The vast majority of agents are set to remain in the industry in 2012, despite reports of a challenging economic climate in some parts of Australia, new research has found.
According to the latest Real Estate Business’ Quarterly Sentiment Survey, undertaken in the second half of December, 83 per cent of the 171 respondents said that they would not leave the real estate industry during the next quarter.
The training manager of Stockdale & Leggo, James Wardrop told Real Estate Business that these survey results were consistent with his dealings in the industry.
“I would agree with these findings, I have found that most people are trying to make a good go of it no matter how the market is,’ he said.
Mr Wardrop lists issues with a lack of income and inexperience as the main reasons agents might consider leaving the real estate industry.
“Inexperience in the industry is a major factor in why people don’t last,” he said.
“This is where larger companies can be very beneficial to those agents just starting out. We can offer greater opportunities and a support system to better prepare agents for the field.”
However Darren Gorrel, the NSW state manager of Gough Recruitment, a property and real estate recruitment agency, believes there are numerous smaller agencies which also offer great support to their staff.
“It is like all things, it really depends on the people inside the company," he told Real Estate Business.
"There are many fantastic large companies that will offer great training and support however there are some that might consider the individual just a number. Likewise there are some great small offices that mentor agents, there are many variables,” he told Real Estate Business.
“I think some new people get into the real estate industry with ideas of driving fancy cars and wearing nice suits, but there is a lot more to it than that. It is a tough yet very rewarding industry to be working in.”
The Real Estate Business Quarterly Sentiment Survey is an online-based poll. The results to the latest survey were based on 171 replies, with the majority of respondents coming from the residential sales and property management sectors (84.7 per cent). More than half were principals (56.7 per cent) and licensees (12.9 per cent), and another 23.4 per cent were sales representatives.