How did you survive your first year in CRE?
I received an offer to join a firm in Chicago that was started by two guys coming from a major company. Like I’ve been told by others, my first year I’ll make no money.

What’d you do to survive during that time?
[{"id": "eiatq1n", "text": "Work another job", "replies": [{"id": "eiav7wx", "text": "I understand that. Just getting an idea of what kind of work you may have done during that time. As this manager told me, some guys use the bank of \u201cmom and dad\u201d and I don\u2019t have that luxury. ", "replies": [{"id": "eiazms0", "text": "Bartender, Uber.  Nights and weekends only, but this job isn\u2019t a 40 hour a week job either.  More like 60 hours at CRE, 2 shifts bartending, couple Uber shifts a week. ", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eiaudqc", "text": "Find some commercial property management. A lot of these larger developer/ownership entities pay someone in house to manage their property. Offer prices at a competitive rate in exchange for right to lease the properties you manage. They\u2019ll get the same management without the payroll taxes", "replies": [{"id": "eiav8n6", "text": "Thank you for your response. ", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eiaxlc6", "text": "Turkey, mustard, bread. Ate that every day for a year.\nShared a small apartment in NYC w/ a buddy. \nHad saved some money from doing a gogurt commercial when I was in 6th grade and worked every summer during college and made more than min wage every time.\nFigured out that buying a bottle of whiskey was much cheaper than going out to drink so would pregame hard and then go out and not buy any drinks (except for one or two for a girl i was trying to impress)\nSplit cabs or if travelling alone, take the subway (was in NYC, am a fairly big dude, no one fucks with me but this was probably unsafe)", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eib0nhe", "text": "Do you have a stipend? I got hired and I get 2k a month then nothing after that. I\u2019m basically living in squalor and getting really good at budgeting. The lack of money should make you work your ass off to dig up deals and hopefully get some splits sooner rather than later. It\u2019s a grind, just work your ass off harder than you ever have before, learn to budget and actually follow the budget, and don\u2019t go out to eat. ", "replies": [{"id": "eib0puz", "text": "Dang, no stipend. That\u2019d be great though. ", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eib2v40", "text": "I got into office brokerage in Chicago in 2008...so yeah, I made almost nothing for ~2 years while working my ass off. I got a job bouncing at a bar in my neighborhood on the weekends. It doubled as my social life, and actually worked out pretty well (Very easy to meet girls, free drinks if you play it right). It saved me a ton of money that I otherwise would have spent on dates. ", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eibcz18", "text": "Had a part time job and was mentoring under a commercial agent.\n\nMade damn near nothing at the time. But now I\u2019m able to sell business opportunists and commercial properties lol.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eibnarj", "text": "Most people I know who made it past a year fell into one of three categories:\n\n1) Lived at home\n2) Worked a second job\n3) Had a lot of savings \n", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eibs8c9", "text": "Sell weed \ud83d\ude1c", "replies": [{"id": "eibxwvl", "text": "Unless you\u2019re in a legal state. RIP THE GAME", "replies": [{"id": "eier4jz", "text": "even in legal state, you should do well since buying it legally incurs a massive tax.", "replies": [{"id": "eiet9ma", "text": "Most dispensary\u2019s are so cheap because there is so much competition. On the grower side, everyone thought \u201coh weeds gonna be legal, let\u2019s invest\u201d then the oversupply brought the prices down to absolutely nothing. \n\nSo when you can buy ounces for $25 that used to be $120 at a dispensary, there isn\u2019t much room for the game. ", "replies": [{"id": "eifkouu", "text": "True. 15% tax in CA and even 37% in WA. Would buy from a friend if they grew their own.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ej6br3p", "text": "I was where you are now about 25yrs ago - I started with Marcus &amp; Millichap in Orange County and during my interview I will never forget that question from Adam the RM. He ask \"How long can you go without a paycheck\" I thought to myself not very long but I knew I wanted to get the job and make this my career - so I asked how long do I need to go, he said to count on about 9 months - I knew I could only last about 2 with my credit cards and happy hour snacks at the bar circuits. But i said \"no problem\" I did have to beg and borrow but what helped me the most to shorten the timeline was joining a Sr agent to learn from and get involved in deals right away. Yes you will have to split your fees but I was fortunate to have a very active Sr who brought me on on deals and handed me listings that were smaller than he wanted to take. That helped me to learn the business and use his track record to get more business. I suggest you ask the RM who could use a go getter jr guy on their team.", "replies": [{"id": "em5cro8", "text": "Hey I pm\u2019d you. Can we talk?", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]