Real Estate Sales Broker Training and Jobs
Schools and Degrees
Real estate sales brokers need a college degree. Background courses in finance, business administration, law, statistics and/or economics is useful. Many colleges, community colleges and universities offer associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in real estate. Advanced courses in property management and mortgage financing are also available. The National Association of Realtors also offers courses on the fundamentals of this field.
Training and Education
Employees often find employers are looking for work experience in a related occupation. Real estate sales brokers, in 45% of cases, have bachelor's degree or higher. After high school, 37% of workers pursued some additional career education. Employees, in 18% of cases, had only a high school education.
Job Overview
Real estate sales brokers possess a comprehensive knowledge of the real estate market in their local community. They help people sell and buy their houses and investment property. They know the tax and local zoning laws well and negotiate between intermediaries regarding the price of the estate.
Job Requirements
Real estate sales brokers need to be licensed in every state. They earn licensure by passing a written exam. The test examines their skills on the laws relating to the sale of estates and properties as well as fundamental questions on transactions of real estate. Those who wish to earn a general sales license have to attend about ninety hours of classroom study. The are also required to have three years of experience selling real estate. Many states require ongoing education in order to renew the license of real estate sales brokers. The license needs to be reviewed every three years.
Experience is a very important requirement in this field.
Real estate sales brokers need to have a pleasant and inviting personality. Honesty is also an important quality in this profession. One also needs to know the real estate market well and should have good judgment regarding it. Competition is high in this field, therefore a well-planned and detailed approach to sales is vital.
Nature of Work
Real estate sales brokers verify the ownership of properties to be sold and arrange for meetings between buyers and sellers. They even help arrange for finance from a lender. They maintain a list of the properties to be sold and even meet prospective buyers to get an accurate idea of what kind of property they want.
Real estate usually works for about forty hours in a week. They work during the evenings and weekends as per the needs of the clients. They work for long hours but mostly can make their own schedule. They need to research the market and meet the prospective clients. Computers and advancement in telecommunications have made them accessible to much more data and gives them the advantage of operating from their homes when necessary.
Area Job Conditions
Real estate sales brokers -of-a-feather seem to flock to Palm Coast (Florida), Kingman (Arizona), and Wilmington (North Carolina). They are less likely to be found around Fort Worth (Texas), Austin (Texas), and Cleveland (Ohio).
Compensation of workers is best in San Francisco (California), New York (New York), and Atlanta (Georgia), and much worse in Fayetteville (North Carolina), Boise (Idaho), and Greenville (North Carolina).
Part-Time and Self Employment
Real estate sales brokers employed part-time are 16% of the total. Workers, in about 64% of cases, work for themselves.
Career Videos
Real Estate Sales Brokers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)
In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.
Alabama
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $55,000 | 40 | -73% |
| Huntsville | $52,000 | 70 | +17% |
Arizona
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $44,000 | 1,270 | +142% |
| Tucson | $108,000 | 160 | +60% |
California
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 30 | -60% | |
| Chico | $116,000 | 40 | +115% |
| Fresno | $99,000 | 80 | -14% |
| Los Angeles | $77,000 | 1,700 | +41% |
| Modesto | $106,000 | 30 | -32% |
| Oakland | $119,000 | 230 | -23% |
| Oxnard | $53,000 | 110 | +27% |
| Riverside | $78,000 | 420 | +17% |
| Sacramento | $58,000 | 160 | -38% |
| San Diego | $70,000 | 510 | +31% |
| San Francisco | $75,000 | 200 | -32% |
| San Jose | $116,000 | 180 | -33% |
| Santa Ana | $68,000 | 520 | +20% |
| Santa Rosa | $114,000 | 40 | -19% |
| Visalia | 40 | +6% |
Colorado
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | $37,000 | 110 | +50% |
| Denver | $45,000 | 660 | +78% |
| Fort Collins | $52,000 | 70 | +99% |
Connecticut
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | $57,000 | 80 | -36% |
| New Haven | $76,000 | 130 | +64% |
Delaware
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | $87,000 | 40 | -58% |
District of Columbia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $88,000 | 960 | +32% |
Florida
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral | $65,000 | 350 | +530% |
| Deltona | $46,000 | 170 | +291% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $46,000 | 740 | +258% |
| Fort Walton Beach | $63,000 | 70 | +239% |
| Gainesville | $43,000 | 30 | -12% |
| Jacksonville | $74,000 | 320 | +80% |
| Miami | $69,000 | 790 | +171% |
| Naples | $76,000 | 200 | +543% |
| Ocala | $39,000 | 90 | +276% |
| Orlando | $95,000 | 720 | +138% |
| Palm Bay | 40 | -29% | |
| Palm Coast | $41,000 | 60 | +1518% |
| Panama City | $60,000 | 30 | +63% |
| Pensacola | $36,000 | 50 | +19% |
| Port St Lucie | $45,000 | 110 | +231% |
| Punta Gorda | $38,000 | 50 | +405% |
| Sarasota | $58,000 | 160 | +124% |
| Tallahassee | $69,000 | 110 | +140% |
| Tampa | $51,000 | 770 | +126% |
| West Palm Beach | $63,000 | 710 | +364% |
Georgia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $97,000 | 540 | -22% |
| Augusta | $69,000 | 30 | -49% |
Hawaii
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | 140 | +8% |
Idaho
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | $39,000 | 40 | -47% |
Illinois
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $54,000 | 1,150 | +2% |
| Rockford | $30,000 | 80 | +102% |
Indiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gary | $60,000 | 50 | -36% |
| Indianapolis | $57,000 | 300 | +13% |
| Lafayette | $62,000 | 30 | +47% |
Kentucky
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $51,000 | 80 | -56% |
Louisiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $42,000 | 160 | +46% |
Maine
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $61,000 | 80 | +39% |
Maryland
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | 330 | -16% | |
| Bethesda | $122,000 | 320 | +87% |
Massachusetts
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $108,000 | 690 | +33% |
| Worcester | $81,000 | 70 | -4% |
Michigan
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 70 | -65% | |
| Warren | $59,000 | 230 | -28% |
Minnesota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | $72,000 | 160 | -70% |
Missouri
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $62,000 | 140 | -54% |
| St Louis | $58,000 | 190 | -52% |
Nebraska
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | $49,000 | 50 | +10% |
| Omaha | $85,000 | 130 | -7% |
Nevada
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | $102,000 | 210 | -17% |
New Hampshire
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashua | $46,000 | 30 | -23% |
New Jersey
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison | $84,000 | 220 | -28% |
| Newark | $98,000 | 230 | -23% |
| Trenton | 30 | -54% |
New Mexico
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $89,000 | 70 | -38% |
| Santa Fe | $54,000 | 30 | +82% |
New York
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | 50 | -69% | |
| Nassau | $99,000 | 450 | +19% |
| New York | $141,000 | 2,360 | +52% |
| Rochester | $101,000 | 70 | -53% |
North Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville | $47,000 | 160 | +215% |
| Burlington | $39,000 | 80 | +435% |
| Charlotte | $68,000 | 1,110 | +336% |
| Durham | $45,000 | 290 | +260% |
| Fayetteville | $41,000 | 180 | +407% |
| Goldsboro | $40,000 | 30 | +191% |
| Greensboro | $51,000 | 490 | +368% |
| Greenville | $42,000 | 50 | +176% |
| Hickory | $40,000 | 50 | +20% |
| Jacksonville | $54,000 | 80 | +634% |
| Raleigh | $59,000 | 870 | +469% |
| Wilmington | $68,000 | 170 | +341% |
| Winston Salem | $40,000 | 330 | +442% |
Ohio
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $118,000 | 130 | -57% |
| Cleveland | $69,000 | 120 | -61% |
| Columbus | $82,000 | 170 | -38% |
| Dayton | $140,000 | 60 | -47% |
| Youngstown | $77,000 | 30 | -54% |
Oklahoma
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $42,000 | 420 | +145% |
| Tulsa | $59,000 | 200 | +58% |
Oregon
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corvallis | $64,000 | 40 | +509% |
| Eugene | $49,000 | 50 | +26% |
| Portland | $73,000 | 490 | +61% |
Pennsylvania
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | $127,000 | 40 | -57% |
| Philadelphia | $136,000 | 800 | +40% |
| Pittsburgh | $144,000 | 300 | -12% |
South Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $54,000 | 230 | +174% |
| Columbia | $52,000 | 390 | +279% |
| Florence | $81,000 | 30 | +39% |
| Myrtle Beach | $67,000 | 90 | +196% |
Tennessee
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $63,000 | 80 | -18% |
| Memphis | $43,000 | 180 | -2% |
| Nashville | $61,000 | 290 | +32% |
Texas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | 230 | -2% | |
| Dallas | $105,000 | 610 | -3% |
| El Paso | 60 | -25% | |
| Houston | $90,000 | 750 | -5% |
| San Antonio | $61,000 | 150 | -42% |
Vermont
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | 30 | -4% |
Virginia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg | $42,000 | 90 | +229% |
| Richmond | 150 | -18% | |
| Roanoke | 50 | +13% | |
| Virginia Beach | $67,000 | 230 | +2% |
Washington
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick | $64,000 | 40 | +44% |
| Seattle | $87,000 | 350 | -16% |
| Spokane | $76,000 | 40 | -32% |
| Tacoma | 40 | -48% |
Wisconsin
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | $143,000 | 80 | -68% |