Article: Most brokers will jump at the chance to talk to a potential new agent. Call their local offices and schedule an interview to get started. Read the rest of this section first and have a mental (or physical) list of questions ready for your interviewer. Know what sort of answers to your questions you prefer. If you are just starting out, you will benefit from a broker who helps you establish your career. A good mentor can give you area-specific tips that you won't learn in the licensing process. Look for training programs or seminars that are offered or encouraged. Some brokers will even help you pass your real estate exam for licensure if you sign on with them while you are training to be an agent. If many agents have been with a broker for long periods of time, it is a good sign that the broker treats their agents fairly. You can generally find this information on the broker's website. You might be required to put in a specific number of hours at the office or attending open houses and other events. Knowing what the broker expects will help you match your expectations and preferred working style with those of the broker. Most brokers divide the commission 50-50 with their agents. You will also need to know which party pays for licensing, marketing materials and benefits such as health insurance. The amount of control a broker usually has over these things will often be similar to the amount of control they have over your selling process. You will want to know if agents are assigned potential clients in a specific way, or if it will be up to you to bring in your own clients. Some brokers, especially larger ones, offer leads and other lead-generation services to agents. This can be invaluable if you are in a new area or are just starting out. Some brokers require their agents to provide their own laptops, cell phones and other devices. Other brokers might provide computer access, copiers, fax machines and even iPads or tablets. Factor this in to the cost of getting started in your real estate career.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Schedule an interview with brokers you are interested in. Find out what mentoring programs, if any, are available with different brokers. Research how many agents are with each broker, how long they stay and what their experience levels and areas of expertise are. Ask brokers you might work for about what the scheduling expectations are. Talk about commissions. Determine how referrals and leads are handled. Assess the available technology.