wanna be an agent like "Selling New York"

I am a big fan of the hit show Selling New York, am seriously considering getting into the business of high end real estate in Manhattan. My friend became an agent about 3 years ago, she started right away with a firm and got to work with a boss who sells mostly $4M plus condos in Tribeca. She wouldn't give me details as to how it works etc, and how much she gets paid initially when she is showing... [more]

I am a big fan of the hit show Selling New York, am seriously considering getting into the business of high end real estate in Manhattan. My friend became an agent about 3 years ago, she started right away with a firm and got to work with a boss who sells mostly $4M plus condos in Tribeca. She wouldn't give me details as to how it works etc, and how much she gets paid initially when she is showing properties that are not her own listing. Yet, every time she sold a condo, her agent's profile (on her company's website) gives her credit, which makes it looks like she has all these listings. If I can get a job like my friend selling high end properties in Manhattan and am willing to put in the hard work, why wouldn't I succeed in this business? Am I missing something here? My friend makes it look so easy. She told me the commissions is a fraction of a fraction etc etc, but what is the lowest possible commissions one gets? Say the listing is co-broke with another agent, so you get 50%, and say you have to split 50% in the beginning with your firm, you still get 25% in the worst possible scenario. Granted, there will be advetising costs etc etc, but they are negligible compared to the commissions on a $4M property. At 6% x 1/2 x 1/2, she gets $60K in commissions each deal, and she does have at least 4-5 listings per year for the past 3 years, that's not bad at all by any means. I see that her profile has accumulated very rapidly with a lot of sales credited to her name. What am I missing here? If I were a newly licensed agent, I sure would focus on selling high end, a sale is a sale, you spend more or less the same time closing a deal anyway, why not focus on the big bucks? Can some of the seasoned agents give me a few pointers here? Thanks Anna [less]