Real Estate Sales Agents

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Sales
• O*NET-SOC code: 41-9022
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.
• Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources.
• 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.
• 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.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Canva, Facebook, Google Docs, Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Word

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Real Estate Brokers
• Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
• Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
• Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
• Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
• Appraisers of Personal and Business Property
• Counter and Rental Clerks
• Loan Officers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Real Estate Sales Agents — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.