12 Best Side Hustles for Real Estate Agents

Earning potential: $25–$45 per hour

What it is and how it works: A real estate appraiser is a professional who’s trained to give an unbiased evaluation of a property’s value. Upon evaluation, they usually have to update the property’s records, documenting their analysis in written form.

You need a license to work as a real estate appraiser. There are four levels of licensure, which are administered by the Appraisal Qualifications Board (AQB) of the Appraisal Foundation: 1

Real Estate Appraiser License Levels

Note that if you act as both a real estate agent and an appraiser for a sale, it’s very important to be transparent to the buyer about your roles.

Why you should do it: As a real estate agent, you regularly give opinions on properties to buyers based on your own assessments. Learning how to conduct an official appraisal isn’t a far leap from what you already do.

As you can see in the table above, becoming a certified real estate appraiser takes hard work and dedication, but the gig is highly relevant to your primary job, and the pay is respectable.

How to get started: You can start pursuing the required education by reviewing the list of approved courses on the Appraisal Foundation’s site.

The process of becoming an appraiser will be a lengthy one. It will involve serving as a trainee appraiser, working under a supervising appraiser for a few months or years, completing the necessary coursework, and passing your licensure exam.

The exact requirements you’ll need to meet depend on the state you want to work in. Some states have requirements that are stricter than those of the AQB. The Appraisal Foundation maintains a list of the contact information for each state’s regulatory agency; get in touch with yours for more info.

Earning potential: $20 per hour

What it is and how it works: As a real estate marketer, you’ll plan and carry out different strategies to find new leads and persuade buyers to purchase properties.

This role has a great deal of overlap with your current job. The difference is that, instead of matching buyers with properties directly, you’ll work for other agents, helping them attract new clients of their own.

Common marketing avenues include social media marketing, email marketing, and paid online, print, TV, and radio advertising.

Why you should do it: Learning the ins and outs of real estate marketing lets you obtain a new set of skills that’ll come in handy as a real estate agent (especially if you ever need to work with marketers to advertise your own business).

Moreover, your past experience in the real estate industry will give you a leg up in landing clients as a marketer. Other agents will be more inclined to trust you when you’ve been there and done that.

How to get started: Your path forward depends on whether you want to work as a freelancer or for a company.

As a freelancer, you’ll have significantly more flexibility. You can find work by putting out feelers on your professional network. You can also look for clients on online marketplaces, such as:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• Freelancer.com

You may be able to find part-time positions with real estate marketing agencies on job boards like:

• Indeed
• LinkedIn
• FlexJobs

Look for remote and part-time positions (of which there are plenty in the marketing field). FlexJobs is a great source for this type of work—it’s a website that’s specifically devoted to remote jobs with flexible schedules.

Earning potential: $30 per hour

What it is and how it works: Property management is the act of overseeing and maintaining one or more residential or commercial properties. Put another way, as a property manager, you’ll take on many of the responsibilities of a landlord, but you don’t need to actually own the property yourself.

Your duties may include:

• Finding and screening new tenants for vacant units
• Drawing up leasing agreements
• Collecting rent
• Ensuring tenants move in and out smoothly and on time
• Evicting tenants when necessary
• Handling repairs and ongoing maintenance and performing regular inspections
• Creating a budget for the property

Why you should do it: This role can be hectic, but you certainly won’t be bored. You’ll have to interact with various parties, from landlords to tenants and maintenance workers, and will regularly visit the property to make sure everything’s running according to plan.

This job will give you the chance to expand your network and find potential clients who may need your services as a real estate agent. If your tenants have a good experience with you, they might be willing to retain your services as a realtor when they eventually decide to move into a place of their own.

How to get started: Check your state’s laws to find out the requirements to become a property manager in your area. You typically need to be 18–21 years old, and you might have to take certain courses and pass an exam.

All Property Management, an online marketplace for property management services, maintains a list of the requirements to be a property manager in each state.

Note that being a property manager can easily be a full-time job, but it doesn’t have to be. To keep your side hustle from infringing on your main career, you can assist other full-time property managers or just manage real estate that requires relatively little maintenance (e.g., smaller apartment complexes).

Earning potential: $45 per hour

What it is and how it works: With this hustle, your job will be exactly what it sounds like—helping people appeal their property taxes. In other words, you’ll prove to the authorities that your clients’ property assessments are inaccurate, meaning that their property taxes should be lower.

Why you should do it: You already have many of the skills you need to do this job. You’ll need to round out your knowledge of your local real estate market and property valuation techniques with a crash course in the ins and outs of the property tax system.

If you shine at this job, it can create fantastic networking opportunities. If you’re able to save your clients a significant amount of money, they’ll be more likely to trust you and turn to you the next time they move.

How to get started: Take advantage of your network. Let people know you offer tax appeal services, and be prepared to explain what, exactly, those are. Many people don’t even know they have the right to appeal their property tax assessments.

In addition to your existing clients requesting your help, your colleagues might even recommend their clients to you if they don’t offer this service themselves.

Earning potential: $20 per hour

What it is and how it works: If you like the idea of passing on your knowledge to others, you can become a real estate coach to help less experienced agents improve their craft (e.g., their interpersonal or property assessment skills, etc.).

Alternatively, you can help aspiring agents prepare for their real estate exams. You can offer sessions in person or online.

Why you should do it: Helping other people achieve their career goals can be very rewarding. Moreover, you can refresh your own knowledge during the coaching and teaching process.

When your students find their feet in the industry, they’ll also become excellent contacts who may be willing to refer clients your way when they’re too busy to handle them on their own.

How to get started: Leverage your connections to find students, or look for online tutoring jobs on a reliable platform.

Here are several tutoring sites that are worth looking into (all three allow real estate exam tutoring):

• Varsity Tutors
• Wyzant
• Study.com

Earning potential: $15–$25 per hour

What it is and how it works: If what you want most of all is a relatively easy paycheck, then consider working as a virtual assistant for other real estate agents.

You’ll work remotely, handling their administrative tasks. You might or might not have to commit to a regular schedule with this gig, but if you do, you won’t have to work long hours—many clients will be willing to hire you for just 5–10 hours per week.

Why you should do it: As a real estate agent yourself, you’re a strong candidate for this position, as you know exactly what it entails and possess the necessary skills. In fact, assisting other agents may be a bit beneath your abilities, but if you don’t mind the nature of the work, it can be an easy and low-stress source of income.

How to get started: Ask people in your network if they (or any of their colleagues) are looking for a virtual assistant to help with their workload.

You can also apply for job openings on employment websites like Indeed and FlexJobs (linked above), or look on one of these platforms:

• Randstad
• Time etc.
• Virtual Employee

Earning potential: Varies depending on the popularity of your content

What it is and how it works: If you have latent creative energy, you can use your expertise and create real estate-related content, then distribute it online and monetize it.

There are many different kinds of content you can make:

• Real estate photography or videography: Realtors often hire professionals to take photos and create compelling videos of different properties for marketing purposes.
• eBooks: Consider compiling an eBook that lists tips and tricks for working in the real estate industry (or that covers another aspect of being a real estate agent—if you’ve amassed a lot of funny anecdotes over the years and think there would be an audience for them, that’s great, too).
• Online courses: You can help aspiring real estate agents by creating online courses that focus on important skills, such as negotiation, marketing, and real estate price prediction. To learn more about how to do this, read our review of Udemy, one of the biggest course-hosting websites.
• Blog posts: Keeping a blog is a good way to increase your visibility and earn extra money. You can place ads or sponsored content on your blog to monetize it.
• YouTube videos: If you like the idea of publishing regular content but come across better on camera than over text, you can start a YouTube channel. Be aware that establishing yourself will take a long time (at least a year) and will require a lot of dedication; this is a very competitive space. Research other real estate channels to see what types of videos are in demand.
• Podcast: In a similar vein, you can host a podcast and upload it to platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Think about what aspects of real estate are worth diving into and how to present them in an interesting manner.

Why you should do it: Although the competition can be fierce—there are a lot of other people who want to become famous bloggers or YouTubers—there’s a huge market for compelling content.

Even if you don’t become a big-name real estate influencer, carving out a modest-sized niche for yourself can attract clients to your primary business.

How to get started: Do research on the different types of digital content (and the popular niches in real estate content) before making a decision about what you want to create.

You can get started whenever you’re ready. All you need is a computer and (for some platforms) a camera and microphone. Just understand that if you want this side hustle to be worth it, you have to be prepared to stay in it for the long haul.

Earning potential: $25–$50 per hour

What it is and how it works: A home inspector is a trained professional who visits different homes to evaluate their quality and safety, ensuring they meet certain industry standards.

An inspector will usually check a building’s:

• Walls, ceiling, and floor
• Windows and doors
• Roof and rain gutters
• Bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen
• Attic and basement
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
• Plumbing and electrical systems
• Structural components

You’ll look for signs of mold, issues with electrical systems, structural faults, and other health and safety issues.

As a real estate agent, you should avoid inspecting homes for your own clients, as that can create a conflict of interest. In fact, some states (like Texas) have laws that prohibit you from doing so. 2

Why you should do it: Home inspectors have flexible working hours, and this job has a lot of synergy with your main profession. Armed with your experience as a home inspector, you’ll be able to offer a more accurate picture of the functionality of the property to potential buyers (and avoid wasting your own time on properties with serious issues).

How to get started: Every state has its own regulations on who can become a home inspector. Many states will require you to complete certain coursework and pass a licensing exam.

Visit your local government’s website to check the exact requirements you have to meet. You can also find a list of state-by-state home inspector regulations on the American Society of Home Inspectors’ website.

Earning potential: $20 per hour

What it is and how it works: Home staging is the process of cleaning, redecorating, and furnishing a house to make it more presentable to potential buyers.

Home stagers will typically visit a property and do their work before a scheduled open house or private showing.

Why you should do it: This is a fun and creative job, especially if you’re into interior design. It also gives you an opportunity to meet new sellers, who may be interested in hiring you as their real estate agent.

How to get started: Spread the word about your services on your professional network. Mention them to your clients as well—some of them might just happen to be on the lookout for a home stager or interior designer. You never know.

Of course, don’t forget to also market your services on your social media accounts and website (assuming you have one).

Earning potential: At least $50 per hour

What it is and how it works: Renovating is difficult, stressful, and expensive. As a home renovation consultant, you’ll guide their clients through the process (either from beginning to end or by advising them about particularly tricky areas).

You’ll help your clients with tasks like:

• Creating a budget
• Designing renovation projects
• Select suitable materials
• Finding the right contractors to collaborate with

You’ll have to interact with other professionals, including architects, landscapers, home repair workers, and interior designers.

Why you should do it: This is a well-compensated job. You’ll meet other highly connected people in the real estate industry, and you’ll get to help people build their dream homes. What’s not to love?

How to get started: Start by building your reputation locally. Rely on word-of-mouth, put up flyers, market your services online, and partner with local businesses.

Don’t be shy to ask your friends, family, clients, and colleagues if they or anyone they know needs help with a project. Again, renovating is stressful; don’t be surprised if people jump at the chance to get a bit of assistance.

Earning potential: Varies widely depending on the type of investment you make

What it is and how it works: There are many different investing models you can choose from, depending on your time and budget. Here are some of the most common choices:

• House flipping: This is the process of buying houses that aren’t in great condition, renovating them, and then selling them for a profit.
• Buying rental properties: This means being a landlord. If you have enough capital, you can buy properties to rent out to tenants, or, if your local laws permit, you can start an Airbnb side hustle.
• Buy a real estate investment trust (REIT): A REIT is a company that owns properties or mortgages. Many REITs are publicly traded, and you can buy and sell them as you would with any company’s stock.
• Join a real estate investment group (REIG): A REIG is a group of private investors who pool their money and knowledge to invest in real estate together. Note that some REIGs require a membership fee.
• Use a real estate crowdfunding platform: Investing via a crowdfunding platform is a bit like joining a REIG, but with a less formalized and potentially much larger group of investors. You can invest as little as a few hundred dollars. Pick platforms that are transparent about their operations and charge low service fees.

Why you should do it: Real estate investing has the potential to be very lucrative, and as someone with deep knowledge of the real estate industry, you’re more likely to make savvy choices than the average person.

The investments listed above span the gamut from providing a completely passive income (e.g., investing in a REIT) to requiring almost as much maintenance as a second job (e.g., flipping houses or being a landlord). Pick whichever type matches your goals and availability.

How to get started: Before you dive into this, remember that there’s always a certain degree of risk involved when it comes to investing. Be sure to do thorough research on how each type of investment works and how much time and money they require, and always invest carefully.

Once you’ve done your due diligence, the next step is to actually plunk down your money. Good luck!

Earning potential: $100–$1,000 per closing

What it is and how it works: A real estate bird dog, or property scout, searches for undervalued properties to report to real estate investors. If and when the investor closes the deal, they pay the bird dog a commission.

Why you should do it: Your expertise in the real estate industry will come in handy when identifying distressed properties that can be fixed up. It takes a certain amount of know-how to tell a tear-down from a house that just needs a little love.

If you’re interested in real estate investing but are a bit intimidated by it, this is also a good way for you to explore it without having to put your own money on the line.

How to get started: Assuming you already know how to hunt for desirable properties, your next challenge is to find investors to sell your leads to.

To do so, expand your network and reach out to investors online or at local industry events.

Lastly, whether you pick this side hustle or one of the others on our list, take steps to balance it with your main job as a real estate agent. Come up with a schedule, and make sure it’s flexible enough to accommodate any last-minute changes. Real estate is a challenging industry, and it’s easy to burn out.