Sales
Real Estate Brokers
Also called: Broker, Broker Associate, Commercial Leasing Broker, Commercial Real Estate Advisor
US median pay
$73,220
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+0.8%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
7,800
103,500 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Operate real estate office, or work for commercial real estate firm, overseeing real estate transactions. Other duties usually include selling real estate or renting properties and arranging loans.
What they do day to day
- Obtain agreements from property owners to place properties for sale with real estate firms.
- Sell, for a fee, real estate owned by others.
- Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.
- Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers over property prices and settlement details and during the closing of sales.
- Generate lists of properties for sale, their locations, descriptions, and available financing options, using computers.
- Maintain knowledge of real estate law, local economies, fair housing laws, types of available mortgages, financing options, and government programs.
- Rent properties or manage rental properties.
- Monitor fulfillment of purchase contract terms to ensure that they are handled in a timely manner.
- Check work completed by loan officers, attorneys, or other professionals to ensure that it is performed properly.
- Appraise property values, assessing income potential when relevant.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Negotiation4.1/5
- Persuasion3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4/5
- Service Orientation3.4/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
Knowledge
- Sales and Marketing4.8/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Economics and Accounting4.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.0/5
- Administration and Management3.8/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent, plus less than 5 years of related work experience.
Who this job suits
Mostly Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.