This is a broad question; 'success' is different with each individual. So is 'full time'.

I guess it depends on what you define as parttime and successful.  For all intents, Liz has been on an extended break from real estate for about the last five years.  During that time I've continued to work my full time job as an engineer for a Fortune 500 company (I've been there for 26+ years) and taking care of all things real estate for us.  I don't really consider real estate a parttime job, but a 2nd full time job.  In 2016 I closed 25 sides.  This year I'm down on that to only 13 (I eased off a bit due to some early year health issues) but thanks to about 1/2 our business being related to our patio home niche business, the price point is good.  Bill

I have had a few transactions with part time agents...how did I know they were part time?  Because when it became a challenge to get prompt responses or the proper paperwork, I looked up their production and saw they were typically doing one, maybe 2, transactions a year.  Often they were not on top of changes to the contract, that sort of thing. 

Of course, who knows if that is because they are part time or because they just don't care enough to stay up on the market and changes, which could be true of many full time agents, as well. 

Bill Spear is a prime example of how successful someone can do if they have the right attributes. 

ABSOLUTELY!  Liz and Bill Spear! Bill is a full-time engineer so, orgainzation and dedication seem inherent to him and he not only sells real estate, he dominates a niche!  

Nathan Gesner Yes I have. However, these agents put a lot of time into this business. Although they may have had another primary job, they were not spare time agents.

The few times I was in contract with a part-time agent it was a challenge beyond challenge. They were not available and non-responsive to phone calls and emails.  

That said, Bill Spear is part time and manages working with his wife Liz. Tagging is not working for me right now. 

I know a few who appear to be, but then I dont ask them for bank statements to confirm that they are success either.

Years back I knew a teacher that closed 20-25 per year, every year, and taught school full time.

I have not - I have however known a few semi-retired agents who maintain a decent income doing part time sales/referrals - which is my ultimate goal as well!

There has to be someone out there ....

no...not anything that satisfies my definition of successful...

I've not worked with any part-time agents.  Haven't seen them since before the bubble burst, but I'm sure they're out there.

I agree with Candice A. Donofrio 

Not personally Nathan Gesner - though if that were the case, I'm sure they are part of a Team, so that others would fill-in when they could not be there.

Some yes, especailly if they used to be full time agents and now are semi retired. 

Yes, but only a very select few and it depends on how you define success.

Many of them.

Please define part time?   and successful?

I do know successful real estate agent who have a side hustle. Diversified income streams was a KW hustle some years ago, perhaps still is.

Those who most predictably can succeed in real estate and keep a full time job are those whose emplyment is essential to their vertical market. They would be police, fire figherts, teachers,  national companies, healthcare technical workers and even military, but that is a really hard one.

Yes, only one. He had a full-time job and sold real estate part-time. He was a natural with a flexible schedule. His real estate income paid for his kids college education and weddings. Once they were raised he gave up real estate!

Can't say I have. But I wouldn't necessarily know if someone were parttime unless I was in a transaction with them

Yes, it is like that guy who wrote a book: 4 hour work week. It is never about the quantity of hours you invest in your work. 

That is hard to answer but I have a part time agent that has 7 deal her first year working part time

I don't know any PT'ers that live off the PT RE alone. I am sure there are people that do though. 

Part-time and successful need to be defined. I wouldn't consider Bill Spear part-time even though he has a career as an engineer too, I'd consider him full time in two careers. I know some part-time people who do a couple of deals a year and that's all they want to do so they consider it successful. However, I have a hard time believing that if that is all you do you have a good knowledge of the ever-changing marketplace, financing changes, etc that are hard to keep up with if you aren't in the thick of it day in and day out. And I don't think those kinds of agents are doing a service to their clients. -Kasey

Yes. There are many part time agents in Northern VA that do ok. "Successful" is defined differently by different people.

I am sure they exist but to what extent or details or results...who can say

Many who have a great high paying job start out as PT. Then two FT. They need to choose what works better. In our area, unless you are working 50-60 hr a week you can not make 7 figures commission but not from other benefitted FT job.

Nathan, I'm sure there might be a few in our market, but I don't know many. In our 1000+ agent pool, about 80 of us do 80% of the sales. We're all fulltime. I have multiple part-timers working for me, and they all put in a lot of hours when they're on a deal. Most sell 3-5 houses a year. That is success for them. I guess that's it boils down to, how do you define success?

NO

I don't know who works part time and who works full time.

Nope, hard to be done without the support of a full time agent wh carrys themo

They are rare , but yes I've known a couple

Some have already said it... success depends on an individual's definition - not someone elses.

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 nailed this one!

No.

I started out part time and felt like I was successful. I worked smart. After a couple of years I was full time though.

ends on the meaning of successful. the answer is yes 

Nathan,

I think Liz and Bill Spear gave you an anser,  A

Success deoends on the person.

 But, yes I have but not very many

All my mentors and agents I admire are full time with boundaries and staff.

In a word, no.

BLiz.  The man is a phenomenon. 

See Debe Maxwell, CRS answer for more on Liz and Bill Spear 

Suppose that depends on the definition of success is and who is looking at it.

I started in this business part time for the first 8 months, and finally decided it should become full-time.  I was making more PT than I was at my FT job.

Interesting read, the overwhelming answer is no.... I would think most- don't make it past 18 months or 2 years 

Maybe successful for them but not for their clients.