Licensed Real Estate Agent

The work is essentially the same as any residential real estate agent — representing buyers or sellers through the full transaction cycle: showings and tours, price strategy, offer negotiation, inspection navigation, and coordination through closing. The license is what separates this from unlicensed real estate assistance. What actually differentiates agents in practice is local market knowledge, referral network quality, and how they handle the inevitable complications that arise in most deals.

The income model shapes everything about the work. Commission-based pay with no salary means every month's income depends on closings that month. The pipeline problem is constant: you need enough active clients at different stages that your monthly income doesn't swing wildly with the timing of individual deals. Managing that pipeline — prospecting consistently, maintaining relationships with past clients, asking for referrals — is as much of the job as the actual transactions.

Most months are not balanced. Spring and fall tend to be heavier; winter slower. Closings cluster at certain times. New agents underestimate how long it takes to build the referral network that provides consistent deal flow — the typical ramp is 12-24 months before income becomes reasonably predictable.