Real Estate Sales Agents
Also called: Agricultural Real Estate Agent, Apartment Leasing Agent, Apartment Leasing Consultant, Apartment Rental Agent, Buyers Agent, Closing Agent, Home Sales Consultant, Industrial Real Estate Agent
Rent, buy, or sell property for clients.
What real estate sales agents do
Typical tasks
- Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration.
- 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.
- Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements, and related matters.
- Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases.
- Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.
- 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.
- Promote sales of properties through advertisements, open houses, and participation in multiple listing services.
- Accompany buyers during visits to and inspections of property, advising them on the suitability and value of the homes they are visiting.
- Advise sellers on how to make homes more appealing to potential buyers.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Real Estate Sales Agents salary
The median annual wage for real estate sales agents is $52,830 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $32,970 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $123,590. The mean annual wage is $69,510.
The mean hourly wage of $33.00 is 4.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Real Estate Sales Agents (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $52,830 → in 3 years $56,900 → in 5 years $59,800 → in 10 years $67,800 (10-year range $58,300–$78,700). The model assumes pay growth of +2.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Real Estate Sales Agents
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Real Estate Sales Agents? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Real Estate Sales Agents
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Real Estate Sales Agents United States | 住宅・不動産営業 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $52,830 | ¥6.61M ≈ $42,016 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $67,800 | ¥8.39M |
| Outlook score | 43 | 56 |
| AI replacement risk | 62% High | 58% Moderate |
| Workers | 193K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Real Estate Sales Agents
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become real estate sales agents
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as real estate sales agents
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.