Do you often find yourself lost in a rabbit hole of searching for properties? Or maybe you’re looking for a job where you can leverage your strong communication, negotiation, and problem solving skills?
A career as a real estate agent might be for you. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the different ways you can become a real estate agent in the UK.
What steps do I need to take to become a real estate agent?
In the UK, there are no mandatory training or certification requirements you need to meet in order to become a real estate agent. So how do you begin your journey to becoming a real estate agent? There are a number of options at your disposal, which we’ll highlight below.
Enrol in a relevant degree
While you’re not required to have a specific degree or qualifications to become a real estate agent in the UK, a bachelor’s degree in real estate could help to set you apart in what is a notoriously competitive industry.
Tertiary qualifications in real estate will not only give you a strong foundational knowledge of the real estate sector, but also equip you with the skills you need to excel.
Some examples of the skills and knowledge you will need to develop as a real estate agent include:
- Communication skills
- Negotiation skills
- Sales skills
- Time management
- Interpersonal skills
- Knowledge of UK property laws
- Knowledge of the local real estate market
- Knowledge of industry trends
Other relevant degrees you may wish to consider include marketing, sales, business, estate management, and civil and structural engineering.
Undertake training
You can also enrol in a specialist training course in real estate. There are many course providers and courses to choose from, so be sure to do your research before committing to one. As a rule of thumb, look for courses run by a reputable professional real estate organisation, like Propertymark.
Find an apprenticeship
Another path you can take to become a real estate agent is to find an apprenticeship at a real estate agency. As you can imagine, these can be quite competitive, so it’s always helpful if you can offer relevant skills and knowledge to gain an edge over the competition. For example, if you have a relevant degree or training to your name, it may help to set you apart.
Keep in mind that while it’s not mandatory to have achieved a particular score in your GCSE to get an apprenticeship, some real estate agencies will take into account your GCSE results during the recruitment process.
Become a trainee or entry-level role
You can also get your start as a trainee in a relevant industry. For example, you could apply for trainee jobs in sales in an effort to strengthen your sales skills and knowledge. Another option is to apply for an entry-level administrative role in a real estate agency.
Be open to new opportunities
Once you take your first steps to becoming a real estate agent, you may be surprised to learn that other roles may spark your interest. For example, if you want to work directly with buyers to help them find their dream home, a job as a buyer’s agent may be worth looking into. Or if you enjoy crunching numbers, a career as a broker could be ideal.
Even if you’re certain about a career as a real estate agent, try to keep an open mind to new opportunities, as you never know what they could lead to.
Next steps
Now that you know what you can do to become a real estate agent, you’re probably wondering what you should do next.
The answer is simple: get started. It sounds simple enough, but this is the part where many people get stuck. They’re excited to move forward, but also have some trepidation thinking about the hard work that lies ahead. Like any career, becoming a real estate agent takes perseverance and hard work. If you think it’s the career for you, though, it will be worth it.
Author bio
Monica Mizzi is a senior SEO and content marketing specialist at Doorsteps, where she aims to help demystify the process of buying, selling, and investing property. When she’s not working, she enjoys dining out with friends, exploring new places, and yoga.