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Real Estate Sales Agent

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What Do Real Estate Sales Agent Do?

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

  • Investigate clients’ financial and credit status to determine eligibility for financing.
  • Inspect condition of premises, and arrange for necessary maintenance or notify owners of maintenance needs.
  • Review property listings, trade journals, and relevant literature, and attend conventions, seminars, and staff and association meetings, to remain knowledgeable about real estate markets.
  • Locate and appraise undeveloped areas for building sites, based on evaluations of area market conditions.
  • Interview clients to determine what kinds of properties they are seeking.
  • Contact utility companies for service hookups to clients’ property.

Qualities of a Real Estate Sales Agent

Real Estate Sales Agents state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

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

Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Types of Real Estate Sales Agent

  • Broker Associate
  • Leasing Agent
  • Industrial Real Estate Agent
  • Apartment Rental Agent
  • Leasing Professional

Real Estate Sales Agent Employment Estimates

In the United States, there were 348,800 jobs for Real Estate Sales Agent in 2016. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 34,400 job openings in this field each year.

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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.

Average Real Estate Sales Agents Salary

The average yearly salary of a Real Estate Sales Agent ranges between $24,650 and $112,610.

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

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Real Estate Sales Agents in different U.S. states.

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

Tools & Technologies Used by Real Estate Sales Agents

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Real Estate Sales Agents:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Email software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Spreadsheet software
  • 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

Becoming a Real Estate Sales Agent

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

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

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Where Real Estate Sales Agents Work

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The table below shows the approximate number of Real Estate Sales Agents employed by various industries.

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Similar Careers

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.

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