Who is already in the profession?

According to information from the National Association of Realtors' 2001 Member Profile Study, only seven percent of Realtors report that real estate was their first career.

Realtors tend to be former managers, salespersons, teachers, homemakers or administrators.

The average Realtor has 13 years experience, which supposes that many got into the profession at about the age of 39.

Who is the average Realtor?

The average Realtor is a 52-year-old female sales agent grossing approximately $47,700 annually.

Seventy-four percent of Realtors are married, with median gross household incomes of $92,800.

Eighty-eight percent of Realtors have some college education, compared to 51 percent of U.S. adults, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Nine out of ten Realtors own a home, and nearly half own rental properties.

Realtors with bachelors’ degrees earn 30 percent more than Realtors without a degree.

So what does this information tell you? That most Realtors have backup - and that is what you are going to need to make it in the industry.

Look at what the average Realtors have in common:

They have more education than the public

They have experience that comes with age

They usually have another wage earner in the household

They have enough wherewithals to own property and buy more property

Does that indicate an economic barrier for the entry level?

Yes, it does, and that could explain why people don't typically enter the profession out of school, or at least until their student loans are paid off.

In fact, the average age of Realtors has increased over 20 years; from age 42 in 1978 to age 50 in 2000, creating a crisis of youth in the profession.

Almost a third of brokers are 60 years old, and sixteen percent of brokers are over 60.

Only 12 percent of sales agents are under the age of 35, compared to 29 percent in 1978.