In my opinion probably not unless you have a chunk of money saved up ahead of time. It takes awhile to get established in the real estate business. I would estimate at least 6 months.

It depends on the age of your kids. If they are small, I would wait.

Real estate business takes a lot of time and effort. I hate to see your time taken away from the special precious moments when your kids are small.

Being a Real Estate agent is not cheap and unless you have an alternate source of income it could be scary.

You will need at least a year's worth of salary in the bank (I'm not kidding on this one).  Expect to spend money before you get paid. (If you get paid... deals fall through all the time.)  Your cash flow will be unpredictable.  Don't get sucked into paying for leads because you and a hundred other agents are paying for the same lead.  Don't plan on having a life on weekends... that's when your clients will be the most active. (What will you do with the kids?)

If it still sounds like the thing to do then go for it!

Brian

I can't answer a "mom" question, but change the question a bit and ask yourself this:  "Is sales a good career for me?"  

Don't forget that real estate is sales.  If you've never sold professionally, it can be a scary, daunting thing to learn.  You may not like the idea of cold-calling or asking someone for business.  Or, it may fit your personality perfectly.  Find a local agent you trust that you can take out for coffee or better yet, someone who will let you watch a portion of their daily calls. 

I became a single mom while selling real estate and at first it was very scary. But then I realized it was the best of all worlds because I could plan my schedule around my kids, take my kids with me when doing my real estate errands and reward the kids when I had a real estate closing. It made it a family affair. You do need very reliable sitters and child care arranged and need to work a regular schedule or you are just fooling yourself that you have a job.

Sure it is but keep in mind that the savvy consumer may see that some of your energy has to go elsewhere and perhaps not like that. Some people want full attention when it comes to the large amounts of commissions that change hands...Use to be that employers would ask if women had children because they know kids come first and the work place would suffer. The subject remains controversial to this day

Hi there,

Only you know how much time your children need from you and how organized you are, however, I was a single Mom with three kids and needed to have a job that I could work around their schedules.  Real Estate was a perfect choice for me.  My kids were 4,6 & 7.  My motto over the years has always been "When you have more time than you have money.....use your time and then When you have more money than time use your money!"  My kids were an asset to me I included them in stamping mailers, going with me to door knock and spreading the word amoungst their friend's parents that I was in the Business.  Since my kids were so active in school and sports it gave me the opportunity to also be involved and meet lots of potential clients.  After all these years....all of my children have Real Estate Licenses and have utilitized them in different ways in their careers.  Life is good and this is a great Business to be in.   Good Luck and Best Wishes on making your decision!!

Mom here.

I think that one point you made is that you "became" a single Mom while selling real estate. Therefore, you were already in the know of what's required and what you can handle.

I had sold real estate for 6 years in another country (Canada), moved to Florida, and on the day I passed my RE exam here, I also got pregnant. (Quite the celebration...lol). I knew I couldn't start in a new market, without a PSI, without referrals, and a newborn.

When she was 5 and attending kindergarten, I moved back into real estate with the loving help of her stepdad...also a Realtor. It's the regular hours that the children keep that can make the difference.

Just my humble opinion.

Lisa

Probably.

simple answer is NO.  Get a Federal Government job.  In 20 years, you will be glad you did.  With a fed job, there are often programs to help you with child rearing.

If you have passion, it is.

Depends on the mom and what systems she has set up for herself and her business.

In fact this can be a real good career for a single mom.

Why not?

it could be

I'm a single mom too. When I started, my kids were little. It was very challenging. I hope, you have someone to help you with kids.

The best probably for you would be to join a team, so your partners can back you up when you are not available or simple don't know what to do.

Good luck:)

In my market I wouldn't recommend it. It's tough right now and there are a lot of expenses to be thought of. 

In reading the answers, here, I'm guessing that there's no right answer.  I think a lot will depend on you and how you plan to work and make your family time.

Real Estate is a great career for a single mom.  You can work your own hours and work quite a bit from home.