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For part-time agents

Can you be a part-time real estate agent? Yes.
Here is how.

Updated

Yes. A real estate license does not require full-time work in any state. What matters is that you can answer clients fast and that your costs make sense for a few deals a year.

No card. Nobody calls you unless you ask. Your license stays where it is until you decide.

A part-time weekEvenings and weekends
  • Your day job
  • Client time

01What it means

What part time really means

Four things to know before you start.

Can you? Yes A real estate license does not require full-time work in any state.
Plan your costs for a few deals a year.
Clients Evenings Buyers look evenings and weekends. Have a backup.
Your license A broker A licensed broker must hold it, part time or full time.
Before you apply Ask Some brokerages do not take part-time agents.
Classes CE Continuing education and renewals still apply. Your state sets the hours.

02The fees

The fees that hurt part-time agents most

With two or three deals a year, fixed costs are what eat your income.

Fixed costs

You pay them every month

  • Monthly brokerage fees
  • Desk fees
  • MLS dues
  • Association dues
  • Due in months you close nothing

Per-deal costs

You pay them only when you get paid

  • Per-deal fees
  • Splits
  • Easier to carryFor a part-time agent, a brokerage with a low monthly fee and no desk fee is usually easier to carry.

Run your own year in the fee calculator.

03Make it work

How to make part time work

Five steps, in order.

  1. Pick your hours and tell clients.Evenings and weekends are when most buyers look anyway.
  2. Get a backup.Partner with another agent or use your brokerage's transaction coordinator for paperwork during your day job.
  3. Start with people you know.Friends, family and co-workers are where most part-time agents find their first deals.
  4. Keep your fixed costs low.Skip the desk fee and the big marketing spend until deals are coming in.
  5. Track every dollar.Know what one closing is worth to you after fees before you spend on leads.

04At AXEN

Is part time allowed at AXEN?

Yes. AXEN charges per closing, so a slow month costs you no split.

No split. Flat file fee $500 a closing on Pro, capped at $6,000 a year. $1,000 on Elite, capped at $12,000.
After the cap, no file fee until your AXEN anniversary.
One fixed cost $50/mo The platform fee. Or $500 a year.
Admin fee $295 On every sale. Many agents pass it to the client.
Up front $0 Or pick $600 from your first closing.
Every file Help A Deal Desk coordinator works every file for you.
Mostly refer clients? AXEN Realty PartnersAXEN's non-NAR referral firm. No REALTOR® association dues required.

The same plans and platform fee. On a referral, AXEN keeps 10% of the fee (max $500 on Pro, $1,000 on Elite) plus a $50 admin fee, and pays you once the money arrives.

Partners is licensed in select states, so ask on the call which ones. See AXEN Realty Partners.

Every AXEN fee rule, in fullFile fees, small sales, leases, admin and platform, and more.
  • File fee: $500 a closing on Pro, capped at $6,000 a year. $1,000 on Elite, capped at $12,000. After the cap it is $0 until your AXEN anniversary.
  • Small sales: under $2,500 of commission, the file fee is 10% of it instead. A $2,000 check pays $200.
  • Leases, rentals and referrals: 10% of the commission, never more than $500 on Pro or $1,000 on Elite, plus a $50 admin fee.
  • $295 admin fee on every sale, even after the cap. Most of it pays your Deal Desk coordinator and state broker. Many agents pass it to the client.
  • Platform fee: $50 a month, $500 a year, or $600 taken from your first closing.
  • Nothing up front: pick the $600-from-your-first-closing option. If that first check is under $2,500 of commission, only $50 for each month you have been with AXEN comes out. The rest waits for your next closing.

Every file fee counts toward the same cap. AXEN is not the cheapest on fees alone for every agent: see the math against other brokerages. Mostly send referrals? AXEN Realty Partners has no REALTOR® association dues.

05Straight answers

Questions agents ask

Can I be a real estate agent part time?

Yes. No state requires a real estate license holder to work full time, but your license must be held by a brokerage, and some brokerages only take full-time agents.

How much does a part-time real estate agent make?

It depends entirely on how many deals you close and your commission on each. Subtract your fixed costs, such as monthly fees and dues, before you count on any income.

What is the hardest part of being a part-time agent?

Being available when clients need you. Offers and showings do not wait for your day job, so have a backup agent or coordinator.

Which brokerage is best for part-time agents?

One with low monthly fees, no desk fee and help with paperwork. Fixed costs matter most when you close only a few deals a year.

Can I work part time at AXEN?

Yes. AXEN charges per closing, not a split, and puts a Deal Desk coordinator on every file. If you mostly refer clients, AXEN Realty Partners skips REALTOR® association dues; ask on the call which states it covers.

Make part time work.

See the portal, the fees and the help before you decide.

Costs only, not an earnings claim. Your income depends on your own sales. AXEN fees as of October 2026. Confirm every fee in writing before you sign.