Finding a flexible, rewarding career with significant growth potential can be particularly challenging for single moms. If you’re a single mom seeking a career change, becoming a real estate agent could be the perfect solution. As a single mom in real estate, you’ll have the unique opportunity to run your own business while benefiting from a supportive community of service-minded professionals ready to show you the ropes.
Let’s learn why real estate is a good career option for single moms in Florida – and discuss the field’s drawbacks. Finally, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how to get licensed in Florida.
Key Takeaways
- Real Estate is a Flexible and Lucrative Career for Single Moms: Real estate offers the flexibility to balance work and family life while providing unlimited earning potential through commission-based income. This makes it an ideal career for single moms seeking financial independence and work-life balance.
- Moms Bring Unique Skills to the Real Estate Industry: Parenting equips single moms with valuable skills such as time management, empathy, problem-solving, and networking, which are critical for building successful client relationships and managing the demands of a real estate career.
- Challenges Exist, but They Are Manageable: Single moms may face challenges such as inconsistent income, evening and weekend client demands, and managing self-employment responsibilities like taxes and insurance. However, with determination and support, these challenges can be overcome.
- You Can Get Started in Real Estate in Just a Few Months: Becoming a licensed real estate agent in Florida is straightforward, with prerequisites including a 63-hour pre-licensing course, background check, and passing a licensing exam. Gold Coast Schools offers flexible learning options and support to help aspiring agents succeed.
Why Real Estate Appeals to Single Moms
Is real estate a good job for single moms? You may already be drawn to the real estate industry because you love home design and architecture and helping people find their dream homes. Your passion for creating comfortable and inspiring living spaces, combined with a desire to make a meaningful impact in others’ lives, makes real estate an ideal career choice.
While this is a significant enough reason to choose a career in real estate, here are some additional benefits of working as a Florida real estate agent.
Real estate agents have a flexible schedule.
Having a flexible work schedule is invaluable for single moms. As a real estate agent, you can schedule client appointments and showings around school drop-off and pick-up times and complete computer tasks when kids are home from school or daycare.
Some real estate agents work in teams. Working with a team will enable you to rely on a team member for property showings when unavailable.
By leveraging teamwork and time management, you can build a successful career in real estate while still being present for your children when they need you most.
Real estate can be highly lucrative in Florida.
Most people won’t consider a career change without first understanding the potential earnings in their new role. According to Indeed, real estate agents in Florida earn an average income of $97,839. However, it’s important to note that most real estate agents don’t earn a set salary. Instead, their income is commission-based, meaning it’s determined by a percentage of the property’s sale price. The more you sell, the more you can earn.
Licensed real estate agents have a wide variety of career path options.
One little-known secret of the real estate industry is that many good career options are available to those with a Florida real estate license. While many earn a living in residential sales, others become property managers or leasing agents or focus on a niche market, such as commercial real estate, investment properties, or vacation homes.
You can become a Florida real estate agent in two or three months.
Real estate agents in Florida must earn a license. However, the prerequisites for obtaining that license do not include a college degree. And unlike other career training programs, you can get through the entire real estate licensing process in two or three months.
Working in the real estate industry helps you get involved in your community.
Community-minded individuals are often drawn to real estate, and as a single mom, this career offers a unique opportunity to build meaningful connections in your area. By helping clients find their dream homes or sell properties, you play an integral role in shaping the neighborhoods you serve. Additionally, your involvement in community events, networking groups, and local organizations can help establish you as a trusted real estate professional while creating a strong support network for you and your family.
Real estate can be an excellent part-time gig.
Most real estate agents earn a commission of up to 3% of the property’s sale price, which they share with their real estate brokerage. The average Florida home value is $386,892, according to Zillow, January 2025. For the average home in Florida, you would earn $11,607 (which you would split with your brokerage). Real estate can be a great way to boost your family’s budget with supplemental earnings.
Unique Skills Moms Bring to the Real Estate Industry
Are you worried you don’t have the necessary qualifications to become a real estate agent? You’ll learn real estate laws and regulations in real estate school, but you probably already have many core skills to help you succeed as an agent. While every mom is unique, many develop invaluable skills through parenting that can be helpful when working in the industry.
- Time management: Juggling family schedules, school activities, and household responsibilities equips moms with exceptional organizational and multitasking abilities. These skills are essential in managing client meetings, property showings, and administrative tasks.
- Empathy and communication: Moms often excel at understanding and addressing the needs of others, a critical skill in building trust with clients and guiding them through emotional decisions, such as buying or selling a home.
- Problem-solving: Whether resolving a sibling disagreement or figuring out last-minute childcare, moms are often forced to become problem solvers who can creatively handle challenges in real estate transactions.
- Patience and resilience: Parenting teaches patience and the ability to stay calm under pressure, which comes in handy when navigating complex deals or managing unexpected hurdles.
- Networking: Active moms are great at networking. As a mom, you’ve probably gotten to know many community members. Besides other parents, you may have met teachers, school personnel, coaches, tutors, local business owners, and service providers through your children’s activities and education. These connections can serve as a valuable foundation for building your client base as a real estate agent.
These skills, combined with a strong work ethic and a passion for helping others, will help you build a successful real estate business.
Challenges Single Moms May Face in Real Estate
No career is perfect. Here are a few things a single mom real estate agent needs to know before becoming a real estate agent.
- Your income won’t be consistent. You’ll have good months and not-so-good months as a real estate agent.
- Your clients may want to meet on evenings and weekends – when they aren’t working their traditional 9-5 jobs.
- Like business owners, you’ll need to pay quarterly taxes. You’ll also be responsible for your own health insurance and retirement planning.
Please don’t let these challenges intimidate you. Hard-working, service-minded real estate agents do well in Florida. And you can, too!
Steps to Get Started in Real Estate in Florida
Getting started in real estate is as easy as meeting a few prerequisites and signing up for required real estate pre-licensing courses. Here are the nitty-gritty details on the path to getting a real estate license in the Sunshine State.
Prerequisites
Here are the prerequisites to become a real estate agent in Florida:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Possess a Social Security Number
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED)
Although U.S. citizenship is not required, noncitizen applicants must have legal permanent residency and a valid U.S. Social Security number to obtain a real estate license in Florida.
Here’s how to become a real estate agent as a single mom.
Step 1: Complete pre-licensing courses
You must complete a 63-hour course from a state-approved real estate school to become a real estate agent. As a single mom, you might be most interested in livestream or at-your-own-pace online courses.
Step 2: Pass a background check.
Real estate agents in Florida must pass a background check. Submit your fingerprints before you submit your licensing application.
Step 3: Complete the Florida Real Estate License Application
Create an online account with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Once you have an account, search for the online application and pay the fee.
After successfully passing the background check and the DBPR approves your application, you can finally sign up to take the Florida real estate licensing exam.
Step 4: Pass your Florida real estate salesperson exam.
Pearson Vue administers the Florida real estate licensing exam. Gold Coast Schools offers a weekend CRAM Review Course to help you pass the exam.
Step 5: Connect with a real estate brokerage.
Real estate agents in Florida must work under the supervision of a brokerage. Many agents find a broker by attending career fairs at local real estate schools.
Real estate is a good job for a single mom. Whether you are looking for a part-time gig to supplement your income or want to work in real estate full-time, Since 1970, Gold Coast Schools has licensed over 1 million students, making us Florida’s leading real estate educator. We can’t wait to help you fulfill your dream of a real estate career!