What does a sales assistant actually do?
You keep a sales agent's listings moving so they can spend their time on appraisals and negotiation. Once a property is listed, you book the photographer and floor plan, write or proof the copy, load the listing to the portals and order signboards. You chase the contract of sale from the vendor's solicitor and keep the campaign file complete.
Database work takes up much of the week. You log every open home attendee, record feedback and price comments, and send follow-up emails and texts. You compile the weekly vendor report showing inspections, enquiries and online views. After an offer is accepted, you track deposits, cooling-off dates and settlement, and arrange the final inspection and keys.
Personal assistant or sales administrator?
A personal assistant works for one agent, or one team, and learns that agent's clients and habits. You often manage their diary, prepare appraisal packs and sit in on open homes. It is the closest view you will get of how a top agent wins and runs listings.
A sales administrator usually supports the whole office. The work leans toward contracts, compliance files, marketing orders and portal management across many listings at once. It suits people who prefer process to people. Both roles teach the sales cycle, but the PA role puts you in front of buyers and vendors far sooner.
What registration lets you do
Office work such as data entry, ordering marketing and preparing documents for an agent to check is administration. Once you act for the agent with buyers and sellers, state law steps in. Each state has an entry-level credential that sits below a full licence and requires you to work under a licensed agent.
In NSW the certificate of registration gives you the title assistant agent. You can perform most functions for your certificate type, but you cannot sign a contract for the sale of land or an agency agreement. In Victoria an agent's representative with written authority can carry out the agent's legal functions, including acting as a salesperson, but cannot run an agency. In Western Australia registered sales representatives must work under a licensed agent and cannot run an office.
Why it is a common way into sales
Most new salespeople fail because they have no buyer database and no feel for pricing. A good assistant spends a year or two building both while on a wage. You meet hundreds of buyers at open homes, see how agents handle price feedback and watch negotiations close.
Many agents promote their assistant to an associate role and pass on leads, then split commission on shared listings. The registration you get as an assistant is usually the same one a junior salesperson holds, so the step up is about results, not paperwork. In NSW the certificate also has a fixed life, which pushes you to complete your full qualification.
Pay
AUD a year, before tax. Award rows are the official full-time minimums under the Real Estate Industry Award 2020, effective 1 July 2026. Typical earnings are modelled from ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, for property administration and support roles, indexed to 2026, with state figures modelled. Agency size, location and any commission share move the figure. Refer to the Property Administration & Support salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Minimum ageYou must be at least 16 for a NSW certificate of registration. Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia set the minimum at 18.
- Entry-level qualificationEach state requires set units from the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419) before registration. In Victoria a first-time agent's representative needs 15 named units from the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419), completed within the last 5 years.
- Character checksEvery state applies a fit and proper or suitable person test. Queensland requires a criminal history check with the application.
- SupervisionYou must be employed by a licensed agent. In NSW your supervisor must be a licensee in charge holding a class 1 licence in the same category of work.
- Ongoing CPDQueensland registration holders must complete two approved CPD sessions in each CPD year. Victoria is phasing in annual CPD for agents' representatives.
- Practical skillsAgencies hire for accuracy with contracts, fast database work and comfort on the phone with buyers. Experience with portal uploads and CRM software helps.
State by state
| New South Wales | NSW Fair Trading issues an assistant agent certificate of registration for 4 years, and it cannot be renewed. You must move to a Class 2 licence within that time or stop work and wait 12 months before applying again. |
|---|---|
| Victoria | From 25 November 2026 you must hold your own agent's representative registration with the Business Licensing Authority, applied for through myCAV, before you start work. You pay an annual registration fee and lodge an annual statement. If your employer had already notified the BLA of your employment by 24 November 2026, you are registered automatically. |
| Queensland | The Office of Fair Trading issues a real estate salesperson registration certificate to applicants aged 18 or over who hold the qualification and pass a criminal history check. Approval takes 4 to 6 weeks. |
| Western Australia | You register as a real estate and business sales representative under the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978. Registration can be unrestricted, sales only or property management only, and usually runs for three years. |
How to get there
- Months 0-6Start as an office or sales administratorLearn the listing process, contracts and database work. Many agencies take on people with no industry background for this role.
- Months 3-12Complete the entry-level unitsFinish the Certificate IV units your state requires and obtain your registration so you can deal with buyers and sellers for the agent.
- Year 1-2Personal assistant to a sales agentRun open homes, buyer follow-up and vendor reporting for one agent or team. Build your own buyer contacts.
- Year 2-3Associate or junior salespersonTake shared listings and leads from your agent on a base wage plus a commission split.
- Year 3-4Sales agent with your own listingsList and sell property in your own name. In NSW, complete the move to a Class 2 licence before your 4-year certificate expires.
Open now on PropertyRoles.com.au
Questions people ask
Do I need a licence to be a real estate sales assistant?
You do not need a full agent's licence. You need your state's entry-level registration once you act for the agent with buyers and sellers, such as the NSW assistant agent certificate or the Victorian agent's representative role. Pure admin roles are often filled before registration is complete.
Can a sales assistant in NSW sign contracts?
No. A NSW assistant agent cannot enter into a contract for the sale of land or an agency agreement. Those steps must be done by a licence holder.
What is the minimum pay for a sales assistant?
Under the Real Estate Industry Award 2020, a full-time Level 1 (Associate) employee earns at least $1,010.60 a week in their first 12 months, rising to $1,063.90 after that. Juniors are paid a percentage of the adult rate, starting at 60% for under-19s.
Can a sales assistant be paid commission only?
No. Under the award, commission-only pay is limited to sales staff at Level 2 or higher who meet an income threshold. It cannot be offered to a Level 1 employee, a junior, a casual or a part-time employee.
How long does it take to move from assistant to agent?
It varies with the office and your results, but two to four years is common. In NSW the certificate of registration lasts 4 years and cannot be renewed, so you must reach a Class 2 licence within that time.
Sources
- NSW Fair Trading: assistant agent certificate of registration
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: agents' representatives
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: myCAV and registration requirements for agents' representatives
- Queensland Government: register as a real estate salesperson
- ABLIS: real estate salesperson registration, Queensland
- Consumer Protection WA: real estate licensing and registration
- WA.gov.au: real estate and business sales representatives registration
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Real Estate Industry Award 2020
