Occupation · SOC 41-9022
Real Estate Sales Agents
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.
Median wage
$56,320
$31,940–$125,140
Projected growth
+3.0%
Average growth
Annual openings
1,280
per year
Employed (US)
190,600
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
220 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingNegotiationSocial PerceptivenessCoordinationPersuasionCritical ThinkingService Orientation
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceSales and MarketingEnglish LanguageLaw and GovernmentAdministrative
Technology & tools
Document management softwareCustomer relationship management CRM softwareData base user interface and query softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareExpert system software
Representative tasks
Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases.Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration.Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.Confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure that terms and conditions of purchase agreements are met before closing dates.Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources.Promote sales of properties through advertisements, open houses, and participation in multiple listing services.Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.Coordinate property closings, overseeing signing of documents and disbursement of funds.Interview clients to determine what kinds of properties they are seeking.Contact previous clients for prospecting of referral business.Review property listings, trade journals, and relevant literature, and attend conventions, seminars, and staff and association meetings, to remain knowledgeable about real estate markets.Answer clients' questions regarding construction work, financing, maintenance, repairs, and appraisals.Coordinate appointments to show homes to prospective buyers.Advise sellers on how to make homes more appealing to potential buyers.Contact property owners and advertise services to solicit property sales listings.Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements, and related matters.Display commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential properties to clients and explain their features.Accompany buyers during visits to and inspections of property, advising them on the suitability and value of the homes they are visiting.Arrange for title searches to determine whether clients have clear property titles.Develop networks of attorneys, mortgage lenders, and contractors to whom clients may be referred.Review plans for new construction with clients, enumerating and recommending available options and features.Inspect condition of premises, and arrange for necessary maintenance or notify owners of maintenance needs.Visit properties to assess them before showing them to clients.Investigate clients' financial and credit status to determine eligibility for financing.Evaluate mortgage options to help clients obtain financing at the best prevailing rates and terms.Appraise properties to determine loan values.Contact utility companies for service hookups to clients' property.Solicit and compile listings of available rental properties.Conduct seminars and training sessions for sales agents to improve sales techniques.Arrange meetings between buyers and sellers when details of transactions need to be negotiated.Rent or lease properties on behalf of clients.Secure construction or purchase financing with own firm or mortgage company.Locate and appraise undeveloped areas for building sites, based on evaluations of area market conditions.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Representation contracts and purchase agreements — draft under direct supervision using standard templates in a licensed real estate office.Property listings compatible with buyer needs — generate by searching MLS databases with guidance from a supervising agent.Comparable sales data — locate and compile under direction to support a senior agent's competitive market price analysis.Open house schedules and basic property advertisements — prepare following established office protocols and brand guidelines.Escrow companies, lenders, and home inspectors — identify and contact under supervision to confirm initial purchase agreement timelines.Purchase offers from buyers — organize and present to a supervising agent for review before submission to sellers.Customer relationship management software — enter and update client contact records under the direction of an experienced agent.Closing documents and disbursement checklists — review for completeness alongside a supervising agent at a supervised property closing.Active listening techniques — apply during initial client intake interviews to capture buyer preferences and financial constraints.Office suite and document management software — use to format leases, deeds, and correspondence according to office standards.
developing
Purchase agreements, closing statements, and leases — prepare independently and review for accuracy before client signature in routine residential transactions.Competitive market price estimates — develop by comparing recently sold properties with the subject property using standard valuation methodology.Buyer property lists — generate and refine based on ongoing client feedback and evolving financial resources without supervisory input.Property promotions — execute across digital advertisements, open houses, and MLS participation with limited oversight from a broker.Negotiation positions — communicate between buyers and sellers in familiar transaction types, balancing client interests and legal obligations.Escrow and lending coordination — manage timelines and follow-up communications with escrow officers, lenders, and inspectors to keep transactions on schedule.Purchase offers — present to sellers with supporting market data, fielding initial objections and relaying counteroffers in a timely manner.CRM software and database tools — maintain an active pipeline of buyer and seller clients, scheduling follow-ups and tracking transaction stages.Property closing logistics — coordinate document signing sequences and fund disbursement with escrow and title representatives under broker availability.Social perceptiveness — apply during client consultations to detect unstated concerns about property value, neighborhood fit, or financing readiness.
proficient
Complex purchase agreements and representation contracts — draft and negotiate independently across residential and light commercial transaction types, anticipating legal and financial risk.Competitive market analyses — conduct autonomously for diverse property types, integrating sales data, market trends, and economic indicators to determine defensible listing prices.Multi-party negotiations — lead as an intermediary between buyers and sellers in non-routine or contentious transactions, applying persuasion and conflict-resolution strategies.Property marketing campaigns — design and execute using digital advertising, desktop publishing, photo imaging, and MLS tools to maximize market exposure.Closing coordination — oversee all signing, fund disbursement, and post-closing requirements, resolving eleventh-hour title, inspection, or financing issues autonomously.Buyer qualification and property matching — evaluate financial resources, creditworthiness signals, and lifestyle needs to curate targeted property portfolios without oversight.Escrow, lender, inspector, and pest-control stakeholder networks — manage relationships proactively to ensure all purchase agreement conditions are satisfied before closing deadlines.Financial analysis software and map creation tools — use to model client affordability scenarios and visualize neighborhood market data in client presentations.Time management across concurrent listings — prioritize tasks across multiple active transactions simultaneously, maintaining compliance and client service standards throughout.Legal and regulatory knowledge — apply state-specific real estate law, disclosure requirements, and fair-housing standards to protect client interests in all transaction phases.
advanced
Brokerage transaction standards and document management protocols — design and implement office-wide to ensure compliance, consistency, and risk reduction across all agents.Market positioning strategy — develop for high-value or specialized property portfolios by synthesizing macroeconomic trends, local demand data, and competitive intelligence.Agent mentorship programs — lead to develop emerging and developing agents' negotiation, documentation, and client-management competencies across the brokerage.Complex multi-party and commercial negotiations — direct at an organizational level, setting strategy and intervening in high-stakes deal impasses on behalf of the firm.CRM, data-mining, and expert-system platforms — evaluate, select, and integrate into brokerage operations to optimize pipeline management and market analytics.Referral networks and institutional client relationships — cultivate with lenders, developers, and corporate relocation firms to generate sustained high-volume transaction flow.Brokerage marketing identity — direct across channels including advertising, desktop publishing, and media partnerships to establish brand authority in the regional market.Closing process governance — establish escalation procedures and quality-control checkpoints that all agents follow to minimize errors and protect the brokerage from liability.Performance metrics and production targets — set for the sales team and monitor using data analytics, coaching agents toward achievement and service-orientation benchmarks.Regulatory and legislative developments in real estate law — monitor and translate into updated training, compliance frameworks, and ethical standards for the entire brokerage.
Also known as
55 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Apartment Rental AgentIndustrial Real Estate AgentSales Agent, Real EstateResidential Property ConsultantClosing CoordinatorSuperintendent, SalesRight of Way AgentReal Estate Sales AssociateReal Estate Listing ConsultantReal Estate CloserRealtor AssociateSales SpecialistRight-of-Way BuyerReal Estate AssociateLeasing SpecialistLeasing AssociateRental Sales AgentRealtorReal Estate ProfessionalBuyers' AgentShowing AgentSales AgentLeasing ConsultantLicensed Real Estate AgentClosing AgentContracting Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) (Army 51C)Real Estate AgentContracts SpecialistLeasing Agent, ResidenceContracting Manager (Air Force 6C000)Sales RepresentativeReal Estate SpecialistRight-of-Way AgentLeasing AgentBuilding ConsultantReal Estate Rental AgentLicensed Real Estate Sales AgentReal Estate Listing AgentSales ProfessionalReal Estate Consultant