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What is a real estate assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dave Bunton,
Daniel Wright

A real estate assistant works as an administrative assistant in a real estate office and aids one or more real estate agents or brokers. Your duties include greeting clients, answering the telephone, making follow-up calls, preparing correspondence, scheduling meetings, and making travel arrangements. Furthermore, you are to assist real estate agents with the coordination and preparation of open house events, prepare, deliver and pick up real estate documents, take photos of the property before and after repairs, and participate in the marketing process. You are to put up and remove 'for sale' and 'solid' signs on the property.

A high school diploma or a GED is required for this job, but a degree is mostly preferred. Previous experience in the real estate industry is beneficial. You must have strong literacy and numeracy skills to handle administrative tasks. Your average salary per year as a real estate assistant is $52,488.

What general advice would you give to a real estate assistant?

Dave BuntonDave Bunton LinkedIn profile

President, The Appraisal Foundation

During the pandemic, we've seen an increase in the number of people hoping to join the appraisal profession. This makes sense because appraisal work allows you to work out of your home independently, has flexible hours, and takes advantage of the latest technology. While many industries have had to make these shifts after the pandemic started, appraisers have been working this way for years, and we're pleased that folks looking to start or shift their careers are discovering these benefits in the appraisal profession.
ScoreReal Estate AssistantUS Average
Salary
3.2

Avg. Salary $41,447

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.6

Growth rate -5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.93%

Asian 8.34%

Black or African American 9.71%

Hispanic or Latino 21.81%

Unknown 4.44%

White 54.76%

Gender

female 75.69%

male 24.31%

Age - 50
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 50
Stress level
6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
4.3

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Real estate assistant career paths

Key steps to become a real estate assistant

  1. Explore real estate assistant education requirements

    Most common real estate assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    54.2 %

    Associate

    21.3 %

    High School Diploma

    12.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific real estate assistant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    MLS14.43%
    Open Houses8.49%
    Purchase Agreements6.62%
    Client Database6.09%
    Scheduling Appointments5.91%
  3. Complete relevant real estate assistant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New real estate assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a real estate assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real real estate assistant resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed real estate assistant usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed real estate assistant in most of states. 34 states require real estate assistants to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense url
    MarylandDegree requiredState exam requiredREAL ESTATE SALESPERSON
    ArkansasSpecific course requiredState exam requiredReal Estate Salesperson
    CaliforniaDegree requiredState exam requiredReal Estate Salesperson
    ConnecticutSpecific course requiredState exam requiredReal Estate Salesperson
    DelawareDegree requiredState exam requiredReal Estate Sales Agent
  5. Gain additional real estate assistant certifications

    Real estate assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific real estate assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for real estate assistants include Certified Real Estate Inspector (CRI) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

    More About Certifications
  6. Research real estate assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage incoming projects by completing necessary applications, communicating with brokers and visiting job sites.Height Home LLC, Greenville, NC
    • Manage reporting requirements to senior management on status of real estate portfolio.
    • Complete monthly A/P, A/R and payroll duties.
    • Acheive record sales numbers of condominiums.
  7. Prepare your real estate assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your real estate assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a real estate assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable real estate assistant resume templates

    Build a professional real estate assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your real estate assistant resume.
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    Real Estate Assistant Resume
    Real Estate Assistant Resume
  8. Apply for real estate assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a real estate assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first real estate assistant job

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Average real estate assistant salary

The average real estate assistant salary in the United States is $41,447 per year or $20 per hour. Real estate assistant salaries range between $31,000 and $54,000 per year.

Average real estate assistant salary
$41,447 Yearly
$19.93 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do real estate assistants rate their job?

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Real estate assistant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

My own schedule and meeting great people.

Cons

No guarantee on income or relevance


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2021
Pros

Flexible Schedule. Accompanying New Agents with business operation skills, critical communication skills, contract negotiation, problem solving, proactive approach to obtaining purchase agreement, assisting brokers with avenues to increase network for sales agent, conducting feasibility study for outmoded business models, providing ongoing business operation training, training programs for leadership/business development, building trust for agent sustainability.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Flexibility and potential for making great money.

Cons

Not knowing where my next paycheck is coming from. Being unemployed in between clients.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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