Sam Shueh and Diana Dahlberg gave you some sage advice. Even if you land a good commission in your first few months don't spend much of it on non essentials. This business can be feast and then famine so getting a good financial cushion is important. Work your social network and keep expanding it, get a good mentor, be persistent and you will succeed.

Good luck, Jay --- in addition to the good advice given, you may want to reach out to Wanda Kubat-Nerdin --- she is a St George, Utah real estate expert.   

I wish you the best Jay and am here to help you in any way I can.   Getting started is tough, to say the least, but you've already made one really good choice toward a successful career.

You chose to join ActiveRain.   For training, motivation, knowledge and experience; you will find NO better source !

6 month reserve. Never recommended for those w/o much business experience. 
Need a steady income. Uber driver, home inspection, assistant whatever.

We have ladies selling make up, doing nails. Men take job as guard, gym coach etc while working as a realtor. 

I wish you luck, but those things don't make you successful, necessarily! It's about your work ethic, your personality with clients, and the ability to get referrals from past clients.... Among 100 other things!

It takes a lot of work, being educated is always helpful, but nothing can prepare you but experience!

Yes maybe worse but if you stick with it you will be rewarded. If you want to hear about my experience feel free to call. Jay Carlson 

If you don't work well for others this might not be your best choice.  While you won't have a traditional boss you are still working for buyers and sellers and on their schedules in real estate.  It's not a walk in the park, but I have found it to be rewarding for nearly a quarter of century now.

Get rid of that profile picture first of all. I think you might do well in real estate if you are willing to really work hard at it. Being good looking doesn't mean you will get the business. And remember that your clients are your bosses. 

Jay Thomas Carlson ~ real estate is like any other business... if you want to make it, you will. 

Jay RE is an amazing career.  The bottom line is lead generate at least 3 hours everyday.  I would recommend you read articles about top producers.  There is so many amazing stories about agents overcoming hurdles. Good Luck! 

Hi Jay,
You are wise to be asking this question now and not going in with rose colored glasses, as many do.  

The real estate business has an extremely high failure rate (87%) within the first couple of years.  There are many articles about how to be successful here on Active Rain.  You are in the right place.  If you go to the search box in the upper right corner and type in "October Challenge: Newbies", you get a whole slew of articles from a contest last October on this website.  Dozens of veteran agents wrote articles about their best advice to new agents.   Read as many as you can.  They are very enlightening.

If you go in with your eyes wide open, affiliate with a good company, have a mentor and a plan for success, and you should do well.  Oh... and, do not underestimate the cost of doing business.  It is more than you think.  

Good luck, Jay!

I don't own a crystal ball. ( although many agents think they do, and think they can predict everything ). Learning never ends in the real estate business. You won't know until you try. Spending never seems to end either!

Unless you invest yourself into your business (whatever you decide to do) and build a rapport with your clients and follow up and take care of your business and work hard, and work hard, and work hard -- you will never make it in any business.  So if you are serious, invest in yourself and invest in others and you will succeed.

Well, it'll be easier than if you were funny looking with bad hair!  Just keep learning!

Life is like business, if you have the heart, willing to do the work and stay dedicated to the client you will be successful.  Your call, your decision

Do you want the truth or what you want to hear?

The reality is that starting out in real estate where you have lived for years, know the area and neighborhoods, have friends and contacts, etc. is tough enough. Moving to a new city and state, getting re-established while starting work in real estate is even more difficult.

If you were staying in your current location and starting work in RE, you would next at least 6 months reserves to live on plus a fair amount of money to cover the initial costs of starting out as a RE agent.

Since you are moving, have you added up all the costs of moving and relocating expenses and do you have sufficient funds to cover them plus reserves?

You will need to work at some type of job while you get established and conduct a job search and interview with brokers until you find one to work for. Then plan on at least 3 months before getting your first commission check.

Jay Thomas Carlson - you should have a coach who will make you accountable - and you'll be successful.

If your ready to work hard for your long term rewards, I'm sure you will do well. 

It's one of the toughest careers to choose from. 

If you believe you will dread and fail ... you will. 

Believe in your success, work at it, and you will succeed. 

Wishing you all the best!

stop reading that junk..... real estate will be as successful for you as you want it to be....all you need to do is learn how to make the phone ring.... learn to market yourself and your inventory, if you're a listing agent.....

Only if you let it be  a nightmare.

Treat this like a business

Have a business plan

Have a daily schedule

Be accountable to someone

And most important prospect for new business every day.

 Jay Thomas Carlson with you having been in the hair business, you already have a head start (pun intended!) 

You understand people, you're used to being "on" and entertaining as well as listening.  You have a portable trade that can tide you over in the beginning when making ends meet can be tough.  You seem open to learning and seeing both sides of this business. 

Everything and anything is possible if you can just do it!  

Good luck and be active here in the Rain:  people are very caring and sharing with their wisdom and motivation!

I notice you removed the '27/good looking' part, but I'm going to address that anyway. Being attractive can help or hurt. There's nothing you can do about that. Being professional will make the difference. Quit believing everything that you read, except maybe here, and even then take it with a grain of salt. Find a good mentor who can keep you under their wing for the first few years (one year is not long enough), educate yourself about your local market, hone skills and use social gregariousness to your advantage by circulating in the community. Many successful real estate people come from the salon business.

Your first year will be a time for great opportunities.

Welcome to Active Rain!  As REALTORS® who have been here for more than 9 years, it's well worth it!

Starting out in real estate - especially in a new location - IS very difficult, but it sounds as though you are paying attention to those articles regarding why agents don't make it past the first year or so. You need to be determined, enthusiastic, have at least a year of living expenses saved, and have a great mentoring system. With all those things in place, you should be fine. 

No, Jay, I can not foresee your future.

I, however, have a firm grasp of the outcome of those who have gone before you. The new agent attrition measure is a borderline criminal activity. Is the cause of such exceptional failure due to a well disguised failure system or the naivete of the newbie?

And here is the answer.
As one wanting to start a new business, a real estate business, did you apply the same discipline ANY small businesses owner would do, that is, do the research to create a business plan for your real estate business?

"Oh," you say, "I'm moving to Saint George so can not do a business plan."

Yes, now I do know your future.

Consider buying GET ON THE RIGHT TRACK on LuLu.com

Good luck.

Interesting question and great answers.

Great answers for your question. 

Well Jay, here we are a year later, how did it go?

Your future is within your own control. It isn't easy for anyone to start and be successful in a real estate career. Many are not willing to invest the time, effort, money and make the sacrifices it takes to BUILD a good career. If you want it badly enough you will find a way.

Good luck!  Save up some money first!

My crystal ball is not working today.  However, best wishes in your new career.

Get with a good company and have a good mentor or coach.

Make sure you have at least 6 months living expenses saved.

If you are new to an area and the business you probably should join a team.  good luck. yes it will be tough, if it were easy everyone would do it. If its important to you, you will find a way; if its not, you will find an excuse.

It is entirely up to you, meaning it depends on how much work you want to put into it and how thick your skin is vis a vis the other vultures out there.

Whatever you set your mind to...that is the course. The real questions are who are you, what do you do and do you finish what you start. Are you driven by will or passion? What are your motives? Examine the self and know it for what it will or wont do. I will leave you with this. There isn't anything you cannot do. The world awaits your instructions. Command then

Jay Thomas Carlson This is a tough business when first starting out especially when relocating to a new area. Find a company with a good mentoring and training program. You will get out of this business what you put into it.

Get a flexible, professional, part time or full time job within the industry, title, lending, assistant, etc. while you are getting settled and taking classes and exams.  It's a great way to meet others in the industry.  Who knows, you might get hooked up with a real estate team willing to take you on as a buyers agent.  Just remember, with all the dues, insurance, continuing education, and other fees invovled, you'll have to do a certain volume each year just to break even.

Jay, Like any career, you must be willing to do the work, remain focused and be prepared to achieve goals daily. I would be glad to give you some insights about the southern Utah area as 5 generations of my family have lived in the area. Welcome to the Rain, becoming a member here was a good decision!