These 5 Real Estate Side Hustles Can Help Agents Make Some Extra Income
These days, side hustles are everywhere. If you’re not making enough as a real estate agent, you don’t have to turn to crafting or another skill to make money. You can make some extra cash using your real estate license. With that in mind, we have listed out five real estate side hustles for you to think about. Read them over to see which one is going to be the best fit for you.
5 real estate side hustles for agents to consider
1. Real estate photographer.
If you have an eye for design and you’re always getting complimented on your real estate photos, consider starting a side hustle as a real estate photographer. The reality is that most agents don’t want to have to worry about taking their own photos. They don’t want the hassle of finding the right angle for making sure that the lighting looks its best, even with the help of our real estate photography tips.
While it’s possible to make hundreds of dollars per listing with this side hustle, it does come with a little bit of an upfront investment. You’re going to want to make sure that you have the right camera gear and that you’re able to edit photos accordingly.
2. Office manager.
On the other hand, if you like spending time in the office, consider becoming an office manager. Typically, an office manager gets a regular stipend in addition to their sales commissions. In exchange, they typically manage staff, provide training, and are a resource for agents to turn to when they have problems or questions. In some cases, being an office manager can be a step towards becoming a broker of record and running your own office.
Usually, you need to have your broker’s license in order to become an office manager. With that in mind, this position does come with some extra education and training. Most of the time, you will also have to agree to be in the office during set hours. You may also be asked to be on call during other times of the day.
3. Liscensed assistant.
Meanwhile, if you don’t want the hassle of running your own business, you could also try a side hustle as a licensed assistant. As an assistant, you will likely work underneath another agent who may ask for your help with conveyance, marketing efforts, or other office tasks. However, since you have your license, you may also be asked to accompany buyers on showings or sit at an open house.
Typically, becoming a licensed assistant doesn’t usually take more training than keeping your real estate license up-to-date. Additionally, since you are licensed, you will likely be able to secure a higher pay rate than an unlicensed assistant. Still, if you are going to go this route, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure that your office skills are up to snuff as well.
4. Real estate blogger.
If you have a way with words and a real estate background, you could also consider becoming a real estate blogger. As you might be able to imagine, a real estate blogger is often charged with researching and writing blog posts on a variety of real estate topics. Ideally, they will be structured in such a way as to be easy to read and informative for those who are looking to learn about the home-buying process.
Truth be told, you don’t have to have much formal training to be a real estate blogger. However, you do have to be good at writing and managing deadlines. If you are considering this side hustle, it may be worth doing a guest post or two before you get started to see if you like it.
5. Referral partner.
Lastly, you may want to consider being somebody’s referral partner. As the name suggests, a referral partner simply refers interested buyers and sellers to a local real estate agent. In exchange, they are typically given a referral fee, which is a percentage of the commission.
In order to make this real estate side hustle work, you have to have a big network of potential clients. If you know a lot of people and aren’t afraid to put referrals out there, this side hustle may be a good option. Just be sure to get your agreement in writing with your partner real estate agent.
The bottom line on real estate side hustles
At the end of the day, picking up a real estate side hustle doesn’t mean that you are any less committed to your career as an agent. It simply means that you are exploring all the available possibilities to make an income. To that end, be sure to use this guide as you begin exploring your side hustle options. We’re willing to bet that one of the options on this list will be the right fit.