Real Estate Salesperson vs. Broker

A real estate salesperson or real estate agent is a professional licensed to sell a property for a real estate firm, while a broker is someone who represents a party in the transactions between a buyer and seller in a real estate deal.

How To Become A Real Estate Sales Associate: What It Is and Career Path

What is a real estate sales associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Dave Bunton,

Daniel Wright

A real estate sales associate specializes in helping the buyer select and purchases a property. He/She provides the necessary information they need and guides them through the legal and contractual aspects of the purchase or sale. He/She arranges showings and negotiates transactions. Similarly, he/she drafts sales agreements and oversees the transaction to closing. Also, he/she assists in setting the asking price, suggesting necessary repairs and renovations, and marketing and selling the house. Additionally, he/she provides clients with financial analysis and underwriting of real estate investments.

Having a college degree in real estate, business, finance, or a related field makes getting the job easier compared to a high school diploma. That said, you will need problem-solving, persuasion, time management, negotiation, communication, and presentation skills. You must be proficient in Microsoft Office and Multiple Listing Service (MLS). These experts make an average salary of $48,463 per annum. This varies from $24,000 to $96,000.

What general advice would you give to a Real Estate Sales Associate?

Dave Bunton

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 Sales AssociateUS Average

Salary

7.3

Avg. Salary $92,941

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.4

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.32%

Asian 6.79%

Black or African American 5.23%

Hispanic or Latino 13.00%

Unknown 4.30%

White 70.35%

Gender

female 52.88%

male 47.12%

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

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.0

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

2.5

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Real Estate Sales Associate in Ashburn, VA

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become a real estate sales associate

Explore real estate sales associate education requirements

Most common real estate sales associate degrees

Bachelor's

60.1 %

Associate

15.4 %

Master's

8.9 %

Start to develop specific real estate sales associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Lead Generation	24.39%
Real Estate Market	11.77%
Commercial Property	11.30%
Open Houses	10.30%
Residential Real Estate	6.56%

Complete relevant real estate sales associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New real estate sales associates 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 sales associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real real estate sales associate resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed real estate sales associate usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed real estate sales associate in most of states. 34 states require real estate sales associates to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Maryland	Degree required	State exam required	REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON
Arkansas	Specific course required	State exam required	Real Estate Salesperson
California	Degree required	State exam required	Real Estate Salesperson
Connecticut	Specific course required	State exam required	Real Estate Salesperson
Delaware	Degree required	State exam required	Real Estate Sales Agent

Gain additional real estate sales associate certifications

Real estate sales associate 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 sales associate certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for real estate sales associates include Certified Real Estate Inspector (CRI) and Certified Sales Professional (CSP).

More About Certifications

Research real estate sales associate duties and responsibilities

Manage REO listings, complete BPOs, property checks, negotiate offers and manage closings.
Manage all accounting, cash management, budgeting and financing for individual LLC's and for corporate entity.
Prepare legal documents such as HUD-1 settlement statement, sales contracts, leasing agreements, etc.
Perform foreclosure inspections and price opinions on REO properties.

Prepare your real estate sales associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your real estate sales associate 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 sales associate 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 Sales Associate Resume templates

Build a professional Real Estate Sales Associate 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 Sales Associate resume.

Apply for real estate sales associate jobs

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

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

Average real estate sales associate salary

The average Real Estate Sales Associate salary in the United States is $92,941 per year or $45 per hour. Real estate sales associate salaries range between $62,000 and $139,000 per year.

Average Real Estate Sales Associate Salary

$92,941 Yearly

$44.68 hourly

How do real estate sales associates rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Real Estate Sales Associate reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023

Pros

My own schedule and meeting great people.

Cons

No guarantee on income or relevance

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.

Cons

Continuous solicitation of businesses to sustain. Louisiana has small window for Real Estate Consultants.

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.

What is a real estate sales associate and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Real Estate Sales Associate?

Newest jobs for Real Estate Sales Associate in Ashburn, VA

Real Estate Sales Associate career paths

Key steps to become a real estate sales associate

Explore real estate sales associate education requirements

Most common real estate sales associate degrees

Start to develop specific real estate sales associate skills

Complete relevant real estate sales associate training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Gain additional real estate sales associate certifications

Research real estate sales associate duties and responsibilities

Prepare your real estate sales associate resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Real Estate Sales Associate Resume templates

Apply for real estate sales associate jobs

How Did You Land Your First Real Estate Sales Associate Job

Average real estate sales associate salary

How do real estate sales associates rate their job?

Real Estate Sales Associate reviews

Real Estate Sales Associate FAQs

Real Estate Salesperson vs. Broker

Search for real estate sales associate jobs

Real Estate Sales Associate jobs by state