Real Estate Agents
Description OES Code: 43008
Rent, buy, and sell property to clients. Perform duties such as studying property listings, interviewing prospective clients, accompanying clients to property site, discussing conditions of sale, and drawing up real estate contracts.

Wages, California
Entry-Level Hourly Wage $6.49
25th Percentile $7.08
50th Percentile $11.66
75th Percentile $21.72

Wages by California County
• OES Survey
• CCOIS Survey

Hours & Benefits
Normal work-weeks are 40 to 48 hours. A few agents work on a part time basis while they learn the business, or to provide a second income source.

There is no set pattern for hours of work or number of working days per week. Agents can expect to work on weekends and evenings to accommodate the diverse needs of their customers.

Fringe benefits are relatively meager since most agents are independent contractors. Vacations are usually not compensated and are normally taken during slack periods.

Employment Trends, California
Employment 1998 7,000
Projected Employment 2008 8,100
Percent Change 1998-2008 15.7%
Separations 1998-2008 1,500

Employment Trends by California County

Advancement
Becoming a real estate broker is the typical career path for Real Estate Agents. Many of them join the National Association of Realtors as associate members. Agents may also advance to the positions of sales, training, operations, and office manager.

Some Real Estate Agents advance to real estate appraiser positions by taking the required course work offered at many community colleges and universities.

Getting the Job & Other Information
Real Estate Agents may establish contact with brokers prior to the examination to gain visibility in the industry. Often positions will be available when candidates obtain their license. Real estate brokers advertise openings in newspapers and circulate job listings through other broker agencies. They frequently list jobs with schools that give real estate training.

For a list of current job listings, browse CalJOBS or America's Job Bank.

Education and Training
Real Estate Agents must be licensed by the California Department of Real Estate. All applicants for the license must be at least 18 years old and must pass an examination administered by the California Department of Real Estate. There is also an educational requirement for a real estate license, which consists of a college-level course in real estate principles plus two additional courses approved by the Department of Real Estate. (Typically, these courses are in general accounting or economics.) Applicants who have completed only the real estate principles coursework may qualify for a provisional license through the examination process, but must complete the other two courses within 18 months of license issuance.

The areas covered by the examination are: knowledge of English, arithmetical computation common to real estate practices, real estate and business transactions, and the obligations and ethics of real estate transactions.

Skills & Other Requirements
Skills ranked high by surveyed brokers are: effective verbal and written communication, professional telephone and in-person sales technique, ability to read and follow instructions, ability to read forms quickly and prepare/arrange sales contracts, ability to work independently, and a knowledge of sales techniques. Skills ranked moderately high are: familiarity with property lease negotiations, knowledge of residential sales processes, familiarity with conventional and government loans, knowledge of escrow and title functions, knowledge of business math, and knowledge of basic computer operations.

References
California Occupational Guide #90

Related Occupations: Real Estate Appraisers, Property Managers

Training: California Training and Education Providers (CTEP)