Top real estate agent skills to look for in candidates
1. Sales
Included in 31.34% of real estate job postings
Real estate agents connect buyers with sellers, so they need top-notch sales skills. For example, an agent may build relationships with clients, listen carefully to each party’s needs, solve problems and display empathy. Success in the real estate field also relies on referrals, so it’s critical for agents to develop positive relationships with home builders, personal organizers, interior decorators and other industry professionals.
Job description example: Experience closing deals worth at least $1 million each
Assessing the skill: Administer a sales skills assessment or contact previous employers to verify individual sales metrics.
2. Communication skills
Included in 28.82% of real estate job postings
Due to the nature of the work, communication is one of the most essential skills a Realtor can possess. Agents meet with buyers, sellers and loan officers regularly, so they must speak clearly and concisely. A real estate agent may also prepare comparable sales reports and other documents, making written communication skills essential for success. It may also be helpful for a real estate agent to excel at public speaking and other types of communication.
Job description example: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with public speaking a plus
Assessing the skill: In addition to resumes, cover letters and telephone and in-person interviews, you can assess communication skills by asking scenario-based questions during interviews where you present various client situations and evaluate each candidate’s communication method.
3. Customer service
Included in 10.09% of real estate job postings
Real estate is typically a client-facing industry, so agents must provide excellent customer service. They must listen carefully to clients’ needs, provide clear communication and offer personalized guidance throughout the buying or selling process.
Job description example: Demonstrated experience in a customer-focused or service-oriented role
Assessing the skill: Role-playing during an interview could help you determine if a candidate has strong customer service skills.
4. Negotiation
Included in 8.58% of real estate job postings
Closing a deal involves negotiating mutually agreeable terms for the buyer and seller. If an agent represents buyers, they generally need to negotiate the lowest price for each property. Agents who represent sellers need to maximize the price of each listing. A real estate agent may also have to negotiate with contractors, property managers and other professionals.
Job description example: Strong negotiating skills
Assessing the skill: Consider incorporating role-playing scenarios into the interview process. Present the candidate with a situation where they need to mediate a dispute, de-escalate a tense situation or find a compromise between conflicting parties. Pay attention to how they communicate, their ability to remain calm under pressure and their problem-solving approach to reach mutually beneficial outcomes.
5. Time management
Included in 7.76% of real estate job postings
Agents often work evenings and weekends to meet their clients’ needs. It’s not unusual for an agent to have several appointments in a single day, so the person you hire should manage their time effectively. If you have a large team, your new hire may need to fit meetings, training sessions and other commitments into their schedule, making time management skills even more vital.
Job description example: Excellent time-management skills
Assessing the skill: Ask interview questions related to time management, contact former supervisors to inquire about the candidate’s time-management skills or ask the candidate to complete a pre-employment exercise to assess how they prioritize tasks.
6. Mentoring
Included in 5.06% of real estate job postings
As agents gain seniority, you may need them to mentor newer agents. By sharing industry knowledge, best practices and personal insights, more experienced agents can help mentees navigate the complexities of real estate, from client relations to contract negotiations.
Job description example: Previous mentoring experience
Assessing the skill: If a candidate has previous mentoring skills, you can ask them to describe their experience. If not, scenario-based questions can help evaluate mentorship ability and leadership style.
7. Pricing
Included in 3.61% of real estate job postings
Pricing can make or break a real estate transaction. If a seller asks for too much, they may not attract buyers, causing a property to be on the market longer than necessary. However, if the price is too low, the seller may not get enough to pay off the existing mortgage or meet personal financial needs. To keep clients happy, you need an agent who can advise on pricing.
Job description example: Ability to follow real estate market pricing trends
Assessing the skill: Ask the candidate to explain their pricing philosophy or demonstrate how they’d advise a client in a fictitious scenario.
8. Microsoft Excel
Included in 1.89% of real estate job postings
If you use Microsoft Excel to track sales data, your new hire may need to use the software with little to no training. Real estate professionals also use Excel to create charts and graphs for their reports, making this skill essential.
Job description example: Intermediate or advanced Microsoft Excel experience
Assessing the skill: Administer a Microsoft Excel skills test to your top candidates.
9. Organizational Skills
Included in 1.87% of real estate job postings
Organizational skills are essential for real estate agents, as they must manage multiple properties, clients, documents and deadlines simultaneously. Keeping track of contracts, appointments, and marketing efforts requires strong organizational abilities to ensure nothing is overlooked.
Job description example: Excellent organizational skills
Assessing the skill: Ask the candidate to explain their organizational system and how they handle multiple priorities simultaneously.
10. Marketing
Included in 1.72% of real estate job postings
A real estate agent must be able to market properties effectively to attract buyers. Look for an agent with innovative ideas who can work well with your existing marketing team.
Job description example: Strong marketing skills required
Assessing the skill: Ask each candidate to explain their marketing strategy for a sample property.
11. Social media management
Included in 1.53% of real estate job postings
Many agents post their listings on social media to broaden their audience. If your company uses Facebook, X and other networks, you might need an employee who understands how to create posts, integrate text with images, engage with commenters and perform related tasks.
Job description example: Ability to promote listings via social media
Assessing the skill: Review past examples of the candidate’s social media postings or have the candidate create a mock social media post as part of the interview.
12. Leadership
Included in 1.51% of real estate job postings
Clients look to their agents for advice and support, so your new hire should have strong leadership skills. Applicable skills may include taking responsibility, achieving shared goals and creating a vision supported by the entire team.
Job description example: Strong leadership skills
Assessing the skill: Ask each candidate to discuss when they had to display leadership skills or describe their leadership style.
13. Microsoft Office
Included in 1.46% of real estate job postings
Agents typically use Microsoft Office for a variety of tasks, such as writing comparable sales reports, creating charts and graphs, preparing presentations and drafting offer letters. You may want your new hire to fully understand this software suite.
Job description example: Intermediate or advanced Microsoft Office skills
Assessing the skill: Administer a pre-employment skills test to evaluate a candidate’s ability using Microsoft Office.
14. Fair Housing regulations
Included in 1.25% of real estate job postings
Real estate agents must abide by the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on several protected characteristics. Your firm can be held responsible for any violations, so it’s essential to hire someone who understands and follows the regulations.
Job description example: Familiar with Fair Housing regulations
Assessing the skill: Ask interview questions to assess a candidate’s familiarity with Fair Housing regulations.
15. Computer skills
Included in 1.24% of real estate job postings
Agents might use computers to send emails, prepare reports, research market trends and complete other tasks. Additionally, familiarity with listing services and digital communication platforms is crucial for effective property marketing and client interactions. If you prefer to offer less training, you may look for someone who already has strong computer skills.
Job description example: Strong computer skills, including word processing and internet research
Assessing the skill: Administer a pre-employment computer skills test.
16. Training and development
Included in 1.18% of real estate job postings
Your new hire may have to train other employees, especially if you intend to hire someone who can advance in their position quickly. You could save your company time by searching for a candidate with previous training experience.
Job description example: Demonstrated experience training others
Assessing the skill: Ask each candidate to describe their experience training people in a professional environment or how they would create a training and development plan for other agents.
17. Spanish
Included in 1.08% of real estate job postings
Many buyers and sellers speak Spanish as their first language, so it’s helpful if your agents are fluent. Being able to communicate effectively in Spanish allows agents to build rapport and trust with clients who prefer to speak in their primary language.
Job description example: Spanish fluency required
Assessing the skill: Administer a pre-employment assessment or ask each candidate to demonstrate their skills during the interview.
18. Writing skills
Included in 1.06% of real estate job postings
Many clients prefer to communicate via email, making excellent writing skills essential. Real estate agents also have to write reports, create presentation slides and perform other writing-intensive tasks.
Job description example: Strong writing skills
Assessing the skill: Ask candidates to create a sample listing for a mock property as part of the interview..
19. Contracts
Included in 0.93% of real estate job postings
Every sale requires a contract between the buyer and seller. Successful agents know how to negotiate contract terms and spot errors in existing agreements, which can help your company save money.
Job description example: Experience negotiating and reviewing contracts
Assessing the skill: Ask detailed questions about each candidate’s contract experience during the interview process.
20. Purchasing
Included in 0.88% of real estate job postings
Agents with strong purchasing skills understand the nuances of the market, including pricing trends, property valuation and negotiation tactics. They can effectively guide clients through the purchasing process, helping them assess properties, make competitive offers and navigate financing options.
Job description example: Purchasing experience
Assessing the skill: Ask candidates to provide examples of their experience in negotiating property purchases, evaluating market conditions and successfully closing deals.
21. Property management
Included in 0.88% of real estate job postings
The candidate you hire may work closely with property managers or even handle some property management tasks on their own. For example, your employee may need to collect rent or initiate eviction proceedings while waiting for someone to buy a multifamily property.
Job description example: Demonstrated property management experience
Assessing the skill: Review each candidate’s resume carefully for signs of property management experience.
22. Bilingual
Included in 0.65% of real estate job postings
Being bilingual is a significant asset for real estate agents, as it allows them to effectively communicate with a broader range of clients and build stronger relationships.
Job description example: Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred
Assessing the skill: Ask candidates to demonstrate their language skills verbally or in writing during the interview.
23. Public accounting
Included in 0.64% of real estate job postings
If you operate a brokerage, you may need an agent who can help manage financial statements and accounting matters. Look for a candidate who’s comfortable preparing income statements, balance sheets and other financial documents. It’s also helpful if your new hire knows how to analyze and categorize transactions.
Job description example: Experience preparing financial statements for real estate brokerages
Assessing the skill: Ask each candidate to prepare a financial statement using made-up data.
24. Banking
Included in 0.58% of real estate job postings
Real estate agents work closely with banking professionals, as many buyers need mortgages for their properties. The person you hire should understand relevant banking regulations and know how they impact buyers and sellers.
Job description example: Banking experience highly preferred
Assessing the skill: Ask in-depth interview questions about banking regulations and how they affect real estate transactions.
25. Lead generation
Included in 0.52% of real estate job postings
To keep business flowing, real estate agents may need to generate leads. Leads could become future clients, so they’re likely essential for your business’ success.
Job description example: Experience using multiple lead-generation methods
Assessing the skill: Ask each candidate to describe how they’d approach generating leads in a specific market.
Other top real estate agent skills in-demand
Here are an additional 25 real estate agent skills that are common in real estate job postings on Indeed:
26. Conversion optimization: Included in 0.45% of real estate job postings
27. Administrative experience: Included in 0.42% of real estate job postings
28. Statistics: Included in 0.41% of real estate job postings
29. English: Included in 0.40% of real estate job postings
30. Phone etiquette: Included in 0.31% of real estate job postings
31. Content creation: Included in 0.30% of real estate job postings
32. Management: Included in 0.30% of real estate job postings
33. Google Suite: Included in 0.27% of real estate job postings
34. Microsoft Word: Included in 0.27% of real estate job postings
35. Tutoring: Included in 0.26% of real estate job postings
36. Multilingual: Included in 0.25% of real estate job postings
37. Territory management: Included in 0.24% of real estate job postings
38. Computer networking: Included in 0.20% of real estate job postings
39. Analysis skills: Included in 0.20% of real estate job postings
40. Real estate administrative experience: Included in 0.20% of real estate job postings
41. Facebook advertising: Included in 0.20% of real estate job postings
42. CRM software: Included in 0.16% of real estate job postings
43. Sales pipeline: Included in 0.16% of real estate job postings
44. Recruiting: Included in 0.16% of real estate job postings
45. Telemarketing: Included in 0.13% of real estate job postings
46. Databases: Included in 0.12% of real estate job postings
47. Construction: Included in 0.12% of real estate job postings
48. Research: Included in 0.12% of real estate job postings
49. Microsoft Outlook: Included in 0.11% of real estate job postings
50. Market research: Included in 0.11% of real estate job postings
¹Indeed data (US), January 2023 – Dec 2023
