Real Estate Agent Job Description Information

The job description for real estate agents is multifaceted, with duties that include buying, selling and renting properties for clients. They must have general real estate knowledge and know about the local markets in which they work. Their goal is to provide their clients with the best deals on properties that their companies possess while meeting the specific needs of clients. They must have good communication skills because the majority of their job entails talking to people on a daily basis.

 

Interview Clients

• One of the primary job descriptions for a real estate agent is communicating with potential clients to determine what kind of property they are looking for to see if the company fits their needs.

Promote Properties

• Real estate agents must be able to promote properties being sold by their agency. This includes multiple duties such as preparing advertisements for open houses and listings and setting appointments to show houses to clients.

Prepare Properties for Sale

• A job description for a real estate agent includes preparing properties for sale. This job includes making sure house does not need to be repaired, counseling homeowners on ways to give their homes curb appeal, consulting with home inspectors and calling exterminator companies if needed.

Negotiations

• A real estate agent's job includes serving as a mediator between buyers and sellers and, when an agreement has been made between the two parties, preparing necessary legal documents to close the sale of properties.

Appraisal

• Real estate agents' jobs entail comparing properties similar to the ones up for sale at their company to make sure that they have a competitive market price. They should also be alert to undeveloped properties in the area and appraise those properties according to local market conditions.

Rentals and Leases

• Another job description for a real estate agent involves renting and leasing residential and business properties on behalf of clients.

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Real Estate Agent Salary Information

Real estate agents assist clients in finding or selling a home. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of jobs for real estate agents is expected to grow by 16 percent from 2008 to 2018. Real estate agents typically work on a commission basis, so no maximum salary technically exists for those in this profession. However, an examination of the pay scale for real estate agents provides some indication of the maximum salary they can expect to make.

 

Pay Scale

• There were a total of 153,740 individuals employed as real estate agents in 2010 in the U.S. According to the BLS, these sales agents earned an average salary of $52,490 per year. The median salary was $40,030. The majority of those working in this field earned salaries ranging from $27,400 to $63,410, with the highest-paid real estate agents making more than $95,220 per year, and those on the low end of the pay scale making less than $20,460 per year.

Employer

• The maximum salary a real estate agent can attain is somewhat dependent upon the type of employer she works for. While most real estate sales agents work in the offices of brokers with other real estate agents, some also work in leasing offices, residential building construction and for land subdivisions. The BLS indicates that salaries in these fields ranged from $46,480 to $58,230 per year as of 2010. The BLS indicates that the highest salaries in real estate were earned by those working in insurance-related activities. These professionals made an average of $89,590 per year.

Location

• Location also plays a role in determining the salary earned by real estate agents. According to the BLS, real estate agents working in Vermont, North Carolina, Illinois, New York and the District of Columbia earned the highest annual salaries of all real estate agents. The bureau indicates that the salaries in these states ranged from $67,770 to $84,070, as of 2010. Wilmington, North Carolina, proved to be the highest-paying city for real estate agents with an annual average salary of $95,020 in 2010.

Job Outlook

• The better than average job growth in this field is expected to be partly the result of the growing population and its need for housing. The BLS notes that job growth in this field may be slowed somewhat, however, by the fact that computer and Internet technology have made it possible for real estate agents to become more efficient and effective in their jobs and thus provide more and better services to greater numbers of clients.

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How to Become a Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent mediates between the sellers and buyers of land and buildings for a price. They are experts in the complicated paperwork, provisions and proceedings associated with land and building transactions and guide the prospective owners to get a fair deal. However, it takes a lot of effort and skills to become a master of the trade. Follow these steps to become a real estate agent:

1. Ensure that you are a hardworking, patient and self-possessed individual. It is a good idea to have good communication and persuasion skills before you opt for this field of work. You might consider taking up a communication or personality development course to bring your skills up to speed.
2. Collect details about sanctioned real estate institutions that offer different courses by interacting with either the Professional Licensing Commission of your state or the Real Estate Association functioning in your area.
3. Enroll in small or full-fledged courses and take the written test that is necessary to evaluate your familiarity with the laws of trading real estate. You need to be at least 18 years old (some states require 21 years old) and be a high school graduate.
4. Allow the Real Estate Licensing Commission of your state to conduct a background investigation process according to law. It is necessary because of the huge amount of money and confidential information involved in the deals.
5. Search for different real estate agencies who would want to recruit agents by going online or from the yellow pages. Hopefully, you will become a part of the brokerage in no time after going through their hiring process.
6. Work with a real estate broker for at least 2 to 5 years and gain sufficient experience before setting up an individual practice. Observe and learn the tricks of the trade.
7. Procure your broker's license to practice as a broker from your state licensing authority after gaining a substantial foothold in the field.

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