Real Estate Agent
Real estate agents help people buy, sell and lease property, guiding them through inspections, offers and contracts until a deal settles.
- Median salary
- $78,200
4.3%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 103,900
1.6%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +14.2%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 44/wk
+4h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Real estate agents work for a licensed agency, representing a seller, landlord or buyer through the sale or lease of a property, from the first appraisal to settlement. The role is often confused with a property manager, who looks after a rental property day to day once it is tenanted rather than negotiating its sale. Registration sits with state and territory fair trading bodies, so what an agent must hold before working in an agency varies by jurisdiction.
How much do real estate agents earn?
The median full-time salary for a real estate agent is $78,200 per annum, before tax, up $16,500 since 2018.
Most agents are paid commission rather than a salary, so income moves with the number of sales that settle rather than hours worked. Agencies differ in the split they keep and whether they offer a retainer or drawing account that is later recovered from commissions, which changes how much a quiet quarter costs you. Commercial, rural and prestige residential sales carry larger fees per transaction, and a new agent building a first client list usually earns least in the early years.
What does a real estate agent do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Prospecting for listings through past-client calls, letterbox drops and door-knocking an assigned patch
- Writing property descriptions and briefing photographers and floorplan services before a launch
- Running weekend opens and auction days back to back through the selling season
- Negotiating offers between buyers and vendors and chasing signatures on contracts and disclosure paperwork
- Keeping a pipeline of deals moving, since commission only lands when a sale settles
What skills do real estate agents need?
Employers look for selling and negotiation, account and relationship management, financial analysis and modelling, backed by Real Estate Institute database systems fluency and strong client relationships and advisory.
Specialist skills
- Selling and negotiation
- Account and relationship management
- Financial analysis and modelling
Software and tools
- Real Estate Institute database systems
- Zillow/Domain/realestate.com.au
- CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot)
- Digital contract software
- Mobile property management apps
General skills
- Client relationships and advisory
- Written communication
- Problem solving
- Stakeholder management
Is the job growing?
About 103,900 people work as real estate agents in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 14.2% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become a real estate agent?
Here's the path most real estate agents take, step by step.
- 1Complete the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice
This is the standard entry qualification in most states, covering property law, agency practice and ethical conduct, and it is offered by TAFE and private providers. Some states also accept a Certificate III in property services as a starting point.
- 2Register with your state or territory regulator
Fair trading and consumer affairs bodies in each state issue the registration or licence you need before you can work in an agency. Fees, credential names and the steps to get there differ between jurisdictions, so check the requirements where you live.
- 3Work under a licensed agent
Most states require a period of supervised experience before you can hold a licence in your own right. It is paid work, and it is where you learn appraisals, listing presentations and auction procedure on real deals rather than in a classroom.
- 4Apply for your full licence
Once the supervised period is done you can apply for a licence in your own right, which lets you sign listings and run sales independently. Further study in business or agency management is what opens the door to running an office.
- 5Coming from a related role
Property managers, receptionists and administration staff inside agencies already know the listings, the clients and the paperwork, and usually need only the certificate and the supervised period to move into sales.
Ready to apply as a real estate agent?
Whether you're working toward becoming a real estate agent or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a real estate agent move to?
Moving into Sales Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $61,000 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Manager Real estate agents bring client relationships and closing skills to sales management, often needing a short course in leading teams.Known move | +$61,000 | 48% | short course |
| Real Estate Agency Principal Experienced agents can step up to run an agency, taking on licensing and business management study to lead a sales team. | +$46,600 | 15% | reskill |
| Facilities Manager Agents can move into facilities management, applying property and building knowledge while gaining further study in operations and contracts.Known move | +$31,000 | 3% | reskill |
| Property Manager Agents already know tenancy and property rules, so moving into property management uses the same certificate and client skills. | +$0 | 24% | minimal |
| Auctioneer Agents with auction experience can specialise as auctioneers after a short course, using their market knowledge and crowd control. | −$13,700 | 60% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a real estate agent?
The typical real estate agent is 43 years old; 52% are women, 79% work full-time, and full-timers average 44 hours a week.
- 43
- Median age
- 52%
- Female share
- 79%
- Full-time
- +4h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a real estate agent?
The job has no fixed shape: mornings go to paperwork and calls, and evenings and weekends to inspections and auctions, because that is when buyers and vendors are free. Income arrives in lumps tied to settlements, which makes quiet months harder than busy ones, and the first year or two of building a client base is usually the leanest. People who stay with it tend to like running their own patch and being judged on results rather than hours at a desk.
What people like
- You run your own patch. An agency gives you a territory and a licence to work it, so which leads you chase, how you present a home and how you spend the day are largely your own calls.
- Results are visible. A sold sticker goes up and the fee is booked, so there is rarely any doubt about whether you have had a good month or a bad one.
- Commission has no ceiling. There is no salary band to reach the top of, so a strong year of listings and sales pays accordingly rather than being capped at a grade.
- You are in on a big decision. Buying or selling a home is one of the largest financial moves most people make, and guiding someone through it builds relationships that can produce repeat listings years later.
What people find hard
- Income is unpredictable. Commission is paid at settlement, so a sale that falls over at finance approval pays nothing for the weeks of work behind it.
- Weekends and evenings go to the job. Opens, auctions and inspections happen when buyers are free, which usually means Saturday mornings and weekday evenings rather than a standard week.
- The first year or two are lean. Building a client database from scratch takes time, and new agents often earn little until their first listings settle.
- Rejection is constant. Most calls to a prospective vendor end in a no, and appraisals you have put real work into regularly go to another agency.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ real estate agents?
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services employs the largest share of real estate agents.
Top employing industries
- 1Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 22.6% | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III/IV | 21.5% | |
| Bachelor degree | 19.8% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 18.2% | |
| Postgraduate | 7.7% |
Will AI replace real estate agents?
Real estate is part sales and part administration, and AI has sped up the administrative half without touching the sales half much. Portals, CRM systems and automated follow-up already shape which listings get seen and which leads get contacted, and drafting listing copy is quick to automate. What keeps the exposure moderate is that the work that earns the fee, standing in someone's living room and getting them to sign, still happens in person.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Offers, contracts and settlement paperworkDigital signing and compliance software pre-fill contract forms and track cooling-off dates, which removes a lot of chasing, but the price and conditions still have to be negotiated between buyer and vendor.30%moderate
- Prospecting and lead follow-upCRM tools queue the call lists, log the conversations and send automated follow-ups, but a vendor still lists with the agent who turned up and made the case.25%moderate
- Open homes, inspections and auctionsBuyers ask about the neighbours, the noise and the body corporate in person, and a good auction call depends on reading the crowd standing in front of you.25%low
- Listing copy and marketingPortal descriptions, social captions and email campaigns can be drafted from photos and property specs in minutes, leaving the agent to check the claims and match the tone to the vendor.20%high
Common questions about becoming a real estate agent
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do real estate agents earn?
Real estate agents earn a median of $78,200 per year before tax, though most are paid commission rather than a salary, so individual earnings sit above or below that figure far more than in most jobs. Treat it as a guide to the middle of the range rather than a rate to expect in your first year.
How do you become a real estate agent?
You complete the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419), register with your state or territory regulator, then work under a licensed agent before applying for a licence of your own. Most states also require a period of supervised experience, and the details differ between jurisdictions.
Are real estate agents in demand?
Real estate agents are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 14.2% over the decade to 2035. Entry is almost always through an agency in your own area, so the state of the local property market matters more to your first year than the national figure does.
Will AI replace real estate agents?
AI is unlikely to replace agents, because the part of the job that earns the fee happens face to face with buyers and vendors who want someone to answer questions and hold a negotiation together. It has already sped up the admin side, with listing copy, follow-up emails and contract paperwork drafted and tracked by software. What it changes most is how many listings one person can manage, not whether a licensed person is needed.
What can real estate agents move into?
Sales management is a common step, using the same client relationships and closing skills with a short course in leading a team, and it pays around $61,000 more. Experienced agents often open or run their own agency, which is usually where earnings grow, or move into property management on the same certificate, where pay is about the same. Auctioneering suits those who enjoy the call itself.
Do you need a degree to be a real estate agent?
No. The entry qualification is a certificate rather than a degree, and that is reflected in who does the job: the most common qualification among working agents is Year 12 or below, held by 23% of them. Further study matters mainly if you want to run an agency or move into commercial work.
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