Industrial property agent under a brokerage

Landlords and owners who want to lease or sell, and growing businesses such as trades, distributors and manufacturers that need space. Usually the landlord or seller pays the commission, so check how it works in your market.

Commission on completed leases or sales, usually shared with your brokerage. Deals can be large but few and far between, so income arrives in lumps.

• Negotiation and sales
• Reading leases and basic property documents
• Building a network of owners, tenants and trades
• Patience with long deal cycles

• A real estate licence is generally needed to trade in property, so check your provincial regulator's rules and fees
• Commercial and industrial work often needs experience or mentoring, so ask brokerages how they support new agents
• Income can be irregular, and deals may take months, so plan living costs for a long first stretch
• Check insurance requirements, such as errors and omissions cover, and board or association fees
• In Quebec, check OACIQ rules and French-language requirements

Startup costs are typically around $5,000 to $15,000, depending on your provincial licensing fees, insurance and board or association fees. These are estimates, so check current costs with your regulator and brokerages.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many deals you close and their size. Income can be irregular and deals may take months, so plan living costs for a long first stretch.

A real estate licence is generally needed to trade in property, so check your provincial regulator's rules and fees. Also check insurance requirements such as errors and omissions cover, and in Quebec, OACIQ and French-language requirements.