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Hello! I am a mid-30's military wife and current stay at home mom. My youngest started kindergarten this year and I am now ready to get serious with the next phase of my life. I have been considering a career in real estate for YEARS. But between deployments, moving, raising the kids, ect... I haven't been ready to jump in; until now! My husband is retiring in a few years from the military and we plan to stay in our current area. I have been going back and forth between finishing my degree to be a social worker or becoming a real estate professional. I just have this *need* to help others. Prior to kids, my career was office management/human resources. I enjoy the business side of real estate greatly, but mostly I see it as a helping profession. We are financially secure with just my husband's income and in a few years, we'll have his military pension plus his regular job. I guess my main concern is the part of the country I live in. I'm in Maryland; just half way between DC and Baltimore. Its an extremely highly competitive market and I get the feeling that many of the agents here are very cut throat. I don't care to compete for the multi-million dollar properties, I am however interested in helping other military families relocating to the area. I get them, I know what they are looking for, we speak the same language, ect. I guess I just don't know how to get started or who to trust. The agent we used to buy our house last year; I wasn't too impressed with him. This is the 3rd house we've bought, the other 2 I sold myself--FSBO (in less than 2 weeks both times). I also helped my mother and sister sell their homes, both sold in under a month. I think I'd be great at this, those around me have been encouraging me, I LOVE everything about the real estate transaction process. I just don't know if I'm thinking clearly and I'm afraid of failing when I want so badly to succeed at this. So, how should I get started or based on what you know about me, should I?
You might want to consider finishing your degree in social work because you are going to need all the skills you learned for real estate (I was a social worker in my first career). But seriously, if you are organized, have some business sense and would like to help people - real estate might be a good fit for you.
You will need to complete your real estate courses, sit for your license and then look for a Broker. A lot of real estate showings take place on the weekends so that will take time away from your family - it is something to consider. You will be your own boss so to speak so you will need to be flexible with your hours. I think that your empathy to other military families would be an asset. Since your husband will have a job and his military retirement, it might be good for you to enter real estate since you will not necessarily need to draw commissions immediately.
There are agents across the country that specialize in military clients. Real estate is competitive everywhere. If you aren't assertive you will struggle in the business. You don't have to be a shark, but this isn't a profession for passive people.
I would get online and start researching local brokerages. Each brokerage has its own culture and you would need to find one that will offer you good training and has the culture you want.
Thank you for the helpful advice. I am actually a very decisive, independent and assertive person in real life; I realize my post was all over the place! When I mentioned dealing with cut throat agents, it was more of a sense of me being treated like a commission check and no personal connection with the realtors I was dealing with. I am from the Midwest originally and this East Coast attitude and lack of personal touch in this area drives me insane. I guess I will have to be the change I want to see in this business. I have been researching some different brokerages for the last few weeks and I have it narrowed down to a few that have offices in the general area of the military base. So, I can just call them after I am licensed, ask for a meeting and then see if its a good match or what their commission structure is like?
You are going to face many cut-throat and incompetent agents that you are co-oping with. It doesn't matter, you are not working for them.
Yes, get your license and go around and interview Brokers and their office. Find the right fit for you and get started. See what they also offer you in terms of education and support as you are learning the ropes of the industry.
Hi, cj. You sound almost exactly like me. My husband was active-duty and we were living in NOVA. When my youngest started kindergarten, I got my license. I was pretty successful, although George is right, your clients will want to see properties after work and on the weekends which takes some getting used to. Especially if you still have young kids at home and a spouse who works long hours ... short- notice child care can be a challenge if you don't have family or good friends nearby. Agents are competitive in that area but I never really had a bad experience. You will need to learn quickly how to handle a busy market though (multiple offers). Within 6 months of joining my brokerage (Long & Foster), I joined up with a seasoned agent to work some of his leads and that helped my business tremendously.
I understand your desire to help military people but how are you going to advertise that "connection"? Marketing yourself? Word of mouth? Remember ... there are lots of agents who will claim to understand the military customer. And you will also be competing with programs like USAA's Mover's Advantage.
Unfortunately 2 years in, my husband and I PCSed to AL so I had to start all over. It's definitely more low-key here but the price points are a lot lower as well! Good luck ... let me know if you have any specific questions.
I would too....if you find a broker that you really like before you get your license, he/she can probably make a good recommendation for your licensing courses. We have some instructors in our area that are pitiful.
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(I was a social worker in my first career). But seriously, if you are organized, have some business sense and would like to help people - real estate might be a good fit for you. 
