Career Tips Video Library

Toby Talks: What is a Real Estate Agent's Salary?

Curious about what type of income you could expect as a real estate professional? While real estate agents don't really have a set annual salary, Toby details all of the factors that influence the annual earning potential of a real estate professional. If you're looking for more information on a real estate agent's salary, this video serves as a good primer on the topic.

Toby Talks: 4 Tips for Success on Your Real Estate Licensing Exam

If you're preparing to sit for your real estate licensing exam, these tried and true tips will help you go into the exam with the confidence you need to be successful.

Toby Talks: Choosing a Closing Gift that Makes a Lasting Impression

How much thought do you put into choosing a great closing gift? Toby details the attributes of a great closing gift that makes a lasting impression with your clients.

Toby Talks: What Are the Top Traits of a Successful Real Estate Agent?

People of all ages come into real estate from a variety of backgrounds. But there are several traits shared by the most successful ones.

Toby Talks: How Do I Get My First Real Estate Listing?

There are a few inherent challenges you will encounter when launching a real estate career. For instance, how will you secure your first real estate listing?

Toby Talks: Are Online Real Estate Licensing Courses Effective?

Have you considered completing your real estate licensing education online? Toby Schifsky discusses the quality of online real estate education, and the characteristics of an effective course.

Toby Talks: Do I Need to Be a Marketing Expert to Be Successful in Real Estate?

Marketing and real estate sales go hand in hand. Find out how to employ effective marketing strategies that will help you attract more clients and close more deals.

Toby Talks: I Don't Like My Broker. What Can I Do?

If you and the broker you work under don't see eye to eye, you're welcome to leave, as an independent contractor, and find a new broker. But what considerations do you need to keep in mind before making that leap?

Toby Talks: Do I Need to Work Weekends to be Successful in Real Estate?

When people say you can "set your own schedule" as a real estate professional, what does that really mean? Toby explains real estate-related career paths that do and do not include weekend work.

Toby Talks: What Skills Does a Contractor Need to Become a Successful Home Inspector?

Are you considering a move to a career in home inspection? Toby explains which skills you already have, and which skills you may need to develop further to succeed.

Toby Talks: How Do I Choose the Right Broker for Me?

Whether you're newly licensed or you've been in the real estate business for years, there are questions you should be asking brokers before deciding whether or not to hang your license with them. In this edition of Toby Talks, Toby Schifsky examines those questions to help you make an informed decision.

Toby Talks: College Doesn't Interest Me. Is Real Estate a Good Career Option?

Toby Schifsky explains some of the advantages of pursuing a real estate career as an alternative to college. He also explains the #1 factor separating successful and unsuccessful real estate professionals.

Toby Talks: Is Real Estate a Good Career Option After Retirement?

There are several traits of a real estate career that make it popular to people looking to stay busy and earn additional money in retirement. Toby Schifsky discusses those traits, and offers tips for people considering earning their real estate license in retirement.

Toby Talks: How Aggressive Should I be with Social Media?

A large segment of your target audience is logging on to social media platforms every day. In this Toby Talks installment, Toby covers a few tips for marketing your real estate business with social media.

Toby Talks: Can a Full-Time College Student Work Part Time in Real Estate Sales?

You're a college student looking for a part-time job to help ease the financial burden of college. What about real estate? Many of the skills you will develop in real estate sales will be valuable and applicable in almost any future career. Find out more in this installment of Toby Talks!

Toby Talks: Is Now a Good Time to Start a Real Estate Career?

It's a popular question we hear from a lot of prospective students who are considering a real estate career. You want to know you're choosing the right time to launch your career. In this installment of Toby Talks, national director Toby Schifsky, explains the factors influencing the health of the market in his answer.

Toby Talks: Does it Really Matter What Kind of Car I Drive?

What does the car you drive say about you to clients? First impressions are incredibly powerful. But do clients really care about the type of car you're driving? Toby discusses this topic in the latest installment of Toby Talks.

Toby Talks: Should I Be Door Knocking?

As a newly licensed real estate professional, or a seasoned professional whose leads list could use some work, you need to constantly be working on business growth. Toby discusses a time-honored real estate tactic in this episode of Toby Talks, and explores the value of door knocking in developing new leads.

Toby Talks: Do I Need a Business Plan?

For many newly licensed real estate professionals, this is the first time they've been put in the driver's seat of their own careers. That comes with a lot of advantages. It also comes with a lot of responsibility. Toby explains the value of a business plan in launching your real estate business, and staying focused on growth and success.

Toby Talks: I'm Thinking About Switching Careers. Is Real Estate a Good Option?

Making a career change can be a difficult process. There's always the fear of the unknown. How much time and money will you have to invest to get started? Are you qualified to work in the industry you want to enter? Will you even like your new career? In this installment, Toby explains some of the reasons why real estate is a popular industry among career changers.

Toby Talks: I Passed My Exam and Selected a Broker. Now What?

Congratulations! You've reached a major accomplishment, and you're ready to start your career. Learn the steps you should take first in getting your new career off the ground, and find out what additional courses you may be required to take as a newly licensed real estate salesperson.

Toby Talks: Are Open Houses Still Valuable?

The Open House is a long-standing tradition in real estate marketing. But in the age of virtual open houses, website listings, and well-edited property videos, is there still a place for Open Houses in your real estate marketing mix?