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.
Also called: Real Estate Agent · Real Estate Salesperson · Realtor · Realtor Associate · Sales Agent
Median pay (national)
$56,320
$31,940–$125,140 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
190,600
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.1%
~36,600 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for real estate sales agents shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $125,140 versus $31,940 at the bottom 10% — 3.9x. The median of $56,320 leaves roughly 122% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.1% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 36,600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $97,440, +73% vs the national median), while Iowa sits lowest at $36,420 — a 168% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word as in-demand technologies for this role.
Tailor your resume to Real Estate Sales Agents
Honest tailoring
See how your resume lines up with Real Estate Sales Agents
Refit re-angles your real experience toward this role using the skills above — and never invents skills you don't have. A no-fabrication gate checks every change before you see it.
Free. No account needed to see your first re-fit.
Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- Yardi software
- Canva
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom
- Agent Business Builder
- Argosy Legal Systems Power Closer
- CMA Stuffers
- Commercial and industrial development project cost analysis software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- DataBasix Technologies Lead Commander
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics