It's all about communication...

There may be no legal requirement to have any qualifications before becoming an estate agent, but, as Andrew Bush, a director at Bush Property Services explains, many other skills are needed.

"For many people, estate agency is an attractive looking job. If you're passionate about property and enjoy selling, then the opportunity to combine the two is often too good to miss. Add in the immense pleasure that comes from seeing people acquire the home of their dreams and a career selling houses has a lot going for it.

"Before people rush to apply, though, there are one of two things to be aware of…

"Firstly, being a good estate agent requires the ability to communicate extremely well, verbally, and in writing. Whether the agent is talking to potential buyers and sellers, or other professionals in the industry such as conveyancers and solicitors, being able to get your point across diplomatically is a crucial skill.

"This is particularly true when there's bad news to impart. If a sale falls through after three to four months of negotiation and discussion, it can be heart rending for the buyer or seller. Buying a house, being the largest single purchase that anyone undertakes in their life, is stressful at the best of times, and a good communicator should be able to help ease that stress, even in the trickiest moments.

"Likewise, the ability to use communication skills to persuade sellers to sell and buyers to buy is important. Because you're acting as a representative for what you're dealing with, you have to satisfy both ends of the bargain without sometimes knowing precisely what either party is thinking.

"People are unpredictable. And whilst sometimes that leads to very pleasant surprises, it can also be immensely frustrating.

"So patience and perseverance are most definitely virtues and this is particularly true when the market is slow. It's easy to be an estate agent when houses are flying off the shelves; when they're not, good agents still thrive because they have the resilience to keep on going and the skills to sell even when there are very few buyers.

"Having said that no formal qualifications are required, certain academic skills are very useful. Being literate and numerate is also essential and more agents are acquiring NVQs in Residential Estate Agency. The National Association of Estate Agents also runs courses which help agents keep up-to-date with relevant legislation and new ideas."