Being a real estate agent means wearing many different hats throughout your daily professional life.

Have you ever read a description for a job you sorely wanted, only to scroll to the bottom to see a subtle disclaimer explaining that your day-to-day duties may differ from the above description? You may think, “Well, I’ll just grab the proverbial bull by the horns, face the challenge of the unknown, and ready myself for what the job brings my way.” 

Now let’s imagine that the job you pine for is that of a real estate agent, and you’ve chosen to take the route just described. If I was less empathetic, I might ask you, a novice real estate agent who’s been on the job for about three months, “So, how’s that working out for you?” Fortunately, I am sensitive to the trials and tribulations of new agents, so rather than offer a snarky comment, I’m going to let you in on a little secret—being a real estate agent is nothing like what you think it’s going to be.

Of course, you’ll be involved in the process of helping clients buy and sell homes, but the job of a real estate agent involves far more than open houses, showings, and paperwork. In fact, during the first 30 days as a new real estate agent, you’ll come to quickly discover that the job of a real estate agent is several jobs rolled into one.

Marketer

One of the foremost roles of a real estate agent is that of a marketer. You need not only to market yourself as a professional agent but also your clients’ homes to prospective buyers. Some larger brokerages may offer you assistance with your marketing, but the bottom line is you’re an entrepreneur running your own business, and your clients are your responsibility. There are endless marketing strategies and tactics, and a large part of your job as an agent is to develop the necessary skills and learn how to use the tools available to both grow your business and satisfy your clients.

Therapist

Buying, selling, or renting a property are all exciting adventures, but they also tend to cause people a lot of stress. This is common and understandable, but agents are often the ones who carry some of the weight. Negotiating a tough deal, trying to sell a less-than-desirable home, or dealing with high-pressure deals requires an agent to offer their emotional support to clients.

Stager

Staging a home is a vital step to putting a home on the market. While depersonalizing is important, having some sense of homeiness and comfort is important to the sale. Not every property is going to require a major redesign, but changes will be required. More often than not, and unless you hire a professional, preparing a home for sale will require some creativity on the agent’s end.

Photographer

Listing photos can make or break a house hunter’s search. A listing without adequate photos might mean a potential buyer moves to another ad. This is why an agent either has to take on the job themselves or hire a photographer up for the task. High-quality pictures are often the first impression for buyers, and a Realtor® is there to make this a golden opportunity to wow prospects.

Master juggler

From the first meeting with a client to signing the closing contract, the real estate agent is there for it all. Among the many task you’ll be expected to fulfill are working through financial situations, giving decorating advice, explaining industry jargon, and guiding your clients throughout this exciting, yet time-consuming process.

A Realtor® works in all types of weather and takes those anxious calls at all hours with a smile on their face. Their job description doesn’t stop at real estate, and the hats they wear one day may differ from the ones they wear the next. All in all, a successful agent will always go above and beyond to ensure their client’s experience is the best it can be.