What a real estate agent really does
You guide people through one of the biggest purchases of their lives, and you only get paid when the deal closes.
FieldBusiness
Preparation (O*NET Job Zone)Some preparation needed
What the work involves
What fills a typical week for real estate agents, built from O*NET occupation data.
- Meeting buyers and sellers to understand what they want and what they can afford
- Pulling recent sales to price homes and advising clients on the market
- Searching listings, setting up showings and driving clients from house to house
- Writing and presenting offers, then negotiating between buyers and sellers
- Chasing lenders, inspectors, appraisers and title companies to keep deals on track to closing
- Marketing listings with photos, open houses and the MLS
- Calling past clients and new leads to find the next deal, often in evenings and on weekends
What the days are like
What people in the job know
- It is one of the most competitive jobs you can pick. You compete with other agents for every listing and buyer. Level of competition: 74% extremely competitive, 22% highly competitive (O*NET Work Context)
- Your car is your office. Most agents drive every single day. In an enclosed vehicle: 64% every day, 32% once a week or more (O*NET Work Context)
- There is no fixed schedule. Showings and offers happen when clients are free, which is often nights and weekends. Work schedules: 68% irregular; Duration of typical work week: 52% more than 40 hours (O*NET Work Context)
- You are your own boss in practice, with almost total control over how you spend your time. Freedom to make decisions: 91% a lot of freedom; Determine tasks, priorities and goals: 91% a lot of freedom (O*NET Work Context)
- Much of the job happens after the offer is accepted, chasing lenders, inspectors and title to get to closing. Task 3 (Core, importance 93): Confer with escrow companies, lenders, inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure purchase terms are met before closing (O*NET)
How people get into it
O*NET lists this job as needing little to some preparation, usually a high school diploma or GED, with up to a year of on the job training. Every state also requires a real estate license, which means prelicensing coursework and a state exam, and new agents work under a licensed broker. Many agents start part time or as an assistant on an established team.
The Firstday trial, easy to hard
Three simulated tasks with AI coworkers who message you, react to your work and coach with questions. Nobody scores you.
What the trial can't show: The trial cannot show driving between showings, walking through homes with clients, open houses on weekends, reading a room in person, or the months of prospecting with no income before a first deal closes. It does not replace a real estate license or legal training, and contract forms and disclosure rules are simplified. All clients, homes and prices are fictional.
Reading about it is one thing.
Find out how the work feels to you before you spend on a degree, course or job change. Your first trial is free.
Other careers you can try
Job details on this page are built from O*NET OnLine, 41-9022.00. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.