Estate Agent (UK) / Real Estate Agent (US)
🏠Helps people buy, sell or rent a home: finds options, shows properties, negotiates the price, checks documents and sees the deal through to the keys.
Prospects & pay
What the work is like
💼 Job market
🇺🇸 $118.6k a year on average
Real estate brokers & sales agents — US: Census ACS 2020–24 (full-time), BLS projections 2025–35
🇬🇧 £30.9k median a year · 19,000 jobs
Estate agents and auctioneers — UK: ONS ASHE 2025 (full-time)
🤖 AI & automation
Platforms and banks handle search, valuation and document checks, and deals go online. A go-between is still needed for complex sales and negotiations.
Who it suits
Interests: 🗣️ Persuading and negotiating, 🗂️ Order, paperwork, systems, 💰 Finance and economics.
Key strengths: understanding people, organisation.
Where to study
- Course State real estate licence: pre-licensing course + exam (US)
- Course Propertymark (NAEA) qualifications (UK, optional)
Key school subjects (A-level / IB / AP): Business, English Literature, Maths.
🧗 In the US you need a state licence: a 60–180-hour course and exam, working under a broker. The UK has no licence — start as a trainee negotiator; Propertymark qualifications are optional. Pay is mostly commission.
Things to know
📞 Sales targets, cold calls
Similar careers
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