How basic salary and commission fit together
Most estate agents are paid in two parts. The first is a fixed basic salary. The second is commission: a share of the fee the agency earns on each property you sell or let. The National Careers Service says some firms also pay bonuses when you or the branch hit sales targets. New starters are often paid a guaranteed amount for their first few months, so their income does not depend on deals before they have a pipeline of their own.
Job adverts usually show this as a basic salary plus an 'OTE' figure. OTE means on-target earnings: what you should earn if you hit your targets. Here is a real example. A sales negotiator vacancy in Ormskirk, posted on the government's Find a Job service in September 2025, offered a basic of £25,000 to £30,000. On top came uncapped commission, with an OTE bonus of about £10,000. OTE is a target. It is not a promise, and in a slow market many negotiators fall short of it.
What the earnings figures show
Our anchor figures come from the Office for National Statistics Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings for April 2026 (provisional), moved to the current year with a wage index. Across the UK, the median for estate agency work is about £32,500. A quarter of people earn less than £27,500, and a quarter earn more than £42,700. The National Careers Service gives a narrower range, from £23,000 for starters to £40,000 for experienced agents.
Careers Wales quotes £24,000 to £28,000 for starters and £30,000 to £40,000 with experience. These sources measure different things, so treat the ranges as a guide. They do agree on one point. Most estate agency staff earn somewhere in the £25,000 to £45,000 band, and only a minority earn much more.
Why top earners sit well above the median
Commission ties pay to results, and results vary a lot. A negotiator in an area of expensive homes earns more per sale than one selling cheaper flats, because many agencies charge a fee that is a percentage of the sale price. Someone who lists more properties, agrees more sales and keeps those sales from falling through will out-earn colleagues on the same basic salary.
Earnings also go up with seniority. The National Careers Service describes a path from negotiator to senior negotiator, then to branch or lettings manager. From there you can become a partner or open your own agency. Managers are often paid on how the whole branch performs, and owners take a share of profit. That is why the best-paid people sit far above the 75th percentile figure of £42,700.
Commission rates: what we can and cannot tell you
No regulator, government body or professional body that we checked publishes standard commission rates for estate agency staff. Each firm sets its own scheme. Some pay a percentage of the fees you bring in. Some only pay once you pass a monthly threshold. Some pay a fixed bonus per completed sale. Ask for the scheme in writing before you accept an offer.
When you compare offers, ask four questions. Is commission paid when a sale is agreed or when it completes? Is there a threshold before it starts? Is it capped? What did negotiators in that branch actually earn last year? A high OTE with a low basic carries more risk than a solid basic with a modest bonus.
Pay
GBP a year, before tax. Figures are modelled from ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2026 (provisional), moved to the current year with a wage index. Regional figures are also modelled. They are estimates, not official rates. Commission, local house prices and seniority move individual earnings well outside these ranges. Refer to the Estate Agency salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Driving licenceThe National Careers Service lists a full driving licence as a requirement. Agents drive between valuations and viewings.
- Sales and negotiation skillsCommission depends on agreeing sales and getting them to completion. Persuasion, persistence and coping with pressure affect your pay directly.
- Weekend availabilityExpect weekends on a rota. Typical hours are 35 to 40 a week.
- Local knowledgeKnowing the local market helps you win instructions and price property well, and both affect your commission.
How to get there
- Year 0-1Apprentice or trainee negotiatorStart through an apprenticeship such as Junior Estate Agent Level 2, or as a trainee negotiator or administrator. Apprenticeship wages are lower than full salaries.
- Year 1-3Sales negotiatorBasic salary plus commission. You arrange viewings, negotiate offers and progress sales.
- Year 3-5Senior negotiatorA larger share of the branch's business and usually a higher basic or commission rate, depending on the firm.
- Year 5+Branch or lettings managerPay is often linked to the whole branch's results as well as your own.
- Later careerPartner or agency ownerIncome comes from a share of profit, so it can sit far above employee pay. You also carry more risk.
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Questions people ask
What is the average estate agent salary in the UK?
The modelled median for estate agency work is about £32,500 a year, based on ONS ASHE 2026 provisional data. The middle half of earners sit between £27,500 and £42,700.
What does OTE mean in estate agency adverts?
OTE means on-target earnings: basic salary plus the commission or bonus you should earn if you hit your targets. One 2025 government Find a Job advert offered a £25,000 to £30,000 basic with about £10,000 OTE on top. You only get the OTE part if you hit target.
What commission percentage do estate agents get?
No official or professional body that we checked publishes a standard rate. Each agency sets its own scheme. Get the scheme in writing, and check whether commission is paid on agreed sales or completions and whether there is a threshold or cap.
Where do estate agents earn the most?
London pays most, with a modelled median of about £38,600 and a 75th percentile of about £50,700. The North East and Wales have the lowest medians, at about £28,600 and £29,000.
Do trainee estate agents earn commission straight away?
Not always. Some firms pay new starters a guaranteed salary for their first few months and only move them onto commission once they have built up their own sales. Others pay commission from the start alongside a basic salary. Ask how the firm handles this before you accept an offer.
