Estate agents liaise with clients, solicitors and other property professionals to negotiate sales and lettings on residential properties. Working as an estate agent, you'll usually specialise in either sales or letting of residential properties, businesses or land on behalf of your clients. You'll value and market properties, with the aim of negotiating the best price for your client.
You'll usually specialise in one area of estate agency, such as:
residential sales
residential lettings
Required responsibilities of an Estate Agent
Your role will involve frequent liaison with banks, building societies, mortgage brokers, surveyors, solicitors and other estate agencies during transactions. You may also handle sales taking place via auction.
As an estate agent in residential properties in Scotland, you'll need to:
Collect information about a property and arrange for photographs to be taken
Visit and talk to sellers about their property and its special features
Estimate the value of a property
Market and promote properties for sale
Advise clients and help buyers decide what they want to buy
Keep up to date with trends in the relevant property market.
If you work in the lettings area of estate agency you'll need to:
Vet prospective tenants by collecting references and doing credit checks
Ensure properties meet legal and health and safety requirements, e.g. gas safety certificates
Draw up tenancy agreement contracts
Collect or organise rent payments
Act as a property manager and resolve any issues that arise with properties.
In Scotland, property sales are usually handled by a solicitor.
Expected salaries of Residential Sales Estate Agent Jobs
Starting salaries for estate agents are in the region of £15,000 to £21,000 on-target earnings (OTE) for trainee posts.
With experience, salaries can rise to £25,000 to £60,000, plus commission.
Salaries are typically made up of a basic salary plus commission, which is usually based on a percentage of your sales. Determining factors are location, your qualifications, the size of the firm and the economic climate.
Income figures are intended as a guide only.
Contact the Construction Division Team
Email the Construction Division at construction@stafffinders.co.uk.