How to become a real estate agent
Official title: Real estate agent
Also called: Estate agent, House agent, Property agent, Property salesman, Property salesperson, Property saleswoman, Real estate salesman, Real estate salesperson, Real estate saleswoman, Realtor, Property agent, Realtor
Real estate agent arranges the sale, purchase, rental and lease of real property for a fee.
Main tasks
- Consulting clients on their needs, requirements and eligibility in going through the property transaction
- Obtaining or publicising information about properties to be sold or leased and the circumstances of their owner
- Arranging property viewing showing properties to be sold or leased to prospective buyers or tenants and explaining terms of sale or conditions of rent or lease
- Facilitating negotiations on property price and rent
- Drawing up and arranging the signing of leasing and sale agreements
- Collecting rent and bond monies on behalf of owner and inspecting properties before, during and after tenancies
Ways in
- Polytechnic or ITE: Polytechnic diploma. Related diplomas: Diploma in Real Estate Business (Ngee Ann Polytechnic). Peernovo matched these from course names; polytechnics do not publish which jobs each course leads to.
- Licence or registration: Property agents must complete a preparatory course with an approved provider, pass the real estate salesperson exam and be registered with the Council for Estate Agencies through a licensed estate agency. Law: Estate Agents Act 2010. Regulator: Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) (https://www.cea.gov.sg).
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $45,600 a year. The middle half earn $35,592 to $73,308 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Auctioneer
- Clearing/Forwarding agent
- Shipping agent/Boarding officer
- Freight inspector
- Exhibition/Conference/Event planner
- Employment agent/Labour contractor
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a real estate agent?
Ways in include: Polytechnic diploma.
How much does a real estate agent earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $45,600 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $35,592 to $73,308.
Will AI change the work of a real estate agent?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026
