggesting you don’t pursue real estate. In fact, it seems that part time is a good way to gain experience while also getting a degree in a field that will enhance your success. It’s an advantage to have a family member in the business. I know a student your age who plans to work in his family business. He is gaining valuable experience working and he is also taking business classes. It is also an advantage that you are multilingual.</p>
<p>Yes, your youth and ambition are an advantage, but it can also work against you. As a middle age person, I might not be inclined to list my property with someone my kids’ ages as I might feel more comfortable with someone with more life experience. </p>
<p>Nobody is holding you back. You should go for it. but IMHO, the best of both worlds would be to combine real life experience with solid business and marketing education.</p>
<p>As a sophomore, you should be ready to graduate in less than three months. It makes sense to do that. Once you finish the license exam, you can see if you can start working part-time until you finish up your AA degree.</p>