Estate agent
Help people sell their houses and find new homes. Negotiate between buyers and sellers.
About the job
What it's like
You would help people sell their houses and find new homes by marketing and selling properties.
You’d negotiate between buyers and sellers and use your knowledge of the local property market to get the best price for the seller.
You’d advise your clients on the buying and selling process.
You would:
View a house, flat or other property for sale
Take photos and measurements of the property
Value the property so you can set a price
Market and advertise it to try and attract buyers
Send details to people looking for a new home
Show potential buyers around the property
Arrange for home reports, surveys and energy assessments
Negotiate a price that is acceptable to the buyer and the seller
Arrange conveyancing - the legal sale and purchase documents
You’d handle a lot of properties at once and need to deal with a lot of different people. You’d need to meet deadlines and work under pressure to reach sales targets.
A large part of the work involves residential sales, but in some estate agencies you could also deal with commercial property and auctions.
You might also manage rented properties for owners and collect rent.
Hours
In a full-time job, you'll normally work around 35 to 40 hours per week, between Monday and Saturday.
Part-time work is often available.
Environment
You'll be based at an office or high street agency but would spend a lot of your time visiting properties to show people around and make valuations.
Travel
You will visit properties to show people around and make valuations.
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- selling techniques
- marketing
- sales management
- advertising mail
- marketing budgets
- mortgage loans
- canvassing
- strategic marketing
- company structure
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- negotiating
- time management
- developing a plan
- written communication
- verbal communication
- listening
- networking
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Business
Business Management
Skills for Work: Retailing
There are no set qualifications required to enter this role but most employers expect a good general education including qualifications at SCQF levels 5 and 6.
You can enter a Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 8) with National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.
To enter a a Real Estate or Property Managment Degree (SCQF level 9/10) usually requires National 5 qualifications and a minimum of four Highers or above or a relevant HNC/HND for example, Built Environment.
You may enter the role directly and then do part-time study for appropriate qualifications.
Personal qualities and skills are often more important than formal qualifications.
Qualifications and experience that show an understanding of the industry such as a Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8) or degree (SQCF level 9) in estate or property management.
A driving licence
Experience in customer service or sales
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