As a new member to the realestate community I was very nervous as to how I would make a good start in my new career. This book is full of great advise to set you up for success. With all of the huge competition in this cut throat business it is very important to do all you can to position yourself for success. I do recomend this book if you are serious about making money as a real estate agent.

How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year, written by Susan Smith Alvis, is the perfect book for anyone who is undertaking or considering a career as a real estate agent. Written in a conversational tone that makes for a quick read, this book gives the reader step-by-step instructions for everything from how to set up his business, how to find clients, how to deal with other realtors, and how to, ultimately, close a deal with clients.

As an added benefit, How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year is also filled with great tools for the beginner real estate agent. The glossary of terms is a comprehensive listing of real estate terms and their meanings. The included telephone scripts and canvassing letter formats will prove to be solid starting points as the reader begins to develop and increase his own client base. The section of the book titled "A Day in the Life of a Real Estate Agent" also provides valuable descriptions of the types of things a successful real estate agent does and even how often he does them. What more instruction could you ask for?

How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year is one book that should become a part of any new real estate agent's reference library. Its no-nonsense advice and well-developed reference section will make the reader glad to have it on his bookshelf.

As a newly minted real estate agent, I bought this book to start learning what I really need to know about real estate, other than what is required by law, and this book does a good job at hitting on important things that a real estate agent should know.

Two things that bothered me though, are first, the author (as I believe I understood it), only worked in real estate for four years and is now retired from real estate. If the advice she gives about how to be a successful real estate agent is so good, how come she no longer practices, after only doing it for 4 years?

Also, the product description on Amazon listed many topics that were the content of this book. Some of those topics were covered by 2 or 3 sentences which was not enough depth to do them justice. Also, where was the part about the vehicle and insurance...I must have missed that. I'll read the book again and see if it is there, but I don't believe it was.

On the positive side I appreciated what the author had to say about keeping a positive attitude and being an ethical real estate agent. I do recommend this book as a good starting point for a new agent as you will be able to create a list of things you need to further investigate for your new career in real estate.

Being a real estate agent isn't cheap or easy. It takes a lot of work, and a lot of knowledge. As a former agent herself, Susan Avis knows this, and she doesn't try to hide it. "How To Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year" might not guarantee you a million dollar career, but it will certainly help you on your way--that is, if you've got the determination to make real estate not just a job, but a lifestyle.

"How To Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent" tells you what to expect as a real estate agent. From an analysis of a "day in the life" of a real estate agency, to a survey of all the hats real estate agents must wear to serve their clients, Avis' book is hard-edged and down to earth. It offers numerous case studies from established agencies and independent contractors, with plenty of personal anecdotes to pepper the professional advice. There's a detailed discussion about what kind of office you might work for, as well as information about the responsibilities, stresses and benefits of being an independent contractor. Avis also provides a detailed monthly plan for establishing a canvassing program, which will help you stand out from the rest.

Avis has written a very readable and thorough book which tells you how to get clients and take them from the door to the closing table, and beyond. It also includes a helpful Suggested Reading list and glossary. Highly recommended.

Susan Smith Alvis writes an extremely informative and practical guide on becoming a million dollar real estate agent. Everything an up-and-coming real estate agent needs to know to be a top performer--finding listings and clients, self-marketing, budgeting, and planning for success--is in this book. But what makes this book special is her take on running your business. She stresses the importance of work-life balance to maintain one's sanity and that ethical business practices will take you further than shady ones. And as a seasoned professional, she has much sage advice about how to avoid the shady practices of others. Great advice for not getting taken by the brokerage house and for paying yourself is also included. This book has it all!
It is clear Susan Smith Alvis knows her stuff. Her energy and expertise come through on every page.

The author had good ideas however I felt as if she was trying to complete the book by repeating the same information in different sections of the book. The web sites recommendations where not site you don't already know. For a new agent it gives good insight as to the business but it dose little to prepare them for success.

Real estate agents who are newly licensed can't afford to miss this guide, which surveys the successful strategies of top seller and creates a business plan from these strategies. Any who want to learn how to begin a real estate business will find plenty of material from agents' personal experiences, paired with lessons from the author's own viewpoint. From handling competition and gaining referrals to setting up Internet marketing and keeping clients close by mailing out reminder cards, any business library catering to real estate agent clientele needs this.

5 stars

In her new book How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent, Susan Smith Alvis gets down to the nitty-gritty of being a realtor. As she explains, you are not only selling properties, you are constantly selling yourself to new clients and potential buyers. Ms. Alvis honestly outlines what to expect as average income, and what is necessary in order to raise that income level to million dollar status. She notes that growing a thick skin is essential in the cut-throat business of real estate, because folks will never cease to amaze you.

The book is well organized, including chapters that deal with everything from ethical practices to selecting the right real estate office. Ms. Alvis notes that the successful real estate agent cannot simply sit and wait for clients to come to him, but must go out and get them (she even includes marketing strategies).

How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent is not only a terrific book for new agents, but for current agents who wonder why they aren't selling as much property as they could. It can easily be referred to as the new sales bible for realtors.