The Best Part-Time Gig in Real Estate
On TV, real estate looks glamorous. House Hunters, and its various HGTV spin offs, for instance, convey an image of real estate agents with enviable careers, touring the kinds of drool-worthy homes that most of us can only dream of owning. In reality, those agents put in long hours and work extremely hard to make those deals happen, and that level of commitment, not to mention the huge stack of paperwork, doesn’t work for everyone.
But, what if you could bypass the drudgery of the job and get a taste of the glamorous HGTV life by becoming a House Hunter of the apartment world? As a part-time Touring Agent working for AptAmigo, now you can!
While you won’t be hosting your own tv show, you will get to see some gorgeous luxury apartments with some of the best views in your city. And, as an added bonus, you’ll hang out with some really cool clients eager to learn from your newfound expertise.
Must Read: Best College Degrees for a Career in Real Estate
What Exactly Is a Touring Agent?
In short, AptAmigo Touring Agents (TAs) do exactly what the title indicates. They take our apartment-hunting clients on tours of all the properties they’re considering. During their touring day, TAs assist clients by taking notes and photos, asking questions about the units, managing the day’s schedule, and walking them through the decision-making process as they search for their next home.
Essentially, a TA becomes the client’s best friend for the day, buying them coffee or lunch, arranging Lyfts or Ubers, and playing the role of a knowledgeable agent ready to contribute their expertise on the fly. A good TA always gets clients to their tours on time so that they can relax and take it all in without the stress and hassle normally involved in finding a new apartment.
Work When You Want with Flexible Scheduling
As far as scheduling goes, you determine when you can work and when you can’t, and we assign you tours that match your availability. Because clients often tour on evenings and weekends, outside of regular business hours, this job works great as a fun side gig that won’t interfere with your normal workday.
The Fun Part of Real Estate, No Drudgery Involved
When you become a TA, you’ll spend your touring days exploring beautiful, luxury buildings and gazing at some incredible city views. You’ll meet cool people and make a difference in their lives by helping them through a major life decision. During the process, you’ll also get to know your city’s many neighborhoods better and enjoy the occasional coffee with clients. In other words, you perform the same stages of the real estate transaction that they show on tv. What other perks could you desire?
Get Paid to Have Fun
Just as with full-time real estate agents, a TA’s income is commission-based, meaning that you get a bonus when a client signs a lease. However, unlike regular agents, you earn a small fee for each tour performed as well.
Test the Real Estate Waters
While some people enjoy TA work as a fun side gig only, others use it to gain real estate experience and test the waters before jumping feet first into the industry. This position provides a great opportunity for exploring whether or not real estate fits your life and career goals.
If the experience does turn into a passion of yours, AptAmigo offers plenty of room for growth. Many of our TAs advance into other areas of the company, most often becoming Apartment Locators and working in our sales department. We love supporting our employees as they develop their skills and discover their potential, so if you decide to make the move, speak up and apply when you see an ad on our job board that interests you.
Top Touring Agent Skills & Requirements
- Good Time Management: Getting clients to their tour appointments on time is one of the most important responsibilities TAs assume. It is crucial that you stick to the schedule by keeping an eye on the time and arranging your rideshares accordingly.
- People-Oriented: This client-facing role means that you interface with new people all the time. If you love to make new friends and assist them as they make a big life decision, then you’ll probably enjoy this position.
- Attentiveness: Gathering and documenting information about rental units for your clients will help them make better decisions. This job requires someone with good listening skills who can ask questions, take notes, and snap some photos without missing a beat.
- Communication: Not only will you communicate with your apartment hunting clients and the employees at the buildings you visit, but you’ll also need to stay in close contact with our Ops team throughout the touring day to keep everything running smoothly. Communicating consistently and clearly with all of the parties involved in-person, over the phone, and online will make a huge difference in your success.
- Leasing Licenses: Some states, like Texas, require TAs to obtain a license before they can start working. Others, like Illinois, allow TAs to work for 120 days with a provisional student license. Others still require no license at all. You’ll need to check on your state’s laws to determine whether you need to obtain a leasing license or not.
Related: Best Real Estate Books for Beginners
Become a Touring Agent
We’re always looking for new Touring Agents to join the team, so check out our current openings below, and apply today!
AptAmigo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and does not discriminate based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, in connection with any aspect of employment at AptAmigo.
Karrie Fuller earned her PhD in English from the University of Notre Dame. After a decade of teaching college-level writing and English courses, she brings a wealth of expertise about writing, editing, and content management to AptAmigo's marketing team.
