College isn’t for everyone. In fact, more and more people are realizing the value of trade schools and entrepreneurial work as a means of building a successful career. Not going to college doesn’t mean that a person doesn’t enjoy learning or is not capable of academic success. If you’re trying to discern a career path and are fairly certain that going to a 4-year school is not what you have in mind, you might want to consider the numerous opportunities available for a career in the real estate industry.

There are many benefits to working in real estate, one of which is that there is ample opportunity to continue your education and to increase your skills and add to your resume by acquiring additional education in various aspects of the industry. In this post, we’re going to feature five basic career choices you can fulfill in real estate.

Become a licensed real estate agent

When most people think of a career in real estate, they automatically think of “sales.” Buying and selling property is definitely one of the most common means of earning income in the real estate industry. If were you to enroll in real estate school today, you could obtain your license and start selling homes or commercial properties before this year comes to a close.

If you enjoy meeting new people, are good at problem-solving and like the idea of being in control of your daily work schedule, real estate sales might be a good fit for you. You also have to be self-motivated and hard-working to excel at this type of career. One of the greatest benefits of obtaining a real estate license is that there’s no cap on potential income. It’s also a career that is easily adaptable to your personal schedule, which makes it a great choice for those who have family obligations.

Property management is another real estate career

Maybe ‘sales’ is not your thing, but you like the idea of working in the real estate industry.  Perhaps you have a natural aptitude for management. Instead of taking classes to earn a license to sell real estate in South Carolina, you might want to obtain your license as a property manager.

Property management involves many types of daily tasks, including filling vacancies, handling financial accounts, and overseeing maintenance and other issues for property owners. In South Carolina, you must have a high school diploma or GED and be age 18 or older to obtain a property management license.

3 more careers you can pursue in the real estate industry

If neither of the careers mentioned so far in this post have appealed to you, you might consider one of the real estate careers included in the following list:

• Home inspector
• Home appraiser
• Broker or Broker-in-Charge

As a broker or Broker-in-Charge, you’d be involved in real estate sales; however, it might be a good career choice for you, even if you don’t want to be active in the field as a real estate agent. Real estate agents work under brokerages. As a broker, you would be licensed to own your own real estate firm, which would facilitate the sales transactions of the agents listed under your brokerage.

As a Broker-in-Charge, you would be the primary broker designated to oversee a brokerage firm. In many states, a Broker-in-Charge license is considered the highest level of real estate licensure available. If you’re more geared to working behind-the-scenes as opposed to playing a primary role in property sales transactions, you might want to think about building a career as a home inspector or home appraiser.

Taking the steps to accomplish your career goals

It’s a good idea to research each facet of the real estate industry to determine which type of work best fits your career goals. Regardless of which career choice you make, achieving your goals doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and effort, and you must complete the required number of hours of pre-license