What Can You Do with a Real Estate License?

Although becoming a real estate agent is the most traditional career path for those earning a real estate license, other career options are available. What can you do with a real estate license besides working as an agent? Keep reading to find out.

Benefits of Having a Real Estate License

What are the benefits of having a real estate license? A real estate license is beneficial even if you don’t plan on working as a full-time commissioned agent. Here are some reasons one might earn an Arizona real estate license.

A real estate license increases your earning potential - even for part-time work.

Real estate is an excellent part-time gig. As a licensed real estate agent, you can work evenings and weekends to earn commissions. You might find it so lucrative that you quit your day job to focus on your real estate business.

Getting licensed gives you a deeper understanding of the real estate market.

As a licensed agent, you'll gain a deep understanding of the local real estate market, trends, and property values, which can help you make better investment decisions. In addition, having a license can provide insights and access to off-market deals and investment opportunities that might not be available to the general public.

Getting licensed gives you a deeper understanding of real estate laws and regulations.

During real estate school, you’ll be trained in the legal and ethical aspects of real estate transactions, which can be helpful knowledge when working in real estate-adjacent industries.

Real estate offers flexible career options.

Contrary to what you might think, a real estate license offers flexible career options.

Let’s discuss traditional career paths and alternative career paths for those licensed in Arizona.

Traditional Career Paths for Real Estate Licensees

Here are the three most popular career paths for someone with a real estate license.

Related Article: How Difficult Is it To Get a Real Estate License in Arizona?

Real estate agent

Most people seeking a real estate license plan to use it to help clients buy, sell, rent, or lease properties. Many work in a specific niche, such as residential, commercial, condos, or new construction.

Real estate agents work solely on commission, typically based on the property's sale price. Agents must work under the supervision of a broker and must share a part of their income with their brokerages.

Real estate broker

To be clear, you need to work as a real estate agent for at least three years in Arizona before getting licensed as a real estate broker. Brokers also help clients buy, sell, rent, or lease properties. In addition, they can open their own brokerages or obtain leadership positions in their current organizations.

Because brokers can oversee the transactions of other agents, working as a broker can provide multiple income streams.

What are the highest-paying jobs in real estate?

Brokers are the highest-paying jobs in real estate. They have the training and experience to oversee complicated and costly real estate transactions. Additionally, they can earn income by overseeing other agents' transactions or offering property management services.

Property manager

You may not have considered using your real estate license to work as a property manager, but it is another common option for real estate licensees. Property managers oversee the daily operations of rental properties, handling tasks such as tenant relations, maintenance, and rent collection. They ensure that properties are well-maintained, financially profitable, and compliant with legal regulations.

Alternative Career Paths for Real Estate Licensees

We’ve given you the three most common career options for real estate license holders. However, here are some additional career paths that might appeal to someone who would rather not work in a highly competitive, commission-based field.

Real estate investor

A real estate investor uses their license, knowledge, and contacts to build wealth by buying and selling properties. They may generate rental income or profit from appreciation by analyzing market trends and property values to make strategic investment decisions for themselves or an employer.

Real estate appraiser

A real estate appraiser is a licensed and certified real estate professional who provides an unbiased estimate of a property’s value. They inspect properties, stay current on sales of comparable properties in an area, and prepare appraisal reports.

Appraisers must complete a training course and pass a licensing exam before becoming a trainee appraiser.

Real estate consultant

A real estate consultant is a licensed real estate broker who offers clients specialized knowledge and strategic advice on matters involving real estate. They may develop an investment strategy, assess and mitigate risks associated with real estate transactions, and guide development projects.

Niche Roles within Real Estate

Some enter real estate knowing they want to focus their energies on a particular niche. Others may fall into roles that they hadn’t considered when earning their license. Here are a few other real estate jobs that are perfect for someone with a license.

Commercial real estate agent

You don’t need an additional or different license to focus on commercial or industrial real estate transactions in Arizona, but having additional training or continuing education would be helpful. To be a successful commercial real estate agent, you need strong negotiation skills to secure favorable deals, excellent market analysis abilities to assess property values and trends, and effective communication skills to network with clients and stakeholders.

Related Article: How to Break into the Commercial Real Estate Market

Real Estate Marketing Specialist

Marketing knowledge is critical when working in the real estate industry. Not only do agents and brokers need to market their clients’ properties that are for sale or rent, but they also need to market their own businesses to maintain their sales funnels.

Knowledge of marketing techniques is crucial and includes the following:

• Digital marketing
• Content marketing
• Traditional marketing
• Networking
• Staging and photography

Real estate trainer or educator

You may not have entered the real estate industry with the plan of becoming a teacher. However, you might find that you enjoy mentoring new agents and training new employees of your brokerage.

Real estate schools often hire instructors to develop curricula or teach in-person or livestream classes. You may also tutor those preparing for their state’s real estate exam or offer real estate training to new agents.

Non-Traditional Opportunities for Real Estate Licensees

Here are a few more career opportunities for those with real estate licenses.

Real estate content creator/influencer

If you are highly skilled in social media, you may work for a real estate-related company to produce content to build a brand. Of course, some develop and monetize their own brand and earn a living as an influencer.

Real estate tech and innovation roles

Proptech is the underlying technology real estate professionals use to manage and improve real estate transactions. As a licensed real estate agent, you’ll have insight into how technology can be improved to best serve agents, and you can leverage this knowledge as a consultant or salesperson in this field.

Steps to Obtain a Real Estate License

Are you excited to work as a real estate salesperson? Or perhaps you know you aren’t cut out for a commission-only job and are ready to work in one of these other roles. Regardless, you need to earn your license to get started. Here’s a quick summary of the steps to become a real estate agent in Arizona.

Step 1: Enroll in Arizona real estate pre-licensing classes

Step 2: Complete the fingerprinting process for your background check

Step 3: Apply to take the Arizona Real Estate Sales Agent Exam

Step 4: Pass the Arizona Real Estate Salesperson Exam

Step 5: Submit your Arizona Salesperson Application and supporting documents

To learn detailed information on each step of the process, visit How to Get Your Real Estate License in Arizona.

There are diverse opportunities for individuals with an Arizona real estate license. The good news is that the pathway to becoming licensed is affordable and fast, so you don’t have to have your entire career trajectory figured out to get started.

Continuing Education and Professional Development

Regardless of your role under the real estate umbrella, you must partner with a continuing education provider to stay licensed and current in this ever-evolving industry.

Sign up for real estate courses or continuing education through the Arizona School of Real Estate & Business (ASREB). ASREB is Arizona's go-to real estate school because it has the best pass rates of any other school in the state. Our dedicated instructors have experience in the industry and decided on real estate education as their chosen career path.  Contact a member of our team today to learn more.