How to hire real estate sales agents
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other. • Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements, and related matters. • Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price. • Confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure that terms and conditions of purchase agreements are met before closing dates. • Coordinate appointments to show homes to prospective buyers. • Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources. • Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases. • Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, speaking, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active learning and writing skills • Working knowledge of customer and personal service, sales and marketing and English Language • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $25.40 an hour ($52,830 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for real estate sales agents
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements, and related matters. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure that terms and conditions of purchase agreements are met before closing dates. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What real estate sales agents do
- Act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyers and sellers, generally representing one or the other.
- Advise clients on market conditions, prices, mortgages, legal requirements, and related matters.
- Compare a property with similar properties that have recently sold to determine its competitive market price.
- Confer with escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and pest control operators to ensure that terms and conditions of purchase agreements are met before closing dates.
- Coordinate appointments to show homes to prospective buyers.
- Generate lists of properties that are compatible with buyers' needs and financial resources.
- Prepare documents such as representation contracts, purchase agreements, closing statements, deeds, and leases.
- Present purchase offers to sellers for consideration.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for real estate sales agents
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +1.7% over ten years, little or no change · about 32,600 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay real estate sales agents
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $123,770 |
| New York | $102,990 |
| Nevada | $79,990 |
| Washington | $79,130 |
| New Mexico | $76,170 |
| Kansas | $39,770 |
| Mississippi | $39,550 |
| Arkansas | $38,180 |
See real estate sales agents pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Real Estate Brokers
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Counter and Rental Clerks
- Loan Officers
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters
- Models
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.