Career Path: Becoming a Realtor

Real estate professionals and customers alike give a good deal of thought to what the Realtor® can do for the homebuyer or seller. A question that may not get asked as often is why Realtors® do what they do. It's worth asking, both for focusing the real estate agent on how to get the most out of his or her profession and do the best for his or her customers, and for the customers themselves, to help them decide which Realtor® most suits their needs. Considering why real estate professionals do what they do may even help customers decide if it's something they might want to do, too.

Recruitment is an important part of any profession. Real estate companies want extensive teams of talented agents, and even when other companies acquire such talents, I welcome the competition to keep me sharp. The answers to why I am a Realtor® can serve to guide aspiring sales associates just starting out.

First, it's about helping people. Having a place to call your own is a reward we all seek and a need we all share, and helping realize homeownership dreams for others is a major source of my job satisfaction. It makes me feel that I've contributed to my community.

Then there's the satisfaction of self-reliance. Though my ERA® real estate company offers friendly cooperation with a first-rate team, each individual member can be as successful as his or her ambition and effort allow. My advancement is up to me, and it's a challenge I'm proud to meet.

Still, it's always encouraging to know you've chosen a winning team, too. Not only is ERA Real Estate a leader in its industry, offering state-of-the-art tools and services to attract customers and earn their loyalty, but the real estate industry itself has stayed strong in tough times. Housing is something that will always be in demand, and I can be the professional people turn to for it.

Of course, there are other reasons to be a Realtor® that are specific to each company, and each individual. I'm comfortable and confident working where I do because of the advantages the global ERA® system makes available. It supplies special resources to expedite home sales and purchases, like the extensive listings on our Web site ERA.com, which is visited by more than six million customers a month. It provides unique assurances, like the ERA® Sellers Security® Plan, which guarantees "We Will Sell Your House, Or ERA Will Buy It!®" It offers one-stop-shopping opportunities for everything a real estate consumer might require – from moving services to rental cars – through the companies enrolled in our ERA® Select Services® program. And it gives me tools to meet the special needs of specific customers, from the growing senior population to the influential Spanish-speaking community.

These are just some of my reasons for being a Realtor®. The feelings of accomplishment and service, be it as a rewarding first career or a challenging new one, could be your reasons too.