SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — With Americans quitting their jobs in record numbers, some are taking the time to retrain for different careers. Now, a local company is helping San Diegans get their start in real estate.
Kelly Breckenridge wanted to grow her career beyond the legal field, and everywhere she looked, she saw homes flying off the market.
"Real estate was hot, and I thought I'm not getting any younger, the clock is ticking, I need to make a move now," she said.
But launching a career in the housing market isn't easy. Inventory is at all time lows, and homes are getting multiple offers above asking. There just isn't that much to go around.
"A lot of people don't want to go knock on doors," Breckenridge said. "And this way you don't have to knock on doors."
Breckenridge got in with a company called Thank You Heroes! Home Rebate Program. It helps a wide range of first responders, military, health care workers, educators and clergy buy and sell homes, paying them up to 30 percent of their commission back as a rebate. It could also cover up to 100 percent of their closing costs.
By going to work for them, Breckenridge didn't have to beat the pavement to find clients, though the tradeoff is a lower commission.
"They're going to make less of a commission," said Aaron Moore, the company's CEO. "But after a year of working with us, they get a little bit higher commission, and after three years we offer a new program where they can still be part of the program, they'll no longer take new clients from us anymore, and if they build enough referral base they can work their referrals and they get an even higher split."
Moore says the company is actively seeking San Diegans from all fields to go through its training and come on as real estate agents. While no state license is required to do the training, eventually you'd need one to start showing homes and doing deals.
While Moore didn't specify the commission rate, he noted the company has such a high volume of clients that those who work hard, build relationships and make a high volume of sales end up making it just fine in San Diego,.