Agency

Residential agency

Agents work for a wide range of clients, managing and negotiating the sales, lettings and acquisitions of residential property ranging from new and second-hand homes to the luxury end. A large proportion of the work involves liaising with clients and with organisations such as mortgage providers and solicitors. You will be involved with inspecting properties, making valuations, preparing marketing brochures and promotional information, monitoring and negotiating sales and managing rented properties.

Many estate agents also hold auctioneers’ licences, and sell property and chattels by auction. The frequency of auctions as a way of selling property depends on market conditions. The same is true for the commercial sector.

In this role you need a good appreciation of the property market, commercial awareness, problem solving skills and negotiating skills. You will also need to have an outgoing personality with well-developed teamwork, interpersonal and communication skills.

Commercial agency

Again, agents manage and negotiate sales, lettings and acquisitions, but of commercial property such as retail premises, offices, industrial units and land. You could also be providing advice to developers, investors, syndicates and private clients.

The work involves large commercial and complex transactions requiring a broad base of professional knowledge. You need a good appreciation of property economics and management, along with problem solving, numerical and analytical ability and well developed interpersonal, teamwork and communication skills.