Full-Time residential real estate agent

Home sellers and buyers, usually through a commission paid out of the sale proceeds at closing and split with your brokerage.

A commission on each completed sale, shared with your brokerage under your agreement. Income arrives in lumps when deals close, and some months may bring nothing.

• Talking with people and building trust
• Negotiation
• Staying organized with deadlines and paperwork
• Knowing your local neighborhoods and market

• Your state requires a real estate license and you must work under a licensed broker, so check your state's pre-licensing hours and exam rules
• Ongoing costs such as MLS access, association dues, brokerage fees and marketing, which come before your first commission
• Income can be irregular and slow to start, so plan living costs for several months
• You are usually an independent contractor, so check self-employment tax, health insurance and errors and omissions coverage
• Fair housing and advertising rules apply, so check training from your state and brokerage

Estimates put startup costs typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on your brokerage and market. Ongoing costs such as MLS access, association dues, brokerage fees and marketing come before your first commission.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on your market and how many deals close. Income can be irregular and slow to start, so plan living costs for several months.

Your state requires a real estate license and you must work under a licensed broker, so check your state's pre-licensing hours and exam rules. Also check fair housing and advertising rules, and the training offered by your state and brokerage.