Universities offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in real estate, depending on what background you might already have going into a program. Other types of degrees can be beneficial as an estate agent such as business administration, planning, finance, or law.
Several membership agencies, such as the INEA (Independent Network of Estate Agents) or NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents), offer these types of courses in addition to continuing education classes once you are an agent. Certificate programs will cover working with clients, when and how an agent becomes involved, property valuations, sales, buying, financing, negotiation, and most importantly, the legal requirements and expectations of agents.
Use nonverbal clues, like nodding and smiling, to show your clients that you’re listening to their needs when discussing what they’re looking for. Networking, studying the market, and meeting as many people are things that will help you get more clients, so having good communication skills is a must.
Try not to take negotiations personally; it is business, after all.
Working in a business, property management, or even construction field will give you a leg up as you enter this particular career path. Even general retail experience can be a good indicator that you are able to work with customers and make sales.
This is also a good chance to explore the different types of estate agency, such as residential, rental, or commercial. Some firms will specialize in either while others may handle both types of properties. Contact a local estate agency firm to find out if and how they handle apprenticeships. There is not a formal, required structure for apprenticeships, so they will differ from company to company.
Read through the job description several times, then tailor your CV to match what the employer is looking for. For instance, if they are looking for someone with a degree and you have one, put that at the top of your CV. For jobs as a real estate agent, you may want to list skills like ‘strong communications skills,’ ‘works well with others,’ ‘good negotiator,’ ‘architectural knowledge,’ ‘background in business and finance,’ and so on.
In addition, check out local job fairs to chat with agents from estate firms in your area.
There are many national and regional chains in the UK. In addition to support from other agents, existing firms will often have existing clients that they can hand off to new agents. Be sure to highlight any training or sales experience you’ve had when applying for these roles. You want the company to know they are taking on someone who can help them to buy or sell properties successfully.
Many estate agents opt to stay on with chains or existing firms throughout their careers to avoid some of the headaches that come with managing every aspect of the company. Be sure to consider all the different sides of running a business on your own. Discuss a partnership if you have any estate agents that you trust who also want to branch off on their own. This can divide some of the work up and give you someone to answer the phones if you’re out of the office! Talk to a knowledgeable real estate accountant that will assist you in your taxes so you know what to expect.
