Occupation Details
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.
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Interests
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$49,310.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$81,360.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$108,720.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
17,180
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
17,990
+81 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
1,586
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Real Estate Salesperson
Learn MoreSkills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Laptop computers
- Laser printers
- Measuring wheels
- Notebook computers
- Personal computers
Technology
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- 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
- DeLorme Topo USA
- Digital contract software
- Document creation software
- Easypano Tourweaver
- Email software
- FaceTime
- Financial calculators software
- FloodMaps
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- inspect property
- collect fees
- appraise value of real estate
- understand government real estate sales regulations
- compute financial data
- analyze financial data
- develop property
- advise clients or customers
- maintain records, reports, or files
- arrange teleconference calls
- schedule real estate closings
- arrange for financing
- arrange for title search
- follow contract, property, or insurance laws
- use knowledge of economic trends
- use interpersonal communication techniques
- use sales techniques
- use knowledge of written communication in sales work
- use real estate terminology
- access media advertising services
- obtain information from individuals
- write business correspondence
- make presentations
- sell real estate property to clients
- use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
- maintain relationships with clients
- negotiate real estate sales or rental contracts
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration.
- Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases.
- Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.
- 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.
- Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources.
- 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.
- Coordinate appointments to show homes to prospective buyers.
- Answer clients' questions regarding construction work, financing, maintenance, repairs, and appraisals.
- Advise sellers on how to make homes more appealing to potential buyers.
- Contact property owners and advertise services to solicit property sales listings.
- Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements, and related matters.
- Display commercial, industrial, agricultural, and residential properties to clients and explain their features.
- Accompany buyers during visits to and inspections of property, advising them on the suitability and value of the homes they are visiting.
- Arrange for title searches to determine whether clients have clear property titles.
- Develop networks of attorneys, mortgage lenders, and contractors to whom clients may be referred.
- Investigate clients' financial and credit status to determine eligibility for financing.
- Review plans for new construction with clients, enumerating and recommending available options and features.
- Evaluate mortgage options to help clients obtain financing at the best prevailing rates and terms.
- Inspect condition of premises, and arrange for necessary maintenance or notify owners of maintenance needs.
- Appraise properties to determine loan values.
- Visit properties to assess them before showing them to clients.
- Contact utility companies for service hookups to clients' property.
- Solicit and compile listings of available rental properties.
- Conduct seminars and training sessions for sales agents to improve sales techniques.
- Arrange meetings between buyers and sellers when details of transactions need to be negotiated.
- Rent or lease properties on behalf of clients.
- Secure construction or purchase financing with own firm or mortgage company.
- Locate and appraise undeveloped areas for building sites, based on evaluations of area market conditions.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Real estate brokers and sales agents
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More