Real Estate Agent resume example

Choose the right format for a Real Estate Agent resume

Most real estate agents do best with a reverse-chronological format. Brokers and hiring managers want to see your most recent production numbers and brokerage affiliations first, not a skills-heavy functional layout that buries your track record.

Keep the resume to one page if you have fewer than ten years of experience. Two pages are acceptable for seasoned agents with multiple team leadership roles or a long list of certifications. Use clean section headers, consistent fonts (Calibri or Georgia at 10–12 pt), and at least 0.5-inch margins. Avoid tables and text boxes — many brokerage applicant tracking systems parse these poorly.

• Lead with your name, phone, email, license number, and state of licensure in the header
• List brokerage name, your title (e.g., Buyer's Agent, Listing Agent, Team Lead), and employment dates for each role
• Keep columns to a single-column layout for ATS compatibility
• Save as a PDF unless the job posting specifically requests a Word file

Write a professional summary that shows production, not personality

Your summary sits at the top and should answer three questions in three to four sentences: What kind of agent are you? What market or niche do you serve? What measurable results do you produce? Skip adjectives like 'passionate' or 'dedicated' and replace them with numbers and specialties.

Example: "Licensed Florida REALTOR® with 8 years of residential sales experience in the Tampa Bay MSA. Closed $14.2M in volume in 2023 with an average days-on-market of 11, compared to the county average of 27. Specializes in first-time buyers and new-construction transactions; holds ABR and CNE designations. Consistent Top 10% producer at Keller Williams Realty."

Write work-experience bullets that lead with results

Each bullet should start with a strong action verb and include a metric wherever possible. Brokers care about closed volume, units closed, list-price-to-sale-price ratio, client retention, and lead conversion rates. Generic duties like 'showed homes to clients' waste space and signal low performance.

Pull your numbers from your MLS production reports, brokerage scorecards, or your CRM (Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, Salesforce). If you managed a team, include headcount and team volume separately from your personal production.

• Closed 43 residential transactions totaling $18.7M in 2022, ranking #2 out of 94 agents at the brokerage and achieving a 99.1% list-to-sale price ratio
• Generated 60% of new buyer leads through a self-managed Google Ads and Zillow Premier Agent campaign, reducing cost-per-acquisition from $340 to $190 over 18 months

Include the skills and certifications recruiters and ATS systems look for

Brokerage recruiting coordinators and ATS tools scan for license status, designations, and software proficiency. List your active state license number and NAR membership. Designations carry real weight — ABR (Accredited Buyer's Representative), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute), SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), and CNE (Certified Negotiation Expert) are all recognized and searchable.

On the technology side, name the specific tools you use rather than broad categories. 'CRM proficiency' is vague; 'Follow Up Boss, Dotloop, and Showing Time' is specific and ATS-friendly.

• MLS platforms: MFRMLS, CRMLS, Bright MLS, NWMLS
• CRM and transaction management: Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, Dotloop, SkySlope, Brokermint
• Lead generation: Zillow Premier Agent, Realtor.com, Google Ads, Facebook Lead Ads
• Designations: ABR, CRS, GRI, SRES, CNE, e-PRO
• Contract and compliance: zipForm Plus, DocuSign, Authentisign

Handle education, licenses, and extras correctly

Real estate pre-licensing education is not the same as a college degree — list them separately. Your state license, license number, and expiration year belong in a dedicated 'Licenses & Certifications' section, not buried in education. If you hold a broker's license, lead with that over a salesperson license.

A college degree is a plus but rarely a requirement at most brokerages. If you have one, list it with institution, degree, and graduation year. If you completed NAR's At Home With Diversity certification or any fair housing training, include it — some brokerages require documented compliance training. Community involvement like serving on a local HOA board or a chamber of commerce is worth a brief line under 'Community & Professional Affiliations' if space allows.

• List: [State] Real Estate Salesperson/Broker License #XXXXXXX, Expires MM/YYYY
• Separate pre-licensing coursework (e.g., 'Florida 63-Hour Pre-License Course, Gold Coast School') from degree education
• Include NAR membership year and any local board affiliations (e.g., Greater Nashville REALTORS®)

Mistakes to avoid

• ×Listing duties instead of production numbers — brokers already know what agents do; they want to see your closed volume, units, and rankings.
• ×Omitting your license number and state, which forces recruiters to verify credentials separately and slows down hiring decisions.
• ×Using a photo or personal branding headshot on the resume, which is standard in some countries but creates legal exposure for US brokerages under fair housing guidelines.
• ×Claiming team production as solo production — if your $30M in volume was a five-person team's combined output, attribute it accurately or it will unravel in an interview.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a different resume if I'm applying to a brokerage versus a corporate real estate role?

Yes. For a traditional brokerage, lead with closed volume, units, and designations — production metrics dominate. For a corporate role (asset management, relocation, or real estate operations), shift emphasis to project management, vendor relationships, lease administration software like MRI or Yardi, and any relevant finance or MBA credentials. The core structure stays the same, but the prioritized content changes significantly.

Should I include my commission income on my resume?

No. Commission income belongs in an interview conversation, not on a resume. Focus on transaction volume in dollars and unit count, which signal production without disclosing your personal earnings or split structure. Recruiters use volume and units to benchmark you against other candidates, not your take-home pay.

How do I write a real estate resume if I'm newly licensed with no closed transactions yet?

Lead with any sales, customer service, or negotiation experience from prior careers — mortgage lending, insurance, retail management, and financial advising all transfer well. Highlight your pre-licensing coursework, any shadowing or mentorship under a producing agent, and tools you've already learned like MLS navigation or DocuSign. Be direct about your status as a new licensee rather than trying to obscure it.