Realtor Job Description Templates
Free realtor and real estate agent job description templates: general, buyer's agent, listing agent, broker, and small brokerage. With 1099 guidance. DOCX.
Realtor Job Description Templates
5 free templates with 1099 independent contractor guidance. Download as DOCX.
The realtor job description is one most brokerages copy from a generic recruiting template that lists "show homes and close deals" and stops, missing the things that actually shape this hire: real estate agents are almost always 1099 independent contractors rather than W-2 employees, the job description is really part of an independent contractor agreement, and what agents compare between brokerages is the commission split and support, not a salary. A brokerage copying a thin template often writes an employment-flavored posting that does not match how agents are actually engaged or what they care about.
At FirstHR, we build templates for small and independent brokerages growing their rosters. The five templates below cover the role: general real estate agent, buyer's agent, listing agent, broker, and a small-brokerage version. Each frames the engagement as a 1099 independent contractor and centers the commission split, which generic templates miss. Fill in the brackets and post, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
What Does a Real Estate Agent Do?
A real estate agent helps clients buy, sell, and rent properties, working under the supervision of a licensed broker. In federal occupational data the role maps to real estate sales agents, who help clients buy, sell, and rent properties and earn most of their income from commissions.
For the brokerage writing the posting, the useful frame is that the core agent work stays constant while the focus shifts by role: the full cycle for a general agent, buyer leads to closing for a buyer's agent, listings and marketing for a listing agent, supervision and compliance for a broker, or a hands-on role at a small brokerage. A Realtor, worth clarifying since it is in the search, is a real estate agent who is also a member of the National Association of REALTORS, a professional membership rather than a different job. That is why the templates below differ by role, and why every one of them centers the license and the commission split.
Agent Duties and Responsibilities
Real estate agent duties center on lead generation and clients, listings and showings, offers and negotiation, and contracts and compliance. The role shifts the weights, a buyer's agent versus a listing agent, but the categories hold. These are the duties grouped the way the templates use them.
A strong posting grounds these in the role with specifics: the commission split, the leads and support provided, the license required, and the brokerage culture. Agents read postings for the split, the leads, and the support, before applying. For a structured way to scope any role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Realtor vs Real Estate Agent vs Broker
The real estate titles differ by license, membership, and responsibility, and naming the role precisely keeps your posting accurate. Here is how they relate.
| Term | What it means | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Agent | Licensed salesperson who works under a broker | Active state salesperson license |
| Realtor | An agent or broker who is a member of NAR | License plus NAR membership |
| Real Estate Broker | Higher license; can supervise agents and operate independently | Active state broker license |
| Buyer's / Listing Agent | An agent focused on buyers or sellers | Active state salesperson license |
The license is what legally lets someone practice; Realtor is a voluntary membership designation on top of the license; and a broker holds a higher license with supervisory authority. For a posting, require the license, treat membership as a preference, and match the template to the role and license level.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by the role and the license level. The core agent work runs through them, but the focus, the license, and the compensation differ enough that the matched version always reads more credibly. Use this guide to choose.
5 Free Realtor and Real Estate Agent Job Description Templates
Download all five as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: brokerage overview, role summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, what you provide, and how to apply, with the engagement framed as 1099 independent contractor. Fill in the brackets and post.
Template 1: Real Estate Agent (General)
The base version: a licensed agent who helps clients buy, sell, and rent, handling leads, showings, negotiation, and closing as an independent contractor under your brokerage.
Template 2: Buyer's Agent
For an agent who works your buyer leads from first showing to closing: understanding buyer needs, writing offers, and negotiating on their behalf.
Template 3: Listing Agent / Seller's Agent
For an agent who wins and manages seller listings: listing appointments, pricing, marketing, and managing the sale to closing.
Template 4: Real Estate Broker
For a broker-licensed role that can operate independently and supervise agents, oversee compliance, and manage transactions.
Template 5: Small Brokerage Agent
For a small independent brokerage growing its team: a hands-on role working directly with the owner-broker, with a strong split and real support.
1099 vs W-2: How Real Estate Agents Are Classified
The single most important thing to get right on a realtor job description is the classification, because it changes what the document even is. The large majority of real estate agents are 1099 independent contractors rather than W-2 employees, and federal tax law treats them that way by design.
Under the statutory non-employee rules in Internal Revenue Code section 3508, a licensed real estate agent is treated as a non-employee for federal tax purposes when substantially all of their pay is based on sales output rather than hours worked, and there is a written contract stating they will not be treated as an employee. So a brokerage does not hire an agent the way a business hires a W-2 employee; it engages an independent contractor under an independent contractor agreement, and the job description becomes the role-and-expectations half of that agreement. W-2 salaried real estate roles do exist, mostly in larger corporate settings, but they are the exception. One important caveat: federal tax treatment under section 3508 and worker classification under federal labor law are separate questions, and the Department of Labor applies its own test, so confirm the right classification for your specific arrangement with a tax professional or attorney. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Qualifications and Licensing
Real estate qualifications center on the state license first, then the practical skills and tools, which makes the posting's job naming the real requirements clearly so candidates can self-qualify.
| Weak requirement | Strong requirement |
|---|---|
| Licensed | Active [State] real estate salesperson or broker license (required) |
| Insured | Errors-and-omissions (E&O) insurance, via brokerage or individual |
| Good salesperson | Proven lead generation, negotiation, and client-service skills |
| Has a car | Reliable transportation and a valid driver's license for showings |
| Self-starter | Comfortable with commission-based, self-directed income |
The active state license is non-negotiable, since every state requires agents and brokers to be licensed to practice, while membership in a professional association like NAR is a preference rather than a legal requirement. Keep every line job-related, and for the standard sections of a posting, the SHRM job description tools describe a good job description as a plain-language summary of a position's tasks, duties, and responsibilities.
How to Write a Real Estate Agent Job Description
A strong agent posting takes about 20 minutes and does two jobs: it gives a candidate the split, support, and license requirement they screen on, and it frames the engagement correctly as an independent contractor relationship. Here is the process the templates are built around. If you are growing a small brokerage, the guide to hiring covers the steps around the posting itself.
Real Estate Agent Pay
Real estate pay is commission-based, which makes the commission split, not a salary, the number that matters most in a posting.
Because agents are paid on commission rather than salary, actual earnings depend on transaction volume, the commission split, local prices, and the agent's own lead generation, so two agents at the same brokerage can earn very differently. For a posting, the most useful thing you can state is the commission split and fee structure rather than a salary figure, since that is what agents compare between brokerages, which is why the templates center the split. National compensation surveys can add market context for your area.
Recruiting Agents to a Small Brokerage
A small independent brokerage competes for agents against big franchises, and it wins on split, support, and a clean onboarding rather than brand name. Here is what actually matters when you recruit and engage an agent.
After You Sign: Onboarding the Agent
The job description is step one, and onboarding a real estate agent is different from a normal hire because the agent is a licensed independent contractor, so the steps are contractor- and compliance-focused. Start with the paperwork: the signed independent contractor agreement and commission-split schedule, a W-9, verification of the active state license, and confirmation of E&O insurance, the kind of contractor onboarding that differs from W-2 new hire paperwork.
Then set up access and tools (MLS, lockbox or Supra, CRM, marketing), cover brokerage policies and the applicable code of ethics, and ramp the agent so they start producing. The real estate agent onboarding checklist for brokers walks through the full sequence, and a 30-60-90 day plan can anchor the ramp, with the broader onboarding principles applying to contractors too. Once terms are agreed, the offer letter template can frame the engagement. FirstHR supports 1099 contractor onboarding with e-signature for the independent contractor agreement and related documents, document management for license and insurance records, task workflows for the onboarding steps, and training assignments, so a small brokerage can onboard each new agent consistently. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, and commission handling stays with your brokerage systems. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a real estate agent do?
A real estate agent helps clients buy, sell, and rent properties. The core work is consistent: generating and following up on leads, listing and marketing properties, showing homes, writing and negotiating offers, preparing contracts and disclosures, and guiding clients through to closing, all under the supervision of a licensed broker. The role splits by focus. A general agent does the full cycle, a buyer's agent works buyer leads from showing to closing, a listing agent wins and manages seller listings, and a broker holds a higher license and can supervise agents and operate independently. A Realtor is a real estate agent who is also a member of the National Association of REALTORS, which is a professional membership rather than a different job. This page offers a template for each of these roles.
What is the difference between a Realtor and a real estate agent?
Every Realtor is a real estate agent, but not every real estate agent is a Realtor. A real estate agent is anyone who holds an active real estate license from their state, which is the legal requirement to practice. Realtor is a membership designation for agents and brokers who belong to the National Association of REALTORS and agree to its code of ethics; it is a trademarked term tied to that membership, not a separate license or job. In other words, the license is what legally lets someone do the work, and the Realtor designation is a voluntary professional affiliation on top of it. For a job posting, the practical takeaway is to require the active state license as the core qualification and to treat professional-association membership as a preference or a benefit, which is how the templates here are written.
What is the difference between a real estate agent and a broker?
It comes down to license level and responsibility. A real estate agent (often called a sales agent) holds a salesperson license and must work under the supervision of a broker. A broker holds a higher-level broker license, which requires additional education and experience, and can operate independently, run a brokerage, and supervise agents. The broker carries more responsibility for compliance, transaction oversight, and, where applicable, trust-account handling. For hiring, the distinction matters because a broker role is supervisory and license-gated at a higher level, while an agent role is the producer who works under a broker. This page includes both an agent template and a broker template so you can match the posting to the actual license and responsibility level.
Are real estate agents 1099 independent contractors or W-2 employees?
The large majority of real estate agents are 1099 independent contractors, not W-2 employees. Federal tax law has a specific provision for this: under the statutory non-employee rules in Internal Revenue Code section 3508, a licensed real estate agent is treated as a non-employee for federal tax purposes when substantially all of their pay is based on sales rather than hours worked and there is a written contract stating they will not be treated as an employee. In practice, a brokerage engages an agent through an independent contractor agreement rather than an employment offer, and pays commission rather than wages. W-2 salaried real estate roles exist but are uncommon, mostly in larger corporate or institutional settings. Because federal tax treatment and labor-law classification are separate questions, confirm the right classification for your specific arrangement with a tax professional or attorney.
What should a realtor job description include?
A strong real estate agent job description includes a brokerage overview, a role summary, key responsibilities, required qualifications, the engagement type and compensation, what the brokerage provides, and how to apply. List the core duties: lead generation, listings and showings, offers and negotiation, and contracts and compliance. Require the active state real estate license, since that is the legal requirement, and note errors-and-omissions insurance. State the engagement clearly, since most agents are 1099 independent contractors paid on commission, and spell out the commission split and any fees, which is what agents actually compare between brokerages. Describe what you provide, leads, marketing, CRM, MLS access, mentorship, since support and split are how a brokerage competes for agents. Match the template to the role: general agent, buyer's agent, listing agent, broker, or small brokerage.
How much does a real estate agent make?
Real estate pay is commission-based and varies widely. Federal data reported a median annual wage of about $56,320 for real estate sales agents in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under about $31,940 and the highest 10 percent over about $125,140. Real estate brokers earned more, a median of about $72,280, with top earners over about $166,730. Because agents are typically paid on commission rather than salary, actual earnings depend heavily on transaction volume, the commission split, local prices, and the agent's own lead generation, so two agents at the same brokerage can earn very differently. For a job posting, the most useful thing you can state is the commission split and fee structure rather than a salary, since that is what agents compare. Most agents are self-employed independent contractors, which also shapes how pay works.
How do I recruit an agent to a small brokerage?
Compete on split, support, and culture, then make the onboarding smooth. Agents choose a brokerage primarily on the commission split and fees, the quality of leads and marketing support, the training and mentorship, and the culture, so lead with those in your posting rather than with a salary, which generally does not apply. A small independent brokerage can win by offering a strong split, low fees, direct access to the owner-broker, and real mentorship, the things a big franchise often cannot. Once an agent agrees to join, the differentiator becomes how cleanly you onboard them: verifying the license and E&O insurance, getting the independent contractor agreement signed, setting up MLS and lockbox access, and ramping them quickly. A brokerage that recruits continuously benefits from a repeatable onboarding system so each new agent starts producing without friction.
What happens after an agent joins the brokerage?
Run a compliant contractor onboarding, since the agent is a licensed independent contractor rather than a W-2 hire. Start with the paperwork: the signed independent contractor agreement and commission-split schedule, a W-9, verification of the active state license, and confirmation of E&O insurance coverage. Then set up access and tools: MLS, lockbox or Supra, CRM, marketing, and email. Then cover policies and ethics: brokerage policies, the applicable code of ethics, and your transaction process. Finally, ramp the agent with a plan so they start generating leads and closing deals. For a safety-critical, compliance-heavy contractor relationship, documented and stored license and insurance records matter. FirstHR supports 1099 contractor onboarding with e-signature for the ICA and related documents, document management for license and insurance records, task workflows for the onboarding steps, and training assignments. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, and contractor commission handling sits with your brokerage systems. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.