What Does a Real Estate Agent Do? Lea Uradu, J.D. is a Maryland State Registered Tax Preparer, State Certified Notary Public, Certified VITA Tax Preparer, IRS Annual Filing Season Program Participant, and Tax Writer. Working as a real estate agent commonly means each day is different. Agents meet new people, see new places, and respond to the changing needs of buyers and sellers. There are several tasks that most agents do regularly. Here’s what a day in the life of a real estate agent might look like. Real Estate Agent vs. Realtor Real estate agents help people buy, sell, and rent homes, land, and other properties. There’s no national real estate license, so agents must meet their state’s licensing requirements. While the requirements vary by state, all aspiring agents must take a pre-licensing course from an accredited real estate school, pass their state exam, activate their license, and join a real estate brokerage.