Real estate agents and salespersons (NOC 6232)

Real estate agents and salespersons help people buy or sell houses, apartments, commercial buildings and other real estate. They may work in a specific area of real estate such as residential, commercial, industrial/institutional, recreational or rural.

Time management and being able to use current technology are important skills to have in this career.

Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a real estate agent is like.

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Real estate agent

WorkBC's Career Trek

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In general, real estate agents and salespersons:

• Seek out sales listings from people who may be looking to sell their property
• Help people sell their property by working with the seller to set the asking price and by advertising the property (including online), listing the property and holding open houses
• Help those looking to buy a property to find, visit, inspect and make an offer of purchase
• Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages and legal requirements
• Negotiate and draw up sales agreements between buyers and sellers
• Negotiate lease properties for clients

Real estate agents and salespersons work in an office setting, which may include a home office. They often work long hours, evenings and weekends. This career requires real estate agents and salespersons to be mobile with much of their time spent outside of the office, often driving to visit clients and properties. Most real estate agents and salespersons need to have a vehicle to take them and their clients to view properties.

People in this job use technology for communicating, doing business, and for marketing themselves and the properties.

An entrepreneurial spirit is an asset in this field.

The real estate market directly affects employment in this career. When property sales go up or down, the number of jobs for real estate agents and salespersons follows that trend a few months later.

Currently, homebuyers and sellers can find a great deal of property information on their own by going online. As a result, real estate agents and salespersons are gaining more value for their real estate knowledge; understanding of local communities; relationships with mortgage brokers, insurance brokers, lawyers and other professionals; and their negotiating skills.

Technology has made it possible for people in this career to be more mobile—although regular contact with their managing broker (supervisor) is still needed.