Real Estate Sales Agent Career

Job 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.


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Real Estate Sales Agent Career

What Real Estate Sales Agents do:

  • Accompany buyers during visits to and inspections of property, advising them on the suitability and value of the homes they are visiting.
  • Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.
  • Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements, and related matters.
  • Advise sellers on how to make homes more appealing to potential buyers.
  • Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.
  • 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.
  • Contact previous clients for prospecting of referral business.
  • Contact property owners and advertise services to solicit property sales listings.
  • Coordinate appointments to show homes to prospective buyers.
  • Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources.
  • Interview clients to determine what kinds of properties they are seeking.
  • Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases.
  • Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration.
  • Promote sales of properties through advertisements, open houses, and participation in multiple listing services.
  • 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.
  • Develop networks of attorneys, mortgage lenders, and contractors to whom clients may be referred.
  • Coordinate property closings, overseeing signing of documents and disbursement of funds.
  • Visit properties to assess them before showing them to clients.
  • Display commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential properties to clients and explain their features.
  • Inspect condition of premises, and arrange for necessary maintenance or notify owners of maintenance needs.
  • Arrange for title searches to determine whether clients have clear property titles.
  • Arrange meetings between buyers and sellers when details of transactions need to be negotiated.
  • Review plans for new construction with clients, enumerating and recommending available options and features.
  • Rent or lease properties on behalf of clients.
  • Conduct seminars and training sessions for sales agents to improve sales techniques.
  • Solicit and compile listings of available rental properties.
  • Evaluate mortgage options to help clients obtain financing at the best prevailing rates and terms.
  • Investigate clients' financial and credit status to determine eligibility for financing.
  • Contact utility companies for service hookups to clients' property.
  • Secure construction or purchase financing with own firm or mortgage company.
  • Appraise properties to determine loan values.
  • Locate and appraise undeveloped areas for building sites, based on evaluations of area market conditions.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.

Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Holland Code Chart for a Real Estate Sales Agent