This month on the Davidson Realty Facebook Page we asked if anyone had any real estate related questions for Davidson Realty President Sherry Davidson. Sherry has over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry and is more than happy to answer your questions!

“I was laid off about six months ago and am looking for a new career. I saw you were having a Career Opportunity event in April, but I am out of town that week. Would you mind sharing what traits make a great Realtor and how much it would cost to get started? Funds are pretty tight right now…”

We are actually having three Career Opportunity events in April. There is a happy hour on April 7th at 6:30 PM, a lunch on April 15th at noon and a breakfast on April 22nd at 9:00 AM. I would love to see you at one of our events. The traits that make a great Realtor are:
1. Loves people. Is warm and friendly.
2. Has an entrepreneur spirit. Is a previous business owner or has a desire to have one.
3. Is willing to do whatever it takes to start their own business.
4. Is a problem solver. Is resourceful.
5. Is professional.
6. Is goal-oriented.
7. Is full-time and serious about making their job a #1 priority.
8. Is willing to go the extra mile and put the hours in!
9. Is computer literate.
10. Is trustworthy.
11. Is customer service-oriented.
12. Is resilient and has the ability to recover quickly from adverse situations.
13. Is a team player.

The cost to get started in a real estate career will vary depending on the firm you select. The first expense will be to get your real estate license. You can take the pre-licensing course online or attend class. The cost varies from $150 to $400.  You will also have to pay for fingerprinting, application and testing fees to take the State of Florida exam, which is approximately $100. After you are licensed, the largest expense will be joining the local real estate association. To join the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and the MLS will be approximately $1,500. The fees are pro-rated depending on what month you join. With Davidson Realty, that is your only expense initially. You must be prepared to wait a few months to receive your first commission check. As you can see, the cost to get started in a real estate career is approximately $2,000.