Real estate agent job description

Real Estate Agent Job Description (Description of a Real Estate Agent)

We get it; there are so many reasons to start a career in real estate. It’s flexible. You’re your own boss. You can do it almost anywhere in the world. But you might be wondering: What does a real estate agent actually do? What is included in a real estate agent job description?

These are good questions. You should understand the answers to both clearly before you commit yourself to becoming a real estate agent.

To save you hours of research, we scoured the internet for all of the real estate agent job descriptions out there and compiled some of the most-used phrases and duties for you in this post. See what actual agents are required to do in their day-to-day activities so that you can determine which aspect of real estate is right for you.

Deliver professional real estate customer service

If you’re reading real estate job descriptions, you might notice this is usually somewhere at the top of the list of duties and responsibilities. It could seem like a generic, catch-all phrase but real estate professionals—the good ones, at least—are serious about it. In fact, according to our 2018 State of the Real Estate Profession study, 86 percent of current real estate agents and brokers rate a superior client experience as the most important quality in a successful real estate career.

How do real estate professionals deliver this customer service? Usually, it’s those above-and-beyond details they remember—buying pizza for their clients on moving day, remembering birthdays, and answering emails promptly. So when you see “outstanding customer service” in a job description, this means you have to be thoughtful enough to remember all the little things on an ongoing basis.

Draft and prepare offers and paperwork

Yes, there’s some paperwork involved with being a real estate agent. You need to have an understanding of the laws and regulations in your market, and you need to be organized enough to handle the paperwork that comes with buying and selling a property. If you’re the kind of person who has trouble staying organized don’t panic because you can always learn. We have a great list of tools that make the lives of real estate agents easier that will help you master this skill.

Be a responsible real estate salesperson

Being a real estate professional means you’re going to have to get comfortable with sales because the business relies on getting people to buy property. A real estate job will require you to have a passion for buying and selling homes. One real estate agent job description we found words it like this, “You know that sales ‘makes the world go round’ and you’re not ashamed of being a ‘salesperson.’ Helping people buy and sell homes is a noble profession and you’re proud to do it!”

As a real estate agent, you’re also your own boss. This means that you’ll be responsible for whether your business grows or flatlines. Because of that, part of your job description as a real estate agent will be paying attention to the business aspect — how much you spent selling a home, for example, or if you’re hitting your growth targets.

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Develop business leads

Because you’re in charge of your clients as a real estate professional, most jobs will require you to develop your own business leads. This could come in the form of cold calling, email outreach, or developing word-of-mouth leads through your network.

Sometimes a real estate agent job description will stipulate that there is no cold calling involved, while other brokerages will go into detail within the job description about the support they could offer you. This support could come in the form of professional headshots, space on their website, business cards, and even direct help with lead generation if you’re a proven agent who they can trust to handle a lead with care.

Stage and show properties, and assist buyers

Of course, real estate isn’t all paperwork and hitting the pavement. A lot of it is interacting directly with clients and buyers and doing the nitty-gritty work of getting a property sold. This could include arranging for showings or open houses as well as staging properties before clients see them. Need some tips on how you might accomplish that? Check out our home staging guide for some ideas from other real estate professionals.

Master the informational interview

If you’re still wondering what a real estate professional’s day-to-day schedule looks like, the best action you can take is to get on the phone with someone who is actively working in the industry. Get their take on the many different hats they wear. Even though professionals are busy, they often make time for a quick informational interview if it means helping someone get into a career they love.

Real Estate Career Switch Kit