Post job

Real estate investor vs agent

The differences between real estate investors and agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a real estate investor has an average salary of $81,345, which is higher than the $37,864 average annual salary of an agent.

The top three skills for a real estate investor include residential real estate, real estate license and general contractors. The most important skills for an agent are insurance products, customer service, and life insurance.

Real estate investor vs agent overview

Real Estate InvestorAgent
Yearly salary$81,345$37,864
Hourly rate$39.11$18.20
Growth rate3%6%
Number of jobs18,761184,325
Job satisfaction-2
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4846
Years of experience6-

What does a real estate investor do?

Also called real estate entrepreneurs, real estate investors are professionals who invest in real estate. Real estate investors purchase a property, make some improvements or repairs. They then sell the property for profit. It is their responsibility to assess the real estate market and properties already bought to build wealth. They need to develop skills in communication, marketing, investment, and customer service. Also, they should have a significant level of knowledge about the real estate business.

What does an agent do?

Agents are individuals who are employed by their clients to represent them in various dealings. Agents are usually employed by people in the show business industry, such as actors, writers, or directors. They meet people who are interested in dealing with their clients. They listen to the plans and vision for the project and assess if the project fits their clients' interests or public image. In the case of agents whose clients are actors, they send their clients to auditions upon review of the project details. Agents are also responsible for negotiating terms on behalf of their clients, such as salary, royalties, and set benefits, among others. They also inform the project leaders of their clients' demands on set. Agents are expected to be business-savvy and good negotiators.

Real estate investor vs agent salary

Real estate investors and agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

Real Estate InvestorAgent
Average salary$81,345$37,864
Salary rangeBetween $53,000 And $124,000Between $19,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City-New York, NY
Highest paying state-New York
Best paying company-Latham & Watkins
Best paying industry--

Differences between real estate investor and agent education

There are a few differences between a real estate investor and an agent in terms of educational background:

Real Estate InvestorAgent
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Real estate investor vs agent demographics

Here are the differences between real estate investors' and agents' demographics:

Real Estate InvestorAgent
Average age4846
Gender ratioMale, 68.4% Female, 31.6%Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 5.3% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage12%7%

Differences between real estate investor and agent duties and responsibilities

Real estate investor example responsibilities.

  • Establish and manage an LLC for real estate investment properties in the state of Florida.
  • Manage reporting requirements to senior management on status of real estate portfolio.
  • Provide administrative management of a portfolio of assign commercial real estate loans in accordance with credit policy requirements for risk management.
  • Generate valuations of IRR, NPV, and other financial ratios for investors emphasizing return on investment.
  • Review loan documents and assist in the workout process to determine an optimal workout strategy in order to maximize loan NPV.
  • Identify internal and external customer needs and addressed concerns and conflicts regarding SBA, bank policy and procedures.

Agent example responsibilities.

  • Schedule and meet individuals\groups for assign or self-generate leads, assist and enroll eligible individuals in suitable Medicare product.
  • Verify documentation and coding using CPT and ICD-9 correct coding standards.
  • Assist TANF customers with obtaining employment.
  • Direct compliance with all CPT and Medicare guidelines.
  • Train BDC representatives on phone skills and CRM use.
  • Bill appropriate ICD-9 codes to the correct insurance companies.
  • Show more

Real estate investor vs agent skills

Common real estate investor skills
  • Residential Real Estate, 12%
  • Real Estate License, 11%
  • General Contractors, 10%
  • Financial Analysis, 8%
  • Property Management, 5%
  • Real Estate Investments, 5%
Common agent skills
  • Insurance Products, 11%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Life Insurance, 8%
  • HR, 6%
  • Inbound Calls, 6%
  • Financial Services, 6%

Browse executive management jobs