How to Get Back Into Real Estate: A Professional Reboot Guide
There are various reasons why people leave and come back to their real estate careers. Some may move due to supporting their partner’s career or choosing not to enter the new market. Others may prioritize staying at home with their young children, while others venture into different fields, travel or pursue personal interests.
If you’re someone who had left but is now ready to get back into real estate, then a professional reboot is necessary. You need to invest time and effort in getting started once again. Here are some tips on how to begin and regain your footing in the industry.
Find out how to reactivate your license
Get in touch with your state’s real estate commission to find out what you need to do in order to reactivate your license. In some states, you’ll need to take some continuing education classes and fill out the required paperwork. In other states, you’ll need to begin the licensure process from scratch if it has been more than a couple of years since your license expired.
If it’s going to take a while for you to get through the renewal or relicensing process, you may want to see if you can convert your license to referral status. This will allow you to refer leads to a licensed agent as needed while you wait to have your license reinstated.
Determine which brokerage to join
You may already have a former brokerage that you want to rejoin when your license is renewed. Alternatively, you may be looking to relaunch your career in a totally different market or you may simply prefer to work with a different broker this time around. Either way, you’ll need to compare your local brokerages and find out which one is right for you.
Different brokerages operate in different ways, with some emphasizing training and support while others offer better commission splits and fewer services. Talk to a number of brokers to find out what style will work best for you as you begin again.
Notify your sphere of influence
Spend some time reconnecting with folks in your sphere of influence to let them know that you’re back in the industry. If you’ve gotten to know a lot of new people in your years away, you may have a lot of new names to add to your customer relationship management system.
While you may want to send out a blanket email announcement, don’t neglect the personal touch. Reach out with a handwritten note and a couple of business cards and follow up with a phone call to encourage referrals and inquiries from your sphere.
Reach out to your past clients
Similarly, let your past clients know that you appreciate their business and would like to work with them again whenever possible. You may want to sponsor an event for past clients to renew your acquaintance and find out how you can be of service to them or to their friends and family.
As you put together marketing for your relaunch, reach out to past clients for reviews and testimonials as well. This can be a valuable way to build your authority and credibility with incoming leads and potential clients.
Seek out educational opportunities
Though you’ve taken classes or online courses as part of your license renewal process, you’ll want to continue to seek out training to support your professional development. You may want to learn more about a useful tech platform or practice scripts for buyers and sellers. If you choose to work in a specific niche you’ll need specialized training and resources.
Create marketing platforms and materials
In the time you’ve been away, you may have missed out on opportunities to network and connect with new leads. You’ll need to catch up by creating a marketing strategy to help you raise your professional profile.
Work with a company or designer to build a website for your business. Create content through a blog, podcast, or video channel. Put together a social media strategy. Consider direct mail marketing to a geographic farm and email marketing to your SOI. The more consistent you are with marketing, the more likely you are to build a business that can support you.
Celebrate each success
It can be intimidating to restart your career, especially if you’ve been out of the game for a while. Rather than focusing on where you’re not, try focusing on where you are and each accomplishment to your long-term goals.
