Becoming a real estate agent is a popular career choice for many people. But what does the job actually entail? What are the duties of a real estate agent? If you're interested in becoming a real estate agent and joining a team, you'll want to know the various responsibilities that come with the job. Keep reading for a breakdown of what real estate agents do for their clients.

What Real Estate Agents Do With All Clients

Real estate agents perform a wide variety of tasks every day, from administrative work to research to marketing.

Answering phone calls and emails, scheduling appointments and showings, and updating property listings are all part of the job. Real estate agents also draft and deliver documents, order supplies, and perform market analysis.

It's important for agents to stay current with real estate markets, trends, and best practices. Keeping an eye on the local market never stops; agents continually search open listings to find properties that fit their clients' needs, whether it's as a comp or a potential purchase.

Marketing is another key component of the job. Real estate agents create and distribute promotional material, manage their online and social media presence, network with potential clients and local businesses, and run advertising campaigns. Building a blog or website can also be part of an effective marketing strategy. Brokerages provide their agents with leads, branding, marketing materials, and the benefits of an established reputation and online presence, so joining a large real estate team can be incredibly beneficial to a new agent.

To keep a steady stream of clients, independent real estate agents have to make lead generation a large part of their daily workload. This can involve their social media presence, attending local events, and even cold calling, among many other strategies.

Ultimately, real estate agents wear many hats in order to help their clients buy or sell property successfully.

What Real Estate Agents Do For Buyers

When working with buyers, the agent's goal is to match clients to properties fitting their requirements. They'll interview clients to understand their budgets, wishlists, and other needs, and then find and show the clients current listings they may be interested in and coordinate visits to open houses. The agent will also advise clients on current market conditions, lending their local expertise to help the clients understand what's available and what they can expect.

Once the buyer decides on a home, the agent drafts and reviews documentation and contracts such as the offer letter and negotiates on the buyer's behalf. They may also accompany the buyer to inspections, appraisals, and other meetings where their presence is required or requested. Finally, the agent guides the buyer through the closing process.

By working with a real estate agent, buyers can be confident that they are getting the expert assistance they need to find their perfect home.

What Real Estate Agents Do For Sellers

A real estate agent plays a vital role in assisting sellers in marketing and selling their property. One of the key roles a real estate agent performs is preparing a comparative market research analysis to establish a realistic asking price for the property. This analysis takes into account recent sales of similar properties in the same neighborhood, as well as any trends that may impact the value of the property.

In addition, the real estate agent will identify the property's key selling points to make it stand out in the local market and make recommendations on where to best invest money in improvements. Staging the property and taking quality photographs are also important marketing tools that can help to sell the property quickly.

The real estate agent will also list the property on the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and take charge of advertising the property to gain the attention of prospective buyers.

Scheduling and supervising property showings and open house events is another key task, as is drafting and preparing documents such as offers, contracts, and closing statements. Throughout the process, the real estate agent acts as a communication liaison between the seller, buyers, appraisers, escrow companies, lenders, home inspectors, and other parties involved in the real estate transaction.

Is Real Estate The Career For You?

A career in real estate can be very rewarding, both personally and financially. Did this job description have you nodding along, saying "yes, this sounds like the job for me"? Can you see yourself successfully helping clients buy and sell their homes? If so, a career in real estate may be the perfect fit for you.