If you’re looking for flexible career options, you are not alone. In fact, that’s why most real estate professionals get into the industry in the first place. In a recent survey by Real Estate Express, 82 percent of real estate professionals said the flexible schedule real estate offers was “very important” to them.
Having a flexible job schedule in this industry doesn’t mean just being a real estate agent. There are many flexible career paths in real estate that you can take to achieve that elusive work-life balance—maybe some you haven’t even considered!
Use real estate for part-time income. Maybe you don’t want a new, high-powered, full-time career. Perhaps you’re looking for a way to make extra income and are wondering how much money you can make in real estate without going full-time. We see many post-secondary students and educators get their real estate license to take advantage of natural breaks in their schedule. For some, it’s a great source of summer income or a way to make money that fits easily around classes they have to either take or teach.
About 55 percent of Real Estate Express students who are educators themselves outside of real estate use real estate as a flexible, part-time career. The numbers get even higher in engineering. Almost 70 percent of students who come to us with an engineering background say they plan to use real estate for part-time income. Retirees also see real estate as a way to achieve work-life balance, with less than 70 percent of our retiree students indicating their intentions of using real estate to earn money part-time.Â
Look for jobs related to real estate with non-traditional hours. As we said before, there are many flexible careers within real estate that don’t necessarily involve being a real estate agent. One you might consider is property management. Being a property manager is a challenging job that is usually in high demand—and it comes with flexibility perks. Owners of buildings rely on property managers to look after their assets, which includes dealing with tenants, sometimes leasing units, overseeing maintenance and, in general, making sure the ship runs smoothly and the building, be it commercial or residential, makes money every year.
Often, a property manager can set their own hours. The job does require being available during some non-traditional working hours (such as evenings or weekends) but usually these hours are not set in stone, as property managers deal with problems as they arise. A flexible job doesn’t necessarily mean an easy job. Property managers put in hard work and many hours; however, they usually get to control how they go about doing their work, which means, to an extent, their schedules.
Find roles that allow remote work. If you hate going to the office and need a job you can do mostly from home, you might consider a job as a leasing consultant. Leasing consultants arrange for people to rent certain spaces—think of the person who rented you your last apartment, or the person you contact when you’re looking for new office space in a particular building.
The job requires you show units to clients, scheduling showings or open houses at a time that is convenient for them. While you may have to work evenings and weekends in this role, it does come with a degree of flexibility and many of the tasks, such as background checks or posting ads for new vacancies, can be done online from the comfort of your home.
As remote work becomes more and more mainstream, many employers are updating their policies to allow for it. Finding an employer who will let you work from home several days a week could make being a leasing consultant one of the most flexible jobs you pursue!Â
Start a side hustle related to real estate. Are you an entrepreneurial type? Don’t want to be committed to an employer? Want to be your own boss? There might be a side business you can start creating that helps either agents or buyers do their jobs better. If you have real estate knowledge and are looking for a flexible way to put that to use, a side job like a home staging business or an interior design business could be a good fit for you.
Find the fit that’s best for you. There are so many different aspects to the real estate business that provide flexible ways to earn either full- or part-time income. When it comes to real estate, the problem isn’t finding flexible options; it’s choosing the flexible option that suits you best.Â
Alexis Petersen is the director of Content at Colibri Real Estate, a national leader in online learning for pre-licensing, continuing education and professional development. For the last six years she has been educating real estate professionals on how to successfully launch and advance their career. She’s also a seasoned marketing veteran, with nearly 15 years of experience.
