Counseling to Real Estate Change – Should You Switch?

Are you a counselor considering a career switch? You aren’t alone! Others in the healthcare profession are leaving counseling and related fields to help people with one of the most fundamental decisions they’ll ever have to make – where to live.

Here’s what you need to know about the career change from counselor to real estate agent in Ohio. We’ll also discuss why many are looking for alternative careers for counselors, how to become an agent, and whether you can work in real estate part time.

Key Takeaways

• Reasons Counselors Consider Real Estate: Burnout, a desire for work-life balance, and financial motivations often drive counselors to explore alternative careers. Real estate offers flexibility, reduced emotional strain, and higher earning potential compared to counseling.
• Transferable Skills from Counseling to Real Estate: Counselors excel in active listening, empathy, problem-solving, communication, and building trust—skills that seamlessly translate to success in real estate.
• Steps to Transition: Transitioning to real estate involves completing 100 hours of pre-licensing education, finding a sponsoring broker, and passing the Ohio real estate exam. The process can be completed in as little as two to three months.
• Part-Time Real Estate Opportunities: Counselors can balance real estate with their current roles. Flexible schedules and client availability during off-hours make part-time real estate a viable and rewarding side career.

Reasons Counselors Leave the Profession

You aren’t alone if you’re researching alternative careers for therapists. While there’s no specific data on how many have left the profession, we do know there’s a significant gap between the demand for services and the available workforce. (Ohio ranks 16th in the list of states with a shortage of mental health professionals, according to Charlie Health.)

Here are some reasons why therapists and counselors are leaving the profession. See if any of these reasons ring true to you.

1. Burnout

Helping other people with their problems sometimes causes emotional and mental burnout. While you knew that you were entering a profession that requires you to deal with hard-hitting issues, you may not have been prepared for the physical and emotional exhaustion that comes with consistently supporting others through their struggles.

Over time, this emotional labor can take a toll, leading to fatigue, apathy, and difficulty maintaining professional boundaries. If left unaddressed, burnout can diminish your ability to provide effective care and may even lead to questioning your passion for the profession.

What to do if you’re suffering from burnout as a therapist.

Recognizing the signs of burnout early and prioritizing self-care, professional support, and work-life balance can be critical steps to mitigating burnout and sustaining your career.

However, if these steps are insufficient and you still feel overwhelmed, it may be time to explore alternative paths. Transitioning to a part-time schedule, taking a sabbatical, or seeking additional training in a new area of interest within the field can reignite your passion and provide a fresh perspective.

For some therapists, stepping back from full-time counseling allows them to explore other careers or side hustles that align with their interests and skills. One rewarding option is to become a part-time real estate agent. This career will offer you the chance to build relationships outside of healthcare and leverage your interpersonal and communication skills in a completely new way.

2. Desire for work-life balance

Are you envious of people in other professions who can leave work early for their kids’ track meets without creating a scheduling nightmare? Perhaps you feel crushed by unrealistic productivity demands that make it nearly impossible to catch your breath. These challenges might be a sign that it’s time to take some of the advice you offer to your clients: prioritize your well-being and create a healthier work-life balance.

How to improve your work-life balance as a therapist

Start by setting boundaries with your time and energy. Limit after-hours communication and designate specific times for administrative tasks so they don’t spill over into personal time. Consider reducing your caseload or adjusting your schedule to include regular breaks throughout the day.

We know that a reduced caseload may lead to less pay, so some counselors start a new side gig or career that provides greater flexibility and autonomy—like becoming a part-time real estate agent. This path allows you to maintain a rewarding professional life while freeing up time for other enjoyable money-making pursuits.

Real estate agents benefit from flexible schedules, engage with their community, and have the rewarding experience of helping people navigate one of the biggest decisions of their lives: buying or selling a home.

3. Financial motivation

You may need to make more money than you can earn as a counselor or a therapist. Consider these salary statistics from Indeed in January 2025:

• Average salary of a therapist in Ohio: $60,021
• Average salary of a counselor in Ohio: $33.73/hour (approximately $70,720/year)
• Average salary of a real estate agent in Ohio: $93,421

We know you didn’t go into counseling because of the money. However, many therapists and counselors feel overwhelmed with student debt.

Can you relate to these facts from the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers?

“The average student loan debt to obtain a Master of Social Work is approximately $73,000. The average starting salary for a social worker with a master’s degree in Ohio is approximately $41,000. The average student loan debt to obtain a medical degree is approximately $197,000. The average starting salary for a psychiatrist in Ohio is approximately $212,000. The high student loan debt, low salary, and demanding work create a difficult environment for recruiting new staff into community-behavioral health organizations.”

If you need to make more money to cover student loan payments or to improve your quality of life, consider working in real estate part time. Real estate agents typically earn 3% of the total transaction cost in commission, which they share with their real estate brokerage.

$227,782 (average home value in Ohio) x 3% commission = $6,833.

You only have to sell a few homes per year to do well in part-time real estate, and the average starting salary is higher than you would think!

Skills That Transfer from Counseling to Real Estate

How long did it take for you to feel confident in your skills as a counselor? Developing trust, building relationships, and navigating complex situations likely required time, dedication, and practice. The good news is that many of the skills you’ve mastered as a counselor seamlessly transfer to a career in real estate, giving you a significant advantage as you transition into this field.

1. Active listening

A great real estate agent can articulate their clients’ wants and needs—even if the clients can’t do so themselves. As a counselor, you’ve honed the ability to listen attentively and pick up on subtle cues, helping clients feel heard and understood. In real estate, active listening is essential for understanding a client’s needs, preferences, and concerns, whether they’re buying their first home or selling a long-time property.

2. Empathy and emotional intelligence

You may feel that anything related to “business” is outside your wheelhouse as a counselor. However, residential real estate requires agents skilled in showing empathy and understanding others’ emotions. Buying or selling a home is a highly emotional experience, and your ability to provide support, reassurance, and guidance will set you apart from others in the field.

3. Problem-solving

In counseling, you’re accustomed to helping clients navigate challenges and find solutions. Real estate presents its own set of hurdles—negotiations, market fluctuations, and property issues—where your problem-solving skills can shine. Your real estate clients will appreciate your ability to remain calm and resourceful under pressure.

4. Communication skills

Your ability to clearly and effectively communicate complex ideas as a counselor is a vital asset in real estate. From explaining market trends to negotiating contracts, your knack for clear communication ensures clients feel informed and confident at every step of the buying or selling process.

5. Building trust and rapport

Counselors excel at creating strong, trusting relationships with clients. This ability translates directly into real estate, where trust and rapport are key to earning referrals, repeat business, and positive reviews.

The skills required for real estate and counseling aren’t as far apart as you might think.

Steps to Transition from Counseling to Real Estate

Just as you had to go through specific steps to become a licensed therapist, you must follow these instructions to earn your Ohio real estate license. Becoming a licensed real estate agent in Ohio requires pre-licensing education, an exam, and finding a brokerage to work under, but you don’t need a college degree.

How long does it take to become a real estate agent? Most professionals in Ohio can get through the licensing process in two or three months, depending on the application processing times and how fast you complete the 100 hours of pre-licensing courses.

Step 1: Complete pre-licensing education

Enroll in 100 hours of required coursework covering Real Estate Principles and Practices, Ohio Real Estate Law, Appraisal, and Finance. Many full-time professionals choose evening or weekend in-person courses or at-your-own-pace online courses, which allows them to keep working full time.

Step 2: Find a sponsoring broker

To apply for your license, you need to name a broker who will supervise your work. Attend Career Nights and networking events to connect with potential brokerages.

Step 3: Apply for your license and exam

Apply through Ohio’s eLicense Center. Include your course completion certificate, proof of legal presence, broker hire form, and background check.

Step 4: Pass the exam

Schedule your test through PSI Exams. The $63 exam includes state and national sections and requires a score of 70% or higher to pass.

By following these steps, you’ll be on your way to becoming a licensed real estate salesperson in Ohio. Don’t worry – many people with full-time jobs complete coursework and pass the real estate exam despite professional and family obligations. You can do it, too!

Can Counselors Do Real Estate Part Time?

Despite the emotional toll of working as a therapist or counselor, you may be reluctant to leave your clients and profession. This hesitation is why many professionals in a wide range of industries do real estate part-time.

Part-time real estate is an excellent side gig or alternative careers for counselors.

• You can earn your license in Ohio in just a few months. And compared with a college degree or other career training programs, real estate classes are very affordable.
• It takes time to grow a client base and business You’ll be able to work on expanding your reach and connecting with other real estate professionals on your time away from your regular job.
• Most of your real estate clients will want to meet during their off hours, which aligns with your schedule.

Pro Tip: If you plan to work part-time in real estate, make sure you inform your brokerage and clients. Create boundaries with your time and be clear about your availability. Many real estate agents work in teams so other team members can be available if real estate clients have needs during counseling work hours.

Are you ready to get your license in Ohio? Hondros College has all the classes you need to meet your licensing requirements and launch your real estate career. Get started today!