[IAMCANADIAN]

Originally Posted by pontiacjs

i would never guess that a realestate agent would only close 15%. I always thought that it would be closer to 30 or 40%.

The days of being able to make a living selling cars is comming to a halt. Most everyone I know is making less than 60% of what they made just a few years ago. With over 20 years in the business and 14 fo them at the same dealer I do have a ton of referals and repeats, however the margins have gotten so small that even if you sold a 20k car at sticker you only have about a 200 to 250 commison. back in 85 / 86 if you sold a 13k car for sticker you would be sitting on about a 600 commision and there was a lot less competition. No saturn, kia, hyuda, scion, infiniti, accura, lexus. People only had 3 trucks to choose from. and we only had to sell a car. Now you have to be an accountant with a law degree to figure out the incentives and you have to beg for a completely satisfied on your survey that did not exhist 20 years ago. Lot more effort - a lot less money = bad attitude and possible carreer change.

Yes, getting clients in real estate is challenging. When you're selling new homes people come to you, but the majority of them are looky-loos - especially on Sundays. Still, sometimes looky-loos end up buying a home from you - you never know. Now with re-sales, getting clients is even harder. For example, if a real estate agent sends out a postcard or flyer via unaddressed ad mail to say 1500 people, they're lucky if they get 1-2 responses. Also, they have to do it frequently because people throw them out and don't usually think about a real estate agent until they're ready to sell or buy.

Originally Posted by MalibuMaxxSS

exactly, and true dat, you do have much more in the expense column then I do for sure, I always knew real estate was better paying, its obvious, and looked into it before car sales, but like you I love cars, trucks, off roaders, low riders, whatever the creation, to each their own I beleive and just find it cool with what new ideas people create..

I have build a couple nice S/C mustangs, one a 97 Cobra running low 11s, then had kids and it went for a Grand prix, GTP, so I bought a 79 GMC S/B, and built it, slammed complete with the crate 350, ahh sold it and started off roading, built a 94 Ford S/B, big, and then went the Jeep way....and OH MY GOD the money I thru in this thing.....but ya, as long as your enjoying life.

Next hoping to move into the bus office, but I dont know, almost be a pay cut, but dont have to beat the lot then. But I dont really now got a good customer base, anyhow rambling.....

Awesome that's really cool! I feel that if you really enjoy what you're doing and you're secure enough financially, that money isn't a big priority. It sounds like you really enjoy cars and that you really enjoy your career and that's important. My last job I was really unhappy at and it was rather stressful and it got to the point where it was affecting me personally. When I got out of that job and into the one I have now, I did a complete 180. I mean you hear this from other people all the time, however until you experience it yourself, you don't really take much thought to it.