There’s a lot that goes into being a real estate agent. Navigating a feast or famine industry and working on commission–all while building your client base and competing for listings–can take its toll.
After a while in the game you might realize the unstable income and long or unpredictable hours aren’t for you.
But do you really have the time and skills to transition careers?
The good news is, yes. There are lots of alternative careers for real estate agents that capitalize on your skills and experience in real estate, which makes for a smoother transition. And some still require you to have a license—so you didn’t waste your time or money getting one.
In this guide, we list 7 alternative careers you can explore so you can leverage your existing skills, experience, and qualifications and make a quick, seamless transition.
Table of contents
Why do real estate agents choose alternative career paths?
How to choose an alternative real estate career path
7 alternative career paths for real estate agents
Profitable alternative careers for real estate agents: a reality with Jetstream
Frequently asked questions about alternative careers for real estate agents
Why do real estate agents choose alternative career paths?
Being a real estate agent means accepting a certain level of risk. Especially working under commission for a broker in this ‘feast or famine’ industry—where one month you’re soaring and the next you can’t scrape two pennies together.
It makes sense that, for many, an unstable income isn’t necessarily your “dream job.” And it’s hard to keep morale high when you spend a ton of time networking for an uncertain payout or spend countless hours showing houses for a one-off commission.
Other common challenges in real estate include:
- Too much competition
- Can be costly to market yourself
- Irregular working hours
- Long commutes and drives
- Lots of administrative tasks
- Difficult and time-consuming to get established
- Need to be available 24/7
So, how can you choose an alternative career path that helps you achieve a stable income and schedule?
How to choose an alternative real estate career path
To choose an alternative career to real estate, you need to objectively assess yourself, your goals, and your needs. Let’s take a look at how you can do this, so you find the right career path that matches your interests, skills, and experience.
Define what’s important for you
It’s important to reflect on what drew you to become a real estate agent in the first place, what worked well or what you liked about the job, and what didn’t work so well.
For example, here are some things you may like about real estate:
- Independence
- Setting your own hours
- Potentially lucrative industry
- Ability to often work from home
Once you have a list of what you’d like to see more of in a job, and experiences you would like to avoid, you can start to think about your transferable skills and expertise.
Think about transferable skills and experience
The skills and experience you gain as a real estate agent can be applied to other professional roles that deal with finances, properties, and clients looking to buy or sell real estate.
Some transferable skills for real estate agents might include:
- Negotiation skills
- Customer empathy
- Understanding buyer and seller end goals
- Time management
- Organizational skills
- Problem solving
- Project management
- Communication and interpersonal skills
Refer to your skills and experience to create a career action plan that lays out the steps, training, or qualifications you need to reach your new goals.
Training and qualifications
As well as being qualified for your new career, you might need training in some transferable skills—if you don’t already have them. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has programs you can enroll in to increase your existing knowledge or develop new skills.
“Home inspectors, insurance agents, mortgage brokers, attorneys, and accountants have to be trained and licensed in most states. These are nice ancillary business models that work well with a real estate business. Some realtors are building boutique full-service brokerages that offer property and casualty insurance, in-house mortgage brokers, in-house inspectors, cleaners, stagers and photographers.” says Vernon Corum, Founder, Staycating LLC & The Short-term Rental Pro
No matter what you’re interested in, it’s important to brush up on the skills you’ll need for your next role. For example, your ability to convert leads, follow up with contacts, or your sales skills in real estate. Be honest about your abilities and where you fall short—especially in regard to real estate. That way, you know what to prioritize for a more seamless transition.
Run informational interviews
To help you determine whether a particular career path is the right fit, reach out to relevant professionals on platforms like LinkedIn, or on forums like Quora or Reddit. Ask them for objective feedback about the role, what’s expected, and any specific questions or concerns you might have.
Use your research to help you create a shortlist of career contenders. That way, you can cross off options that don’t meet your criteria as you learn more and increase your chances of sticking with the one you choose.
7 alternative careers for real estate agents
When selecting an alternative career, it’s important that your options are realistic, profitable, and make use of your background.
Let’s explore some viable careers you can venture into—and make more stable income.
1. Outsourced property management
Outsourced property management involves delegating manual or managerial tasks from your real estate company to an external operator. For example, cleaning and maintenance scheduling, communicating with guests, and updating your listings across booking channels take up valuable time and energy.
Best of all, outsourcing these tasks lets you keep being a real estate agent, if that’s what you want. By outsourcing property management, you can add value to your existing clients and earn a stable monthly income—without quiting your brokerage.
Who is it good for? If you’re having doubts about being a real estate agent due to unreliable income, workload, or competition—but still love your job—outsourced property management could be the solution for you.
If you like: Networking, independence, flexible work week, hospitality, paying attention to detail
Salary range: $43,000-80,000.
Why licensed real estate agents thrive: By getting the help you need to manage your property portfolio, you can remain a practicing real estate agent (or not) while diversifying your income stream. It also lets you leverage your existing skills, experience, and connections—and offer added value to clients and guests. That way you stay top of mind for your clients long-term.
Realtor duties:
- Finding properties and clients willing to run short-term rentals
- Hiring cleaning and maintenance contractors
- Overseeing property upkeep
Jetstream handles:
- Managing guest bookings
- Cleaning and maintenance scheduling
- Listing optimization and channel management
- Creating a personalized experience for guests
- Guest communications
- Guest screening
- Keyless self-check-in
If you’re outsourcing your short term rental management to Jetstream, we take care of all of the above and more—so you don’t have to lift a finger. Jetstream manages guest bookings, screenings, and communication. It also gets more eyes on your listings by marketing vacation rentals across distribution channels like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com—and automatically updates new bookings across channels and PMSs.
All of which help sustainably supplement your real estate income without more work. And the best part is, with Jetstream’s shared success model, you can grow your property management portfolio and scale your business based on your capacity and revenue targets.
“Vacation rental management is good to earn extra income—the Jetstream solution is a great way for a realtor to add a “six-figure side hustle” to their business. The business model is set up to be on auto-pilot with the tech and providing all the service and support we need to be successful!” says Vernon.
Jetstream makes it easy to unlock a new source of passive income and grow your real estate business
2. Real estate appraiser and assessor
Appraisers evaluate a property before it’s taxed, sold, developed, insured, or mortgaged—and provide an estimated value. Whereas assessors typically help local governments conduct property tax assessments and help verify and maintain legal records of real estate in their jurisdiction.
Who is it good for? Real estate agents who want to stay close to the real estate market and enjoy keeping up with market trends and listings. It’s also a good option if you struggle with the customer-facing aspect of real estate and winning sales.
If you like: On-site visits, paying attention to detail, IT and software, analytical thinking, problem solving, time management.
Salary range: $57,000-61,000.
Why licensed real estate agents thrive: Appraisers and assessors of real estate are typically always on the move. This can appeal to real estate agents who aren’t accustomed to permanent desk jobs. It’s also a good opportunity to keep your finger on the pulse of real estate transactions without the overwhelm or instability of one-time payoffs.
Duties:
- Scrutinizing and evaluating a new home or building’s structure and foundation
- Noting features and factors about a property’s environment
- Comparing properties for prior appraisals, income potential, and location
- Maintaining detailed property records
3. Foreclosure specialist
A foreclosure specialist helps deal with the legal process of foreclosure. They liaise with property owners on documentation like appraisals, insurance policies, inspection reports, or liens. Then, they sell it as an asset to make up for missed mortgage payments.
Who is it good for? Real estate agents who want to work directly with property owners and collaborate with other parties like insurance companies, municipal courts, or lenders. It’s also a good choice if you know a lot about banking, property law, and government regulations.
If you like: Handling confidential paperwork—and lots of it–organizational skills, interpersonal communication, multitasking, banking industry rules and regulations, patience, learning new IT software, for example, LoanServ.
Salary range: $30,500-63,500.
Why licensed real estate agents thrive: Licensed real estate agents and those holding an associate’s degree in finance or legal studies have the upper hand in the foreclosure sector in terms of hireability and market knowledge. Also, similar to realtors, you act as an intermediary between various parties and are responsible for managing multiple documents, timelines, and processes.
Duties:
- Ensuring property foreclosure meets local, state, and federal regulations
- Preparing foreclosure documents and obtaining title records
- Making sure the foreclosure process meets deadlines
- Communicating with vendors, attorneys, and insurance companies
- Negotiating changes in loan agreements
Forecloseure specialists need detailed knowledge of local, federal, and state property laws and regulations
4. Home stager
A home stager is responsible for the interior decor and overall appearance of a listed property. They give prospective buyers a feel for how the house will look when it’s furnished, and are integral to creating the vision of a livable home.
Who is it good for? Realtors wanting to branch out into a more creative vocation, or looking to bolster their real estate career with home staging expertise.
If you like: Creative freedom, interior design, architecture, photography, furniture design, real estate, paying attention to detail, and being organized.
Salary range: $20,500-81,000.
Why licensed real estate agents thrive: If you’re a real estate professional gifted with an artistic eye, you can maintain your real estate career while staging your own listings. This gives you more control over the aesthetic of the home you’re trying to sell—which can help you win more sales—while bolstering your contacts in the real estate industry.
Duties:
- Liaising with leading real estate agent and buyers
- Updating leading agents and buyers about listing information and viewing schedules
- Designing and staging residential properties with new or existing furniture
- Highlighting key property features and amenities
Home staging requires a skill set in interior design—and can land you more leads at open houses
5. Property inspector
A property inspector evaluates properties on behalf of the county or state to ensure it meets safety standards and regulations.
Who is it good for? Real estate agents who have a technical background and can find their way around a construction site. It’s a good choice if you have an understanding of basic math, computer skills, blueprints, manuals, and construction documents. But, if you’re unable to influence people to follow regulations, it might not be the right fit.
If you like: Paying close attention to detail, understanding commercial property regulations, providing detailed descriptions, administrative paperwork, interpersonal communication, interviewing tenants, and understanding building technology.
Salary range: $42,126-60,678
Why licensed real estate agents thrive: As a property inspector, you can still be employed in real estate and run inspections on behalf of a brokerage. Or, you might decide to work for local government, construction, insurance, or banking firms in need of a property inspector. This gives you the flexibility to stay closer to home or branch out in a new sector entirely. You can get your home inspector license here.
Duties:
- Preparing inspection reports
- Interviewing homeowners
- Performing thorough property inspections
- Maintaining an in-depth knowledge of safety regulations
Property inspections keep the home buying process safe and regulated
6. Marketing manager
Marketing managers conceptualize, create, and execute marketing campaigns in order to attract new customers to an organization while retaining existing ones.
Who is it good for? Real estate agents with a working knowledge of marketing and advertising trends, copywriting, branding, and social media.
If you like: Strategy, marketing, creativity, fast-paced environments, and the back-end side of real estate.
Salary range: $97,000-185,000.
Why licensed real estate agents thrive: Marketers, like realtors, have strong sales and networking skills, and thrive on their ability to pay attention to detail. If you’re already accustomed to working long hours, but find the creative and strategic outlet (not to mention salary) of marketing enticing, this could be a great option.
Duties:
- Overseeing marketing channels and teams
- Media and market research
- Coordinating with advertising and media agencies
- Crafting original marketing strategies
- Compiling social stats and analytics reports
Marketing involves constant communication and brand or image upkeep across media and social media channels
7. Public relations specialist
Public relations specialists interact with the media and public on behalf of an entity. Their job is to communicate a specific message—usually in the form of a press release–from their client.
Who is it good for? Real estate agents looking for a consistent client base, who are knowledgeable about social media marketing and multimedia content management.
If you like: Problem-solving, written and verbal communication, creativity, social media management, interpersonal interactions, and are good at time management.
Salary range: $36,000-$112,260.
Why licensed real estate agents thrive: Public relations gives realtors the opportunity to use their creative, design, and branding skills to “sell” a brand and image instead of a property. Although closely aligned, realtors can focus on a specific set of clientele that brings them steady income, rather than switching their focus to a new property after each sale.
Duties:
- Using media outlets and social media to craft a brand n image or ‘persona’
- Writing and presenting press releases, speeches, and articles
- Organizing publicity campaigns and strategies
- Project managing the production of visual content and digital communications
Public relations involves sharpened writing, editing, and verbal communication skills
Alternative careers for real estate agents: a reality with Jetstream
Unreliable income, multiple showings with irregular pay-outs, and long hours that don’t get accounted for can make any real estate agent nervous about their next paycheck and future.
Although switching career paths can be a big undertaking, it’s important to break it down into actionable steps that help you understand what you want and need out of your next vocation—whether it be stable earnings, more freedom, or more free time.
Some alternative careers for real estate agents that leverage your skills, experience, and qualifications include home stager, property inspector, assessor and appraiser, PR specialist or marketer.
If you’re looking to earn truly stable, passive income and add value for your real estate clients, though, outsourced vacation rental management could be for you. If so, Jetstream can help by handling day-to-day operations. All you have to do is find the properties and make use of your existing knowledge and skills, with no extra work.
Frequently asked questions about alternative careers for real estate agents
What careers are similar to a real estate agent?
There are many careers that are similar to being a real estate broker or agent that make good use of your real estate license. For example:
- Outsourced property management
- Marketing manager
- Real estate appraiser and assessor
- Public relations specialist
- Foreclosure specialist
- Home stager
- Property inspector
What are transferable skills for real estate?
There are many transferable skills residential real estate or commercial real estate agents can use to succeed in a new career path. The most common are:
- Negotiation skills
- Customer empathy
- Understanding buyer and seller end goals
- Time management
- Organizational skills
- Problem-solving
- Project management
- Communication skills
What is the highest paying real estate job?
There are a few high-earning jobs in real estate. The highest earners being:
- Real estate developers
- Real estate attorneys
- Mortgage brokers
- Home inspectors
- Real estate investors
- Loan officers
- Real estate sales agent
