I can’t get to Florida fast enough!! (Miami, Tampa: purchasing, contractors)

[tommy-105]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Put aside at least $3,000 to get into real estate. It is classes, insurance, MLS and local board fees, test fees, license fees, lock boxes, signs, and marketing materials.

It is also the ability to read people, love statistics, build intant rapport, be good at math and directions, negotiations, diplomacy and be highly organized and honest and really care about people. You must also be passionate.

I'm about to become an agent because I live and breathe the business but my class was full of people that didn't have a clue what being an agent was all about. It's one of those jobs that you are either cut out for or you are not.

Ask SoFLGal. Just by her posts I can tell that she is an excellent agent.

Hopefully we all will end up where we are meant to be and not where we think we should be.

hiknapster, I've never met you or SoFLGal, but after reading countless informative posts from both of you for the last 6 months, I would feel very confident using either of you to purchase a property.

IMHO you're quickly on your way to becoming a great agent.

I just read about SoFLGal driving her car into a garage so she could stand on the roof to gain access to the attic hatch. That was too funny. I've done similar stunts... getting up there is a lot easier than getting back down gracefully.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by amyflorida70

LWAF
Thanks for all the great info. I already have the money put back for the classes, if they are only $1000, I will be doing good, they are $1800 here.
Have 2 computers, one desk top and a laptop,(of course I am sure that I will need programs also,) and a cell, but once their will ugrade. I realize their is much more to real estate, my husbands side of family are into real estate also so I know the kind of work that goes into this.

I am not in it to get rich or anything, if I make decent money than great. I just need something for myself. I think real estate is the right fit for me and my family, husband is the bread winner so we will have that base covered.

But really one step at a time, we still need a job for my husband first before we step one foot in Florida. Playing things one day at a time. If this is what we are meant to do then god will prevail and make it happen.
If you have any other info for me though would love to hear it, cause being a newbe one can never be to prepared.
Thanks Again. Amy

Just a thought from a former business owner. I would only hire someone if I knew their local address, and contact information. There are several reasons for that besides reliability. One is the issue with dealing with someone that is from out of state with workman's compensation. The rates change depending on what your home address is at the date of hire.
You want to take away any reason not to be hired. Having a local address, is important.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by tommy-105

I just read about SoFLGal driving her car into a garage so she could stand on the roof to gain access to the attic hatch. That was too funny. I've done similar stunts... getting up there is a lot easier than getting back down gracefully.

I know it! Is she something else, or what? She's my hero!

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I know it! Is she something else, or what? She's my hero!

Thanks Tommy & Hik!

Yeah, the attic adventure didn't work out as planned. I couldn't find the stamp on the back of the drywall that I was looking for, got scrapes all over my arms and legs and I was covered with fiberglass. Just another fun day at the office.

I would say $3K is a pretty safe figure to use. The marketing is pretty important in the beginning but once you build up reputation in the community you can pretty much cut most of that out. I do have several website but I don't do any paid advertising anymore.

Like Hik said, if you really love your job, you're honest and you do a terrific job-people will come back to you and they'll also refer other people to you.

If there's anything I can do to help you get started please DM me and let me know. It's always good to have someone take you "under their wing" in the beginning when you're starting out. Amy, I don't know what area specifically you're moving to but I'd be interested in talking to you about coming on our team if you don't already have another option worked out.

I wish you lived here Hik, we'd be the dynamic duo Sent you a DM in reference to your test!

[tommy-105]

Originally Posted by Big House

Just a thought from a former business owner. I would only hire someone if I knew their local address, and contact information. There are several reasons for that besides reliability. One is the issue with dealing with someone that is from out of state with workman's compensation. The rates change depending on what your home address is at the date of hire.
You want to take away any reason not to be hired. Having a local address, is important.

Big House,
I'm not sure about what you are trying to say here.

Are you saying that you wouldn't hire someone until they actually had a local address?

You wouldn't hire someone planning on moving to your business's area?

[ZaraZoteBuccaneer]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Well the OP is having a tough time getting any job leads. Has a post on here saying nothing is being found in Tampa, and now their job consultant is trying to find something in Miami(ugh).

Did you ever think it could be also God's will that isn't the plan for them to move at this time? Or maybe ever to FL?

It is like the old joke. How do you make God laugh? Tell him what your plans are.

You husband is smart not to move without a job first.

Sean, I knew a point like yours would come up and it's ok, so I'm just going to respond real quick and let everyone else keep networking on here for a while.

I know many many people might have thought the same thing... that maybe these kinds of experiences are someone trying so hard wanting to have something and they can't let go... I don't believe my lack of job leads is intended to tell me that this move isn't meant for me, because people shouldn't put a deadline on something like this, especially not in this economic climate. My current position is also in a highly limited field, and isn't really typical of employment opportunities in Florida. One way I'm willing to beat that is cross over to fields that are more typical such as aerospace, but I don't stand as well of a chance of getting hired as if I was to stay in a medical manufacturing company. I'm used to hearing it all by now. I'm not going to limit my patience to only a few months and then say, "ok, I quit". I also have friends telling me stuff like that too and it's rooted in them wanting me to stay here. I think yours is perhaps rooted in society's view on what is sensible a bit of doubt in what I'm saying, but it's just fine to question the logic!

What a person with faith has to do is let go and wait for direction. When I moved into my current home years ago, we were there for under two years and then suddenly without warning or provocation, my wife and I both had a strong inspiration to get ready to move, at the same time, without talking to each other. And I mean strong.... we were confused a bit because like I said, we had only been in our house for over a year and we were told to get ready to go. So we did and the journey was long, and often made us feel poor, but was spiced with little stories of God's faithfulness. Now we've done everything we can to get ready and we have scoured the US for the right place. Originally I was going to have us head to TN. My wife wanted CO. It wasn't in the cards for God. We're still a bit worried about all the things of FL we don't know about but we don't doubt that we are called to do what we're doing.

I highly doubt that I'm making it all up without heavenly guidance. I really wish I could elaborate more because there's more to what Florida offers us than the chance to have warm weather and a beach. God answered almost every single prayer we offered up when he brought us to Sarasota (more than once) and inspired a direction to call it home. Now I am showing God that I have trust, loyalty and submission as he works it all out with me. I also think there's reasons why we need to be up here a bit longer, while we finish the tasks at hand, regarding family, church and elsewhere. It will happen for me and it's taking time so that we don't hemmorage when it all falls properly into place.

[grandmallie]

God Bless and best of luck!!!!!!

[tommy-105]

ZaraZoteBuccaneer, You have mentioned aerospace a couple of times as an alternative career path to pursue in Florida

I'm assuming that you are aware of the scheduled end of the shuttle program next year. Thousands of related jobs in Florida are expected to be cut from what I'm reading.

Seems like it might be a difficult field until the Constellation program is up and running in 2015.

I don't really know anything about it.

Here's just one article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/wa...on/02nasa.html

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by tommy-105

ZaraZoteBuccaneer, You have mentioned aerospace a couple of times as an alternative career path to pursue in Florida

I'm assuming that you are aware of the scheduled end of the shuttle program next year. Thousands of related jobs in Florida are expected to be cut from what I'm reading.

Seems like it might be a difficult field until the Constellation program is up and running in 2015.

I don't really know anything about it.

Here's just one article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/wa...on/02nasa.html

You are correct. We have friends of family and both the husband and wife work for Boeing, the contract is ending with NASA and they're both losing their jobs in 2010.

They have known this for a couple of years.

It comes down to "You can't tell people what they don't want to hear".

[tommy-105]

Doesn't look very good to me.
"This is the start of what look like bleak times on the Space Coast. "
Quote from this article: Orlando Sentinel - More bad news for the Cape: job cuts at United Launch Alliance