Australia’s real estate industry consists of a diverse web of property professionals who all work in various ways to help buyers, sellers, owners, and tenants manage property needs.
If you’re new to the real estate industry, or exploring career options in property, you’re likely to have heard of a “land agent” and wondered what exactly their roles and responsibilities are.
What do land agents do in Australia?
Let’s get the most important thing about land agents out of the way.
Across (most parts of) Australia, a land agent is simply an interchangeable title for a real estate agent — there is no distinctive difference between their professional responsibilities.
Both real estate agents and land agents provide:
Property Sales:
Working to help individuals sell their property. Listing and marketing properties, conducting inspections, negotiating offers, and providing advice for clients through to the closing process.
Property Management:
Managing properties for owners in a rental arrangement. Finding tenants, collecting rent, handling maintenance, and ensuring compliance with regulations.
In South Australia, however, the terminology of a “land agent” is used specifically to refer to a registered real estate professional who can carry out the above services independently. This is important as it’s possible for another real estate profession, known as a “sales representative” to carry out some of these same services.
What’s the difference between a land agent and a sales representative in South Australia?
The key point of difference between a land agent and a sales representative in South Australia comes down to licensing and level of responsibility.
A land agent will hold a full land agent licence issued by Consumer and Business Services (CBS) in SA, which the agent to operate independently whether as an individual, or as an established real estate agency. Land agents in SA are also responsible for handling all aspects of property transactions, including listings, marketing, negotiations, legal paperwork, and client communication.
Sales representatives, on the other hand, are only allowed to work under the supervision of a licensed land agent, not independently. Depending on qualifications, they may also have a “restricted registration” which further limits the service offering.
Generally speaking, a sales representative will play a more supportive role than a land agent, who is the main driver of real estate services.
What qualifications do I need to become a land agent?
In order to become a land agent, individuals must first complete a selected range of modules under the Land Agent course. This course must be completed with a registered training organisation (RTO) like Entry Education.
There are no educational requirements to enrol in the course, but prospective students will need to demonstrate basic skills in Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Capability (LLN) before being able to start.
After successfully completing the course, students will receive a Statement of Attainment which will enable them to apply for a Land Agent Licence from the Consumer and Business Services (CBS) in South Australia. Once the applicants have received their Land Agent Licence, they can start working as a registered individual land agent or register and operate their own real estate business.
Do you have to be a sales representative before becoming a land agent?
Not necessarily — individuals can register directly to be a land agent without any prior experience as a sales representative if they have attained the necessary real estate qualification and meet all licensing requirements.
That being said, working as a sales representative beforehand can provide valuable on-the-job experience for individuals who can potentially upgrade the licence to become a land agent and operate independently later on.
How long will it take to become a land agent?
There’s no exact timeframe for becoming a land agent, as it comes down to the choice of training course that individuals choose to learn under. The most effective way to attain the necessary qualification for becoming a land agent is through a specialised Land Agent course delivered by an RTO, such as Entry Education. These courses are conducted in an online arrangement with self-paced progression to allow students to learn at their own convenience, especially for those with busy schedules.
At Entry Education, we have had students complete our Land Agent course as soon as within 12 weeks.
We issue soft copies (PDFs) of the statement of attainment to our students within 48 hours of successfully completing their course, with the option for a posted hardcopy certificate at a fee. With the statement of attainment, individuals can apply for a Land Agent Licence from Consumer and Business Services in South Australia and begin a career as a fully licensed real estate agent.
