Introducing… Robert Kozlowski, Real Estate Instructor

Certified GA Real Estate Instructor, Robert Kozlowski

Anyone who has ever been a teacher knows how this goes.  About 12 years ago a student came to my class.  He paid attention, enjoyed himself, laughed at himself, laughed with others, and successfully completed my real estate course.  He was “that student” all teachers love to have in their class.  He was “that student” that stands above the rest, someone who could do what you do – but be better at it.  He went on to do great things as a real estate agent.  We worked together, and had a great time.  Then the “Great Recession” touched us all.  That student went on to other things, but stayed in real estate.  I went on to other things.  Fast forward 10 years.

As the Great Recession began to subside, I returned to my passions in real estate.  My firm was growing.  With growth come growing pains.  We were in need of a managing broker in two of our offices and my wife Christy mentioned Robert – Robert would be PERFECT for the job.  So I called him.  He was perfect for the job.  And still is.

I am the director of a real estate school called The Academy of Real Estate Education and Consulting (www.AREEC.com).  I am more than pleased to announce the addition of Robert Kozlowski as our newest GA Pre-License and Post License Real Estate Educator.  Robert has extensive experience in real estate sales, has been a mentor and new agent trainer, holds his GA Associate Brokers license, and is the Managing Broker of 3 real estate offices in GA.  He is also a trusted and active member of the Glynn County Board of Realtors.

Robert will be a real estate instructor for AREEC in St. Simon’s Island, Brunswick, Kingsland, and St. Mary’s, GA.  He specializes in GA salesperson pre-license and post license education.  Every day I meet and work with exceptional people.  I invite you to meet Robert Kozlowski, and I am confident you will agree our real estate school and profession are fortunate to have such an exceptional person, teacher, and friend.

The Sales Pitch / Broker Interview

A broker interview at the beginning of your real estate career is a unique experience.  Brokers “recruit and retain” rather than “Hire and fire”.  Most new agents miss this.  They see the process as being “hired”, as they were in a previous career.   So what is a broker interview and how do you get one?  Read on and find out.

Step 1:  Get an appointment.

Most brokerages recruit new agents.  There are some that “specialize” in working with new agents, and there are a few that have no need for new agents.  Call around and ask to speak with the broker and determine if they work with new agents.  If they do, ask for an interview.  If you were “steered” to a broker, find out if the person that steered you there gets paid for “recruiting” you.  If they do, keep this in mind.

Step 2:  Arm yourself with information.

Do a “due diligence” on the brokerage.  Pick up some magazines, real estate publications, or search the internet, and find agents working for the broker you are interviewing.  Ask those agents “Why do you work at ABC Realty?”.  Ask about broker availability, training, atmosphere, and see what they have to say.  Also, ask them if they get paid if they “recruit” you.  If they do, keep this in mind.

Step 3:  Explore your options.

A due diligence is a healthy process.  Complete one on multiple brokers.  It is worth your time.  Even if you have your heart set on a brokerage, you should check others out as well.  Every broker has a different perspective and philosophy.  Your due diligence will re-affirm your decision, or open up opportunities you would not have known otherwise.

Step 4:  Know you are getting a “Sales Pitch”.

In a broker interview, you are getting information that positions the brokerage in the most positive light.  They want to convince you they are your best opportunity for success.  Every business has wrinkles – nothing runs “perfectly”.   The old axiom “if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is” fits perfectly here.  Ask your questions, hear their answers, and follow up with additional questions.  Remember – you are being recruited and are getting a sales pitch.  You represent opportunity to a broker.  The broker is a savvy and seasoned salesperson.

Step 5:  Collate, Evaluate, and Decide.

Collate all of the information.  Think about the atmosphere of the brokerage.  Think about the impression the broker made on you.  Think about how the staff treated you when you arrived, how the agents interacted with each other, and if there was some laughter.  Think about the opportunities each broker provides.  Then decide.  Jump in with both feet and look ahead.  As you grow in your career, there will be times where you doubt your decision.  This is normal.  If you did a due diligence, you made the best decision you could with the information at hand.  You cannot “re-make” the decision, so don’t dwell on it.

Don’t get focused on the “shiny object” of possible riches, high commission splits, etc.  When an agent moves from one brokerage to another, money is on the bottom of theire list of reasons.  It is usually because of environment, atmosphere, personal disputes, and life changes.  Agents rarely identify money as the principle reason for a move.

Lastly, and most importantly, your success depends on you more than anything.   Your decision needs to be for you, and no one else.

What does it take to be a real estate agent?

Ever wonder what it takes to be a successful real estate agent?  Aside from the usual requirements of getting a license, success in real estate is dependent on many factors.

Walk through any real estate office and ask some of the agents what they did prior to real estate and you will get a very diverse list of previous occupations.  Sales, food and beverage, accounting, engineering, health care, insurance, forestry, teaching – just to name a few.  Some people are natural born salesman while some have to work a little to learn the sales business.

The common threads I see in the fabric of a successful real estate agent are as follows:

• A passion for the activities of real estate  (looking at homes, working with people, negotiating)
• Eternal optimism
• Self motivation
• Flexibility
• Fearlessness

Although there are many more facets of a successful agent, talk to any one of them and you too will see these common threads.  So if you are fearless, self motivated, optimistic, and love real estate – then you have the tools in place for a very successful career.

Are you ready?  Because I know a great real estate school that can get you started!  www.AREEC.com

How do I get a job in real estate?

Real estate is a vast canvas of opportunity.  The real estate agent is just one role out of thousands a person can take in the business of real estate.

Of the over 2 million real estate agents and brokers in the country, nearly 57%** are self employed.  That leaves 43% who work in some type of salaried position.  New Home construction alone is nearly 5% of the national GDP, with mortgage lenders, title companies, real estate attorneys, property managers, appraisers, surveyors…etc. all participating in the business of real estate.

So how to get a job? Well that depends on what you want to do.  If you want to be a real estate agent, then here is the typical path to take.

1. Enroll in a pre-license school and get your real estate license.
2. Interview local brokers and choose a broker that will help you launch your career.

Most real estate agents involved in sales are commission based.  That is, they are paid a commission for what they sell.  No sale – no commission.   They are in effect, in business for themselves.

In order to sell real estate as a real estate agent, you must affiliate with a real estate broker.  A real estate broker in GA has been actively licensed for at least 3 years, has taken a brokers course and passed, and has a brokers license.  In GA, only brokers are authorized to work on behalf of others for a fee.

The real estate agent affiliates with a broker, and sells real estate on behalf of the broker.  When a home sells, the BROKER is paid a commission, and then in turn shares the commission with you, the real estate agent.  How much of a “share” do you get depends on the agreement between you and your broker.

If you are not prepared to take the leap into commissioned sales, there are other ways to get a job starting out in real estate.  More on that in a later post…

**http://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/real-estate-brokers-and-sales-agents.htm

So… where do I start?

So you’ve decided to get a real estate license.  What’s the next step?  Like any decision in your life, you have options.  My previous post was about choosing the online or classroom setting.  Presumably you have made a choice.

Before you go further, it is important to understand a few things.  Pre-license classes are about law and theory.  You will not be taught how to “sell” real estate in pre-license class.  Selling real estate is a completely different and distinct concept that you will learn once you join a brokerage.

Taking a pre-license course for most students is an eye opening experience.  It is a difficult proposition.  You will have to commit 100% and study.  In my years of teaching, I have had doctors fail, and 18 year old high school students pass.  Successfully completing the real estate course is NOT a measure of intellect, but rather a combination of commitment, opportunity, willingness to accept new ideas, and perseverence.

The salesperson prelicense course is where you begin.  This is a 75 hour course with content that is proscribed by the GA Real Estate Commission.  I must admit, some of the topics are as exiting as watching paint dry.  Some topics will make you uncomfortable, and some topics will make you laugh.

If you choose the classroom, do your “due diligence”.  Find out about the instructor, the classroom setting, the time class schedule, and location of the school.  Make the choice that is right for you.

If you choose online, do your “due diligence there as well.  Consider cost, time to complete, availability of the instructor for questions, and where you take your exam.

So now that your ready to start… I know a good school!

http://www.AREEC.com

Online or In-Class???

Online or In Class???

The most common question I get from students is “which is better, online, or in class?”.  This is a loaded question for sure.

First, real estate pre-license in GA requires a mandatory 75 hour class.  There is no way around this.  You must be in a classroom, or sit in front of your computer for a minimum of 75 hours.  Yes – even if you’re a “whizz” at computers, there is no way around the 75 hour minimum.

Second – if you are a person who does well on their own, do not need to be in a classroom environment to “get things done”, can learn by reading the topic and have high comprehension, then the online class is for you.

However, if you are a person who enjoys the conversation of a classroom, the camaraderie of fellow students, and from time to time need a good swift “kick” to get you moving –  then the classroom environment is for you.

The decision does not stop there.  In class real estate education has mandatory attendance requirements.  There are typically few opportunities to “make-up” missed class time.  The in class environment is much different than the online environment, but the content is identical.  Therefore, you should weigh your options carefully.