Find Grad Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Real Estate Sales Agent

Find Schools Near

What Does it Take to Be a Real Estate Sales Agent?

Occupation Description Rent, buy, or sell property for clients. Perform duties, such as study property listings, interview prospective clients, accompany clients to property site, discuss conditions of sale, and draw up real estate contracts. Includes agents who represent buyer.

Life As a Real Estate Sales Agent: What Do They Do?

  • Review plans for new construction with clients, enumerating and recommending available options and features.
  • Locate and appraise undeveloped areas for building sites, based on evaluations of area market conditions.
  • Advise sellers on how to make homes more appealing to potential buyers.
  • Arrange for title searches to determine whether clients have clear property titles.
  • Visit properties to assess them before showing them to clients.
  • Contact utility companies for service hookups to clients’ property.

What Every Real Estate Sales Agent Should Know

Below is a list of the skills most Real Estate Sales Agents say are important on the job.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Real Estate Sales Agent

  • Closing Agent
  • Home Sales Consultant
  • Buyers’ Agent
  • Apartment Leasing Agent
  • Rental Sales Agent

Real Estate Sales Agent Employment Estimates

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 348,800 jobs in the United States for Real Estate Sales Agent. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 20,200 new jobs for Real Estate Sales Agent by 2026. There will be an estimated 34,400 positions for Real Estate Sales Agent per year.

undefined

The states with the most job growth for Real Estate Sales Agent are Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in West Virginia, Vermont, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Real Estate Sales Agent Make?

The typical yearly salary for Real Estate Sales Agents is somewhere between $24,650 and $112,610.

undefined

Real Estate Sales Agents who work in New York, Alaska, or Wyoming, make the highest salaries.

How much do Real Estate Sales Agents make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $53,870
Alaska $78,190
Arizona $66,360
Arkansas $41,100
California $73,450
Colorado $67,350
Connecticut $70,380
Delaware $50,100
District of Columbia $56,460
Florida $58,730
Georgia $50,450
Hawaii $65,720
Idaho $57,490
Illinois $52,800
Indiana $47,430
Iowa $54,610
Kansas $48,520
Kentucky $48,680
Louisiana $53,020
Maine $64,690
Maryland $57,450
Massachusetts $67,470
Michigan $51,870
Minnesota $46,620
Mississippi $60,450
Missouri $53,440
Montana $47,290
Nebraska $51,010
Nevada $62,000
New Hampshire $49,810
New Jersey $63,790
New Mexico $52,660
New York $116,460
North Carolina $59,920
North Dakota $61,430
Ohio $45,340
Oklahoma $54,880
Oregon $49,850
Pennsylvania $64,490
Rhode Island $84,280
South Carolina $53,790
South Dakota $62,660
Tennessee $51,100
Texas $70,520
Utah $63,480
Vermont $55,920
Virginia $66,230
Washington $63,860
West Virginia $63,620
Wisconsin $49,360
Wyoming $75,570

What Tools do Real Estate Sales Agents Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Real Estate Sales Agents may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Email software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Facebook
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • Google Docs
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • Geographic information system GIS software
  • Scheduling software
  • Google Drive
  • Tax software
  • Fund accounting software
  • Social media sites
  • Corel WordPerfect

How to Become a Real Estate Sales Agent

What education or degrees do I need to become a Real Estate Sales Agent?

undefined

What work experience do I need to become a Real Estate Sales Agent?

undefined

Where Real Estate Sales Agents Work

undefined

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

undefined

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being a Real Estate Sales Agent may also be interested in:

References:

Image Credit: Godrej Mamurdi Pune via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Graduate Schools Near You

Our school finder matches students with accredited graduate schools across the U.S. for free.