3 Ways to Start Making a Full Time Living from Home Today

Many people dream of having the flexibility of working from home and truly making an income from their work. It has been said time and again that if you do something you really love you never work a day in your life. I would agree. I’ve worked at home for quite some time in more than one capacity and my current day job lets me work from home as long as I keep up certain performance standards and see the clients I have with the frequency required. I only see the office once a month for a departmental meeting. Working at home means different things to different people. If you are a shut in and could not easily work outside your home you will be looking for different work than many other entrepreneurs who may visit clients or provide a service outside the house but don’t report to an office regularly.

For this discussion I’m going to talk about work that may take you outside of your home but without the daily commute to another place of work.

A real estate licence is generally needed to conduct business but can generally work from home. There often there is a course to take to become licensed. Real estate agents work for a brokerage and sell homes for others and show prospective buyers various homes so the buyer can make an informed decision about which house to buy. Real estate agents may also where permitted to do so by law act as a mortgage broker for their clients buy shopping the market to find the better deals on interest and associated fees for the mortgagee. Real estate agents commonly need a vehicle, a cell phone and a reasonably good business wardrobe that presents a respectable image to the clients.

If you are on employment insurance and looking to become a real estate agent funding may be available to see you through the course. When looking for a brokerage find an office that will nurture you and help you build your skills through sales training and specific tasks to find buyers and sellers.

Busy real estate offices may especially appreciate someone who can sit in open houses from time to time. After a suitable training period you are expected to seek buyers and sellers on your own and this can be done at least partially from home and timing say for child care can usually be worked into your schedule.

While real estate agents work on commission it is not unusual for a full time agent to make upwards of $50,000 after expenses and exceptional agents may make upwards of $250,000 a year. The amount of money depends on your creativity, motivation to earn and the amount of time you wish to work. Sometimes working on large commercial deals will make an agent many thousands of dollars but the length of time to put deals together may take months or even years. The economy plays a role in creating an adequate income but if you are able to manage your money and put away some for lean times you can weather any economic storm. For most people starting out in real estate it is advisable that it is not the exclusive source of income as it is solely commission.

There are different levels of web site designers and to get started in this industry will require some training either through a local source like a community college or private vocational school. There are also a number of online courses as well. There are some exceptional online courses that for way less than the cost of tuition at a community college you can learn online. Online learning is not without its drawbacks because of the isolation when learning a totally new skill set. It may be better to develop a network.

A web designer makes websites for business who require an online presence. Web designers may also get into web development writing customized programs and layouts for websites. For most people the upper end of this skill set is not feasible from the start but basic web design is within the grasp of most that are serious about learning the skill. Once you are skilled at using a web program like Word Press or Joomla! a designer can command about $500 for a website of 5 pages. A web designer can also offer regular site maintenance and updating, hosting and SEO services all of which can provide an ongoing income for the life of the business relationship. Once established it would be reasonable to expect $15,000-$50,000 depending on the size of the community, the amount you want to work and the competition. If you have the copy from the website owner to add to the website a smaller website could conceivably be built in one day. Theoretically if you had a site to build every day you would earn about $2500 a week or $120,000 a year. I would expect that you would earn as little as 1/10th of this in your first year but you get the opportunity to spend almost all of your time in your own home.

There are so many different ways to become involved in photography you could pick just one and provide a service and add some extra income or become serious and do several different types of work and earn more. Photography work from home may mean doing portraits, baby photos, product photography and provide basic lessons to less skilled photographers. Portraits can be done in people’s homes or their work. These are called environmental portraits and are very popular at the moment. Wedding photography is also another way to earn. Be prepared to have double sets of equipment in case something fails. You will need to carry two cameras and have several strobes. Photography can be expensive to get into and the income will vary by your skill set and creativity, your marketing and the results you provide. There are wedding photographers that will give the couple a complete package for as little as $300.00 and there are photographers that will not consider shooting a wedding for under $10,000. Compare the shots against each other and you will see why the difference. One photographer I know does boudoir and glamour photography in her living room and makes a decent living from it.

So there are three real jobs that can be done from home. You will have to investigate zoning in your community and if there is a need for insurance for a business. Many communities recognoze that people have business from home and allow business in residential areas depending on the nature of the work performed. For instance don’t expect to get a license for a variety store in the middle of your neighbourhood but operating a small photography studio may be reasonable.

Today is a different and exciting time when compared to our parents’ time. There is a whole new skill set needed and non-traditional work is becoming the norm. If you step up to meet the challenge you can have great rewards. Often thinking outside the box looking for new and creative ways to add value to traditional jobs works too. Best of luck in your future!

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