How to Become a Real Estate Agent in the UK

Developing Your Education and Skills

Get a degree in estate and property management to give yourself an edge. Although it is not required to have a degree to become an estate agent legally, attending university will give you a strong foundation for a career. Additionally, having a degree will show future employers and clients that you have gone through appropriate training to handle all the ins and outs of selling a home. 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.

Find a certificate course program to get specialized training in the field. If a university is not an option for you, there are also certificate programs offered that will give a hyper-specialized training overview of estate agency. These types of programs can often be completed in a few months or less, and they will often be specialized in residential, letting, or commercial real estate. 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.

Develop your communication and interpersonal skills. It’s important to be able to communicate clearly with clients, so an estate agent is a job for someone who enjoys working face-to-face with a variety of personalities. Be sure to listen carefully to what your clients tell you they are looking for. Aim to be available during regular business hours and respond to client calls and emails in a timely manner. 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.

Learn to negotiate. You’ll need to negotiate with sellers, buyers, and other agents to get your clients the best possible deal. Determine a maximum or minimum price with your client before negotiating so you can stick to their bottom line. Don’t let others rush you and know that it’s okay to walk away if a fair deal cannot be brokered. Try not to take negotiations personally; it is business, after all.

Gaining Experience and Finding a Job

Work in sales and/or business before jumping in with an estate agency. Estate agents require a broad range of skills, but two of the most important are sales and general business. Having experience working in a sales industry, for example, will not only help you to be more prepared in selling properties, but it can help show a potential employer you can do the same with properties. 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.

Take an apprenticeship at an estate agency firm to get your foot in the door. Working directly with other agents can provide you with invaluable knowledge in the industry. As an apprentice, you can shadow, help, and work with experienced agents who will be able to teach you what it takes to be successful in their career. 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.

Create a strong CV that’s targeted to the job you want. Include your personal information, education, work experience, and relevant skills on your CV. Use a legible font and ensure your CV is free from errors; it’s a great idea to ask a friend or family member to read through it before printing it out or sending it off. 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.

Look online, network, and attend job fairs to find leads. Online sites like Indeed and Craigslist often post job openings for estate agents. You can also ask friends, family members, colleagues, and acquaintances if they know of any companies hiring estate agents. Don’t forget to ask old schoolmates and professors as well! In addition, check out local job fairs to chat with agents from estate firms in your area.

Find an estate agent position at an existing firm once you’re ready. If you’re a bit more experienced or have a certificate or degree on your CV, then you might be ready to apply directly as an agent. Starting out with an existing firm will give you the support to get started out while you gain some experience. 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.

Start your own independent company once you have experience under your belt. After working as a real estate agent for a few years, you may want to start your own firm to run things your way. Be sure to register your estate agency businesses with Companies House. Additionally, you will now be responsible for taxes, legal liability, and any employees you might hire down the line. 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.