Real Estate Sales Agents
Career Cluster
Business, Marketing, and Finance
Focuses on making businesses more efficient and productive. In this field, you'll plan, organize, direct, and assess businesses.
Learn more about this clusterAt a glance
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Monthly cost of living
These numbers give you an idea of how much you can spend each month on common expenses with this salary. Percentages are the average a person with no children spends according to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (external link opens new tab) These numbers are a starting point and will differ person to person.
Your actual expenses may differ from those listed. You’ll need to account for the amount taken out in taxes each month. Learn more about income tax expenses. (external link opens new tab) Your student loan payments may also differ. To calculate your student loan payments, use the federal student loan repayment estimator. (external link opens new tab)
About real estate sales agents
What they do
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.
Other titles
Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Salesperson, Realtor, Realtor Associate, Sales Agent
Skills they need
- 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.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- 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.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Licenses and Certifications they may hold
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
- License Type
- Stand-alone license
- Status
- Active
- Exam
- Third-party exam required
- Education
- Specific course required
- Continuing education
- Continuing education required to maintain license
- Criminal record
- Specific type of conviction prohibited
Personal Lines Property & Casualty Agent
Texas Department of Insurance~Agent and Adjuster Licensing
- License Type
- Stand-alone license
- Status
- Active
- Exam
- State exam required
- Education
- No educational requirements
- Continuing education
- Continuing education required to maintain license
- Criminal record
- Specific type of conviction prohibited
- License Type
- Stand-alone license
- Status
- Active
- Exam
- No exam required
- Education
- Specific course required
- Continuing education
- Continuing education required to maintain license
- Criminal record
- Specific type of conviction prohibited
County Mutual Agent
Texas Department of Insurance~Agent and Adjuster Licensing
- License Type
- Stand-alone license
- Status
- Active
- Exam
- Third-party exam required
- Education
- No educational requirements
- Continuing education
- Continuing education required to maintain license
- Criminal record
- Specific type of conviction prohibited
Managing General Agent
Texas Department of Insurance~Agent and Adjuster Licensing
- License Type
- Stand-alone license
- Status
- Active
- Exam
- State exam required
- Education
- No educational requirements
- Continuing education
- Continuing education required to maintain license
- Criminal record
- Specific type of conviction prohibited
CERTIFIED GENERAL APPRAISER
Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board
- License Type
- Secondary license (another license is a prerequisite)
- Status
- Active
- Exam
- Third-party exam required
- Education
- Degree required
- Continuing education
- Continuing education required to maintain license
- Criminal record
- Specific type of conviction prohibited
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as real estate sales agents.
Appraisers of Personal and Business Property
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Appraise and estimate the fair value of tangible personal or business property, such as jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, and equipment. May also appraise land.
Loan Officers
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Evaluate, authorize, or recommend approval of commercial, real estate, or credit loans. Advise borrowers on financial status and payment methods. Includes mortgage loan officers and agents, collection analysts, loan servicing officers, loan underwriters, and payday loan officers.
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.
Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Appraise real estate, exclusively, and estimate its fair value. May assess taxes in accordance with prescribed schedules.
- CCIM Institute (external link opens new tab)
- Council of Residential Specialists (external link opens new tab)
- National Association of Realtors (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Real estate brokers and sales agents (external link opens new tab)
- Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (external link opens new tab)
- Women's Council of REALTORS® (external link opens new tab)