How to hire a real estate broker

How to hire a real estate broker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step real estate broker hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a real estate broker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new real estate broker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a real estate broker do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your real estate broker job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a real estate broker for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A real estate broker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, real estate brokers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of real estate brokers.

   Type of Real Estate Broker	Description	Hourly rate
   Real Estate Broker	Real estate brokers and sales agents help clients buy, sell, and rent properties. Although brokers and agents do similar work, brokers are licensed to manage their own real estate businesses... Show more	$26-54
   Realtor	A realtor is responsible for processing real estate transactions and assisting clients with their concerns and inquiries about a specific property. A realtor should always work for their clients' best interests, ensuring that proposals work within the client's specified budget and property goals... Show more	$12-25
   Broker	Brokers can either be a firm or an individual acting as an intermediary between a securities exchange and an investor. They often provide services to individual investors and traders who cannot engage directly with security exchanges, which only accept orders from their members... Show more	$32-109

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Real Estate Sales
   • Purchase Agreements
   • Financial Resources
   • Property Management
   • Open Houses
   • Client Relationships
   • Residential Real Estate
   • Comparative Market Analysis
   • Business Development
   • MLS
   • Real Estate Market
   • Real Estate Firms
   • Real Estate Transactions
   • Financial Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all accounting, cash management, budgeting and financing for individual LLC's and for corporate entity.
   • Prepare all marketing materials, coordinate closings, enter necessary data into the MLS to ensure homes are represent correctly
   • Review, analyze and process moderately complex homeowner property, contents and liability claims within assign work with REO properties.
   • Stabilize operations and financial performance of underperforming properties, directing investors in maximizing value and/or divesting assets to optimize ROI.
   • Process the movement of funds and equities.
   • Prepare and submit probate and administration petitions.

   More real estate broker duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your real estate broker job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A real estate broker salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, real estate brokers' average salary in missouri is 65% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level real estate brokers earn 51% less than senior-level real estate brokers.
   • Certifications. A real estate broker with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a real estate broker's salary.

   Average real estate broker salary

   $80,250yearly

   $38.58 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level real estate broker salary

   $56,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average real estate broker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$131,853	$63
   2	Arizona	$99,330	$48
   3	North Carolina	$97,900	$47
   4	Washington	$96,398	$46
   5	California	$95,884	$46
   6	Pennsylvania	$92,767	$45
   7	Connecticut	$91,716	$44
   8	West Virginia	$89,955	$43
   9	Maryland	$89,388	$43
   10	Wisconsin	$88,754	$43
   11	Ohio	$87,862	$42
   12	Indiana	$85,593	$41
   13	Utah	$85,048	$41
   14	Texas	$79,925	$38
   15	South Carolina	$78,206	$38
   16	Massachusetts	$77,328	$37
   17	Colorado	$74,592	$36
   18	Oregon	$73,398	$35
   19	Georgia	$64,514	$31
   20	Illinois	$63,786	$31

   Average real estate broker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Village Real Estate	$105,999	$50.96
   2	Colliers International	$102,898	$49.47	3
   3	The Real Estate Group	$95,047	$45.70	106
   4	Burgan Bank	$94,475	$45.42
   5	CBRE Group	$94,023	$45.20	59
   6	Home Encounter	$93,630	$45.01
   7	T3 Advisors	$92,257	$44.35
   8	Monticello Associates	$92,198	$44.33
   9	Vacasa	$92,077	$44.27
   10	Stan Johnson	$92,051	$44.26
   11	FBG Service	$91,163	$43.83
   12	Equitable Holdings	$90,732	$43.62
   13	Randstad North America, Inc.	$90,174	$43.35
   14	Hilco Transport	$87,651	$42.14
   15	Metro Brokers	$87,345	$41.99
   16	Samet	$86,898	$41.78
   17	Robert Half	$86,601	$41.64	44
   18	Baird & Warner	$86,374	$41.53	1
   19	Friedman	$84,981	$40.86	6
   20	Accountants One	$84,564	$40.66

4. Writing a real estate broker job description

   A real estate broker job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a real estate broker job description:

   Real estate broker job description example

   RXR is an innovative investor, developer, and place-maker committed to applying a customer and community-centered approach to building properties, services, and products that create enduring value for all stakeholders. Headquartered in New York with a national platform strategy, RXR is a 500+ person, vertically integrated operating and development company with expertise in a wide array of value creation activities, including ground-up real estate, infrastructure, and industrial development, uncovering value in underperforming properties, repurposing well-located iconic properties, incorporating cutting edge technologies and value-added lending. The RXR platform manages 93 commercial real estate properties and investments with an aggregate gross asset value of approximately $22.3 billion, comprising approximately 30.3 million square feet of commercial properties, a multi-family residential portfolio of approximately 7,600 units under operation or development, and control of development rights for an additional approximately 3,800 multi-family and for sale units.
   
   RXR is currently looking for a Development Accountant. This position is located in our NYC office location but will be required to travel to our Long Island office location and job sites as needed.
   
   The Development Accountant reports to the Assistant Controller and Controller and is responsible for:
   · Monthly requisitions
   · Review of construction invoices in AIA forms
   · Walk through meetings, job meetings and accurate recording of costs in job cost details
   · Review approved contracts and track spent against budgets as well as accurately closing month end entries
   Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Responsible for books and records of multiple development projects Attend monthly job site meetings with lender and/or construction manager Produce accurate and quality monthly requisitions to lenders and/or owners Review and validate proper billing for cost in AIA payment application Liaison with CM to provide accurate and complete AIA Billing package Review construction contract, change order and commitments Review and posts Accounts payable entries Ensure cost details are properly recorded and reported Reconcile cost detail subledger to general ledger Communicate with third party vendors
   QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's Degree in AccountingReal Estate Industry Experience5+ years related experience required Fluent in construction and development real estate Experience with Timberline and TimberscanProficiency with standard suite of Microsoft Office applications, advanced Excel required Excellent organizational and presentation skills
   #LI-LM
   #RXRZIP
   
   RXR is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds regardless of gender, race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find real estate brokers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your real estate broker job on Zippia to find and recruit real estate broker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit real estate brokers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new real estate broker

   Once you've decided on a perfect real estate broker candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new real estate broker first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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