real estate listings! You

Colorado HomeFinder | ColoradoReal Estate, Search ColoradoHomes for Sale in the MLS Call 800.231.9153 | Contact Us If you already have an account, sign in here Colorado Real Estate - find out first about the newest real estate listings! You learn about homes for sale the day they hit the market - before other buyers. Automated HomeAlert emails you new listings that fit your personal home search criteria and gives you access to all the Colorado real estate listings. It's easy - Just submit your email address and home search criteria. Your email is not shared or sold to anyone. You incur no obligation or cost for this free real estate service. Our Privacy Policy: We respect your privacy. All information provided is strictly confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time. Colorado HomeFinder will never sell or share your information with any outside parties. Click here to review our Privacy Policy . 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Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Please select if necessary Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Please select if necessary Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Contact Information Name: * First Name: Last Name: E-mail: * (Valid email address is required to receive listings) Re-enter E-mail: * Phone Contact: * Home Phone: Work Phone: Information that will help us serve you better Your level of Interest: * I have a HIGH interest in buying a home and am ready to start visiting homes now. (Please provide your phone number) I have a MEDIUM interest in buying a home, but I just started my search and need to become more familiar with the market. I do not have any definite plans to move at this time. I am just curious about the listings that are currently on the market. I currently: * live in Colorado plan to move to Colorado Your Comments Any additional information that will help us better understand your needs I agree with Colorado HomeFinder Terms & Conditions Just getting familiar with Colorado real estate? Or, do you know the exact street where you want to live? No matter what stage you are in your home search, Automated HomeAlert is for you! The latest technology makes finding homes for sale easier than ever ! Automatic email notification of new listings and access to all the real estate listings from all the brokerages saves you time - and makes searching for homes fun. You are in control! Colorado HomeFinder lets you search for real estate at your own pace. If you are just thinking about a buying a home, no problem...the Automated HomeAlert System is a great way to get familiar with the Colorado real estate market. If you are ready to start seeing homes in person, just let us know. Our local, licensed REALTORs can show you any property on the market. Get matched with a great REALTOR When you're ready for the assistance of a REALTOR, we will match you with the Colorado HomeFinder REALTOR that knows your target market best. Colorado HomeFinder agents are hand-picked REMAX professionals that average over 15 years of experience. We're a Colorado company, not a national referral service with a "list of agents." Our REALTORs are some of the best in the business and are true Colorado real estate market experts! 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Investment Property

New Zealand Investment Property Investments New Zealand Resort Apartments Holiday Homes Property Investment | Recreation | Golf | Facilities | What's New | Accommodation | Contact Us Print this page Your New Zealand Resort Investment For family holidays, semi-retirement living, long weekends, or a managed investment to share with friends and relatives, the benefits of owning a property at Terrace Downs High Country Resort are unmistakably for one purpose - enjoying life to the full. Investment opportunities include:- Lifestyle land blocks Fairway Chalet sites The Terrace Villas - luxury condominium style apartments Lakeside Villas The Lodge Suites Ownership means having a luxurious and stylish retreat away from city hassles and suburban drudgery. It provides security in a relaxing and rewarding environment ideal for personal pursuits. Because a finite number residential homes will be developed at the Resort, there is excellent potential for capital gain from ownership. When not being lived in, Terrace Downs offers full or partial managed leasing that will return rental income to owners. Each property comes with a family membership of the golf club and other present as well as future on-site leisure activities, with unlimited access on annual payment of a modest membership fee. Freehold, fee simple titles are available, and building covenants have been drawn up to protect the integrity of the environment, the architecture and ultimately your investment. Up-to-date financial information on investment conditions in New Zealand is shown by going to the page Why Invest At Terrace Downs? For the latest on property availability and pricing details, please contact Brian or Fiona Brakenridge: Email invest@terracedowns.co.nz , or phone +64 3 313 0219 (office), +64 21 406 768 (mobile), or +64 3 312 6600 (a/h). The Terrace Villas - Resort Condos & Apartments | Lakeside Building Lots | Why Invest at Terrace Downs | Property Site Maps | NZ Resort Lifestyle Blocks | Testimonials | Avoca | Acheron | Coleridge | Harper | Lyndon Terrace Downs High Country Resort Coleridge Road, Rakaia Gorge Darfield, RD2, New Zealand Free Phone: 0800 GOLF RESORT (0800 465-373) Phone: +64 3 318 6943, Fax: + 64 3 317 9372 Email: Home | Print this page | Send this page | Privacy and Disclaimer | Site Map | Accommodation Rates | Outside Links | Top Updated Saturday, 11 June 2005 publishing system by Cabbage Tree

Buy House

1DO3.com: Home & Lifestyle > Buy a house or flat CallCode™ Login Home | Web Log | Make home page | Send this page | About 1DO3 Membership | 1DO3 More | Suggest Changes | Help Christmas | Computing & Technology | Education & Training | Family | Health | Home & Lifestyle | Kids | Leisure & Arts | Money | News & Reference | Politics & Government | Science & Planet | Shopping | Society & Law | Sport | Travel | Work & Employment What do you want to do? Get yourself a web site by teatime. Easy, intuitive and free . Just sign up and go. From the creators of 1DO3. Buy a house or flat cookery equipment DIY equipment and tools electronic equipment (TVs etc.) furniture gardening equipment, supplies and plants household appliances Check your horoscope Cook a meal Decorate your home Do building work Find local services Find a recipe trades person (plumbers etc.) Get gardening advice and information insured Indulge yourself Interpret your dreams Keep a pet Lead a healthy lifestyle Move house Protect your home Rent a flat Run a business from home If what you want to do isn't listed, click here to suggest it to us. Support 1DO3 by clicking through to our affiliated sites below: -- Home & Lifestyle > Buy a house or flat Check prices Land Registry This brilliant site means you can find out what other houses in any particular street cost last time they were sold, what your old flat went for last year, how much the bloke next door paid for his. No more secrets, no more dissembling from estate agents. Contact estate agents Just a Sign If you want to sell your own home without the aid of estate agents then this site could be of some use. They can provide you with your own personalised and professionally made for sale sign to stick on the front of your property. National Association of Estate Agents The NAEA is a national standards body for Estate Agents. Their members subscribe to a code of good practice, and this site will tell you where to find them. Gives you some protection from the sharks! Find a house or flat Fish 4 Homes A simple to use website that can help you to find homes to buy or rent in a specific area of the country. As well as location, you can also specify price range and factors such as number of bedrooms and type of property. Useful and pretty quick as well. Heritage Here is a full list of listed buildings for sale run by a firm of estate agents modestly called Pavilions of Splendour. Its got some great places for sale, and some useful information about this particular market. Property Finder One of the biggest listings of property from all over the UK. Simply provide some details and Property Finder will search its database of over 100,000 properties to find suitable matches. You can also use this site to find a local estate agents. The Move Channel - Site Finder The Move Channel contains a database of over 5000 property related sites from the UK. Using their search engine or browsing through the categories you can find loads of relevant and useful sites that can help you find, sell, buy or rent property. UK Property Move - Home Finder Advertise your property online or use this free service to find yourself a new place to live. You can search in all regions of the country and specify details such as a price range to narrow down the options. Could be a useful way to advertise property. UK Property Shop UK National Directory of Estate Agents. Selling, buying, renting are all covered. It has a simple search with email enquiries, full addresses, and contact details of agents given. It also has some property listings. Find a mortgage Charcoal Online This website offers independent advice and can help you choose between over 500 different products available from almost 50 different lenders. Covers mortgages, re-mortgages, first time buyers, buy to let mortgages and has a 'best buys' bargains section. MCCB - Consumers The Mortgage Code Compliance Board are responsible for ensuring that you are well informed and protected when you take out a mortgage. If you have any problems with your lender, it is worth seeing if they can help. Mortgage Point A mortgage site that is specifically aimed at people with bad credit history or first time buyers. They have access to a large number of different products from major lenders and have a form to fill in online to request individual recommendations. Mortgage Sorter Brilliant unbiased information and advice about mortgages in the UK from this well recommended site. The site is packed with well written and jargon free information and can help you to find the best deals and save yourself hundreds of pounds a year. Mortgages Online A good independent mortgage advice site that has different sections covering first time buyers, home movers, re-mortgages and buying to let. They subscribe to all the most important codes of standards and consequently the advice is generally very good. Your Mortgage This mortgage magazine brings you the latest news and deals in a well designed and easy to use website. There are some very useful facilities on this site that can help you make important calculations and find a mortgage that best suits your situation. Find local services Scoot This is one of the best online directories in the UK. Finding businesses and services all over the country is simple and easy and the results of your searches are usually presented really quickly. They also have a good cinema finder. The Post Office The official site of the post office can be a little slow to load but once its all there, this is a useful and informative site. It includes the ability to find your nearest post office to within one mile and get postcodes for UK addresses. UK Online - Local Services Use this amazing site to find your local citizens advice bureau, job centre, health services, passport agency, post office, schools, social security office, tax offices and much more local information. A brilliant resource. Up my street By simply entering your postcode, you will be given an up to date guide to some very detailed information about your local neighbourhood. Includes property prices, local services, local government, childcare, employment and much more besides. Yell The online yellow pages allows you to search millions of businesses across the UK to find the services you need in your local area. Get free quotes (surveyors etc.) Really Moving - Free Quotes This service from the excellent 'Really Moving' site provides free quotations on a number of common moving-home related services such as surveys, conveyancing, cleaning etc. The quotes are from reputable companies in your area and are in no way binding. Get help with conveyancing Conceyancing Marketing Service This site aims to help you deal with the intricacies of conveyancing and offers practical advice and competitive quotes for conveyancing services. Easier 2 Move An online conveyancing site that offers to find you a conveyancing solicitor at a a competitive fixed rate with no extra hidden charges. The site is well designed and easy to use and getting a free quote takes seconds. Tip: "Press F5 to refresh the page you are currently looking at. Pressing 'Ctrl' and 'F5' together will download a new version of the same page." Please send us tips that you think other users would find useful - editor@1DO3.com If there are websites you think should be on this list, please click here to suggest them to us. © 1999-2005 DuckDriver Ltd. All rights reserved. 1do3, ido3, 1d03, id03 and CallCode are trademarks of DuckDriver Ltd. Co.No. 4015550. PO Box 228, Chichester, PO20 8WF

Rental Property

Vacation Rentals, Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and More - Rentalo.com -- Vacation Rentals, Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts Testimonials | Contact Rentalo | Help (Live) Enter a destination: Subscribe "This service is amazing!!! I live overseas, and was planning to meet some family members and stay with freinds in Vail free for my holiday. Two weeks prior to the holiday, my freinds informed me the house was no longer availalbe; wed have to find other accomodations. After three days and many hours of searching through websites, sometimes getting responses and sometimes not, I stumbled upon your service, sent one form off, and over the next 3 days received over 20 responses with places that I would have stayed at any one of! We ended up with a great home, at a VERY reasonable price, and NO STRESS. This service is FANSTASTIC for the renter/user." Cynthia Cupak "I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING. IT SAVES HOURS OF SEARCHING!!!!" Wendi Kirby " I just wanted to tell you how much time and money your service saved me! Your excellent way of breaking down the listings was great! I did not have to deal with excess verbage. Keep up the good work! Thanks again, Mike Donohue" Mike Donohue "Just wanted to pass along my thanks. This service worked extremely well and I was able to find exactly what I was looking for in Mexico. What I liked best was not having to search for anything and having exactly what I requested sent to me. I have already recommended your service to several of my colleagues and friends who were equally impressed." Sue McGregor "Thanks so much for your help. We were able to book a condo for the dates we required to accomodate our needs. It is still winter in MN so we are really looking forward to visiting Florida. Thanks again for a great site that did the leg work for us." P Rehder "Great service, extremely friendly contact with everyone who has responded." Ty Miller "Thank you very much, you did a great job in making up this web page. Now to hear from potential customers........It is great!" Art Nunes See more testimonials United States Orlando Mammoth Lakes Miami Beach Poconos South Lake Tahoe Beech Mountain Ft Lauderdale Kissimmee Ocean City Las Vegas More... Europe London Zermatt Geneva Paris Interlaken Amsterdam Zuerich Rome Barcelona Dublin More... Canada Mont Tremblant Whistler Blue Mountain Banff Canmore Toronto Vancouver Montreal Victoria Shell Lake Prince Edward Island More... Caribbean Aruba St John St Maarten St Martin Cayman Islands Negril Bahamas Turks And Caicos Islands Bermuda San Juan Ocho Rios More... Mexico Puerto Vallarta Playa Del Carmen Mazatlan Cancun Rosarito Bucerias Tulum Acapulco Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Troncones San Felipe More... Asia Bangalore Jaipur Tokyo Agra Goa Chennai Hyderabad Mumbai New Delhi Singapore More... South America Rio De Janeiro Belo Horizonte Buenos Aires Punta Del Este Georgetown Quito Bogota Brasilia Margarita Island Lima More... Central America Belize Quepos Bocas Del Toro Managua Manuel Antonio El Salvador Antigua Puerto Viejo Limon Puntarenas San Jose More... South Pacific Sydney Gold Coast Auckland Byron Bay Perth Melbourne Coogee Beach Fiji Fiji Island Goroka More... Africa Cape Town Durban Cairo Cameroon Yaounde Egypt Somalia Algeria Libreville More... About rentalo.com - Rentalo is the largest, fastest growing, most relevant global directory for vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, hotels, and other lodgings, with over 100,000 property listings in close to 15,000 destinations worldwide. Travelers & Vacationers - In Rentalo you find the best values in vacation rentals, bed & breakfasts, hotels, and other lodgings. Property owners & managers - With Rentalo you receive the best return on investment (ROI) for your rental or lodging business. Enter your email to view the rental offers you have received help Search New Destination | Vacation Rentals | Press | Affiliates | Newsletter | Site Map | © 2005 Rentalo.com | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy

Real estate agents usually

Real estate brokers and sales agents Skip Navigation Links Latest Numbers U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov Search the Handbook BLS Home | OOH Home | Frequently Asked Questions | A-Z Index | Contact Us Printer-friendly version ( HTML ) -- PDF ) -- Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents Nature of the Work Working Conditions Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement Employment Job Outlook Earnings Related Occupations Sources of Additional Information Significant Points Real estate brokers and sales agents often work evenings and weekends and usually are on call to suit the needs of clients. A license is required in every State and the District of Columbia. Although gaining a job may be relatively easy, beginning workers may face competition fromwell-established, more experienced agents and brokers in obtaining listings and in closing an adequate number of sales. Employment is sensitive to swings in the economy, especially interest rates; during periodsof declining economic activity and increasing interest rates, the volume of sales and the resultingdemand for sales workers fall. Nature of the Work [ About this section ] Back to Top One of the most complex and significant financial events in peoples lives is the purchase or sale of a home or investment property. Because of this complexity and significance, people typically seek the help of real estate brokers and sales agents when buying or selling real estate. Real estate brokers and sales agents have a thorough knowledge of the real estate market in their communities. They know which neighborhoods will best fit clients needs and budgets. They are familiar with local zoning and tax laws and know where to obtain financing. Agents and brokers also act as intermediaries in price negotiations between buyers and sellers. Real estate agents usually are independent sales workers who provide their services to a licensed real estate broker on a contract basis. In return, the broker pays the agent a portion of the commission earned from the agents sale of the property. Brokers are independent businesspeople who sell real estate owned by others; they also may rent or manage properties for a fee. When selling real estate, brokers arrange for title searches and for meetings between buyers and sellers during which the details of the transactions are agreed upon and the new owners take possession of the property. A broker may help to arrange favorable financing from a lender for the prospective buyer; often, this makes the difference between success and failure in closing a sale. In some cases, brokers and agents assume primary responsibility for closing sales; in others, lawyers or lenders do. Brokers supervise agents who may have many of the same job duties. Brokers also supervise their own offices, advertise properties, and handle other business matters. Some combine other types of work, such as selling insurance or practicing law, with their real estate business. Besides making sales, agents and brokers must have properties to sell. Consequently, they spend a significant amount of time obtaining listings—agreements by owners to place properties for sale with the firm. When listing a property for sale, agents and brokers compare the listed property with similar properties that recently sold, in order to determine a competitive market price for the property. Once the property is sold, both the agent who sold it and the agent who obtained the listing receive a portion of the commission. Thus, agents who sell a property that they themselves have listed can increase their commission. Most real estate brokers and sales agents sell residential property. A small number—usually employed in large or specialized firms—sell commercial, industrial, agricultural, or other types of real estate. Every specialty requires knowledge of that particular type of property and clientele. Selling or leasing business property requires an understanding of leasing practices, business trends, and the location of the property. Agents who sell or lease industrial properties must know about the regions transportation, utilities, and labor supply. Whatever the type of property, the agent or broker must know how to meet the clients particular requirements. Before showing residential properties to potential buyers, agents meet with them to get a feeling for the type of home the buyers would like. In this prequalifying phase, the agent determines how much the buyers can afford to spend. In addition, the agent and the buyer usually sign a loyalty contract which states that the agent will be the only one to show houses to buyers. An agent or broker then generates lists of properties for sale, their location and description, and available sources of financing. In some cases, agents and brokers use computers to give buyers a virtual tour of properties in which they are interested. With a computer, buyers can view interior and exterior images or floor plans without leaving the real estate office. Agents may meet several times with prospective buyers to discuss and visit available properties. Agents identify and emphasize the most pertinent selling points. To a young family looking for a house, they may emphasize the convenient floor plan, the areas low crime rate, and the proximity to schools and shopping centers. To a potential investor, they may point out the tax advantages of owning a rental property and the ease of finding a renter. If bargaining over price becomes necessary, agents must follow their clients instructions carefully and may have to present counteroffers in order to get the best possible price. Once both parties have signed the contract, the real estate broker or agent must make sure that all special terms of the contract are met before the closing date. For example, the agent must make sure that the mandated and agreed-upon inspections, including that of the home and termite and radon inspections, take place. Also, if the seller agrees to any repairs, the broker or agent must see that they are made. Increasingly, brokers and agents are handling environmental problems as well, by making sure that the properties they sell meet environmental regulations. For example, they may be responsible for dealing with lead paint on the walls. While loan officers, attorneys, or other persons handle many details, the agent must ensure that they are carried out. Working Conditions [ About this section ] Back to Top Advances in telecommunications and the ability to retrieve data about properties over the Internet allow many real estate brokers and sales agents to work out of their homes instead of real estate offices. Even with this convenience, much of the time of these workers is spent away from their desks—showing properties to customers, analyzing properties for sale, meeting with prospective clients, or researching the state of the market. Agents and brokers often work more than a standard 40-hour week. They usually work evenings and weekends and are always on call to suit the needs of clients. Although the hours are long and frequently irregular, most agents and brokers have the freedom to determine their own schedule. Consequently, they can arrange their work so that they can have time off when they want it. Business usually is slower during the winter season. Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement [ About this section ] Back to Top In every State and the District of Columbia, real estate brokers and sales agents must be licensed. Prospective agents must be high school graduates, be at least 18 years old, and pass a written test. The examination—more comprehensive for brokers than for agents—includes questions on basic real estate transactions and laws affecting the sale of property. Most States require candidates for the general sales license to complete between 30 and 90 hours of classroom instruction. Those seeking a brokers license need between 60 and 90 hours of formal training and a specific amount of experience selling real estate, usually 1 to 3 years. Some States waive the experience requirements for the brokers license for applicants who have a bachelors degree in real estate. State licenses typically must be renewed every 1 or 2 years; usually, no examination needs to be taken. However, many States require continuing education for license renewals. Prospective agents and brokers should contact the real estate licensing commission of the State in which they wish to work in order to verify the exact licensing requirements. As real estate transactions have become more legally complex, many firms have turned to college graduates to fill positions. A large number of agents and brokers have some college training. College courses in real estate, finance, business administration, statistics, economics, law, and English are helpful. For those who intend to start their own company, business courses such as marketing and accounting are as significant as courses in real estate or finance. Personality traits are equally as important as ones academic background. Brokers look for applicants who possess a pleasant personality, are honest, and present a neat appearance. Maturity, good judgment, trustworthiness, and enthusiasm for the job are required in order to encourage prospective customers in this highly competitive field. Agents should be well organized, be detail oriented, and have a good memory for names, faces, and business particulars. Those interested in jobs as real estate agents often begin in their own communities. Their knowledge of local neighborhoods is a clear advantage. Under the direction of an experienced agent, beginners learn the practical aspects of the job, including the use of computers to locate or list available properties and identify sources of financing. Many firms offer formal training programs for both beginners and experienced agents. Larger firms usually offer more extensive programs than smaller firms. More than a thousand universities, colleges, and junior colleges offer courses in real estate. At some, a student can earn an associates or bachelors degree with a major in real estate; several offer advanced degrees. Many local real estate associations that are members of the National Association of Realtors sponsor courses covering the fundamentals and legal aspects of the field. Advanced courses in mortgage financing, property development and management, and other subjects also are available. Advancement opportunities for agents may take the form of higher rates of commission. As agents gain knowledge and expertise, they become more efficient in closing a greater number of transactions and increase their earnings. In many large firms, experienced agents can advance to sales manager or general manager. Persons who have received their brokers license may open their own offices. Others with experience and training in estimating property value may become real estate appraisers, and people familiar with operating and maintaining rental properties may become property managers. (See the Handbook statements on property, real estate, and community association managers ; and appraisers and assessors of real estate . ) Experienced agents and brokers with a thorough knowledge of business conditions and property values in their localities may enter mortgage financing or real estate investment counseling. Employment [ About this section ] Back to Top In 2004, real estate brokers and sales agents held about 460,000 jobs; real estate sales agents held approximately 24 percent of these jobs. Many worked part time, combining their real estate activities with other careers. About 6 out of 10 real estate agents and brokers were self-employed. Real estate is sold in all areas, but employment is concentrated in large urban areas and in rapidly growing communities. Most real estate firms are relatively small; indeed, some are one-person businesses. By contrast, some large real estate firms have several hundred agents operating out of numerous branch offices. Many brokers have franchise agreements with national or regional real estate organizations. Under this type of arrangement, the broker pays a fee in exchange for the privilege of using the more widely known name of the parent organization. Although franchised brokers often receive help in training sales staff and running their offices, they bear the ultimate responsibility for the success or failure of their firms. Real estate brokers and sales agents are older, on average, than most other workers. Historically, many homemakers and retired persons were attracted to real estate sales by the flexible and part-time work schedules characteristic of the field. These individuals could enter, leave, and later return to the occupation, depending on the strength of the real estate market, their family responsibilities, or other personal circumstances. Recently, however, the attractiveness of part-time real estate work has declined, as increasingly complex legal and technological requirements are raising startup costs associated with becoming an agent. Job Outlook [ About this section ] Back to Top Employment of real estate brokers and sales agents is expected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through the year 2014, because of the increasing housing needs of a growing population, as well as the perception that real estate is a good investment. Relatively low interest rates should continue to stimulate sales of real estate, resulting in the need for more agents and brokers. In addition, a large number of job openings will arise each year from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. However, job growth will be somewhat limited by the increasing use of technology, which is improving the productivity of agents and brokers. For example, prospective customers often can perform their own searches for properties that meet their criteria by accessing real estate information on the Internet. The increasing use of technology is likely to be more detrimental to part-time or temporary real estate agents than to full-time agents, because part-time agents generally are not able to compete with full-time agents who have invested in new technology. Changing legal requirements, such as disclosure laws, also may dissuade some who are not serious about practicing full time from continuing to work part time. This occupation is relatively easy to enter and is attractive because of its flexible working conditions; the high interest in, and familiarity with, local real estate markets that entrants often have; and the potential for high earnings. Therefore, although gaining a job as a real estate agent or broker may be relatively easy, beginning agents and brokers may face competition from their well-established, more experienced counterparts in obtaining listings and in closing an adequate number of sales. Well-trained, ambitious people who enjoy selling—particularly those with extensive social and business connections in their communities—should have the best chance for success. Employment of real estate brokers and sales agents often is sensitive to swings in the economy, especially interest rates. During periods of declining economic activity and increasing interest rates, the volume of sales and the resulting demand for sales workers falls. As a result, the earnings of agents and brokers decline, and many work fewer hours or leave the occupation altogether. Earnings [ About this section ] Back to Top The median annual earnings of salaried real estate sales agents, including commissions, were $35,670 in May 2004.The middle 50 percent earned between $23,500 and $58,110 a year.The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,600, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $92,770.Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest number of real estate sales agents in May 2004 were as follows: Residential building construction $54,770 Offices of real estate agents and brokers 37,970 Activities related to real estate 32,460 Lessors of real estate 25,840 Median annual earnings of salaried real estate brokers, including commission, were $58,720in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,480 and $99,820 a year.Median annual earning of real estate brokers were $61,550 in offices of real estateagents and brokers and $44,920 in activities related to real estate. Commissions on sales are the main source of earnings of real estate agents and brokers.The rate of commission varies according to whatever the agent and broker agree on, the typeof property, and its value. The percentage paid on the sale of farm and commercialproperties or unimproved land is typically higher than the percentage paid for selling a home. Commissions may be divided among several agents and brokers. When the property issold, the broker or agent who obtained the listing usually shares the commission with thebroker or agent who made the sale and with the firm that employs each of them. Although anagents share varies greatly from one firm to another, often it is about half of the totalamount received by the firm. Agents who both list and sell a property maximize their commission. Income usually increases as an agent gains experience, but individual motivation,economic conditions, and the type and location of the property also affect earnings.Sales workers who are active in community organizations and in local real estate associationscan broaden their contacts and increase their earnings. A beginners earnings often areirregular, because a few weeks or even months may go by without a sale. Although some brokersallow an agent to draw against future earnings from a special account, the practice is notcommon with new employees. The beginner, therefore, should have enough money to live forabout 6 months or until commissions increase. Related Occupations [ About this section ] Back to Top Selling expensive items such as homes requires maturity, tact, and a sense of responsibility.Other sales workers who find these character traits important in their workinclude insurance sales agents ; retail salespersons ; sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing ; and securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents .Although not involving sales, the work of property, real estate, and community association managers ,as well as appraisers and assessors of real estate, requires an understanding of real estate. Sources of Additional Information [ About this section ] Back to Top Disclaimer: Links to non-BLS Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement. Information on licensing requirements for real estate brokers and sales agents is available from most local real estate organizations or from the State real estate commission or board. More information about opportunities in real estate is available on the Internet site of the following organization: National Association of Realtors. Internet: http://www.realtor.org OOH ONET Codes [ About this section ] Back to Top 41-9021.00, 41-9022.00 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook , 2006-07 Edition , Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents , on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ ocos120.htm (visited December 29, 2005 ). 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