Real estate broker

A real estate broker or real estate agent is a person who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate/real property and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy. In the United States, the relationship was originally established by reference to the English common law of agency, with the broker having a fiduciary relationship with his clients. A real estate broker typically receives a payment called a commission for successfully matching a seller's real estate with a buyer such that a sale can be made. This commission can be divided up with other participating real estate brokers or agents when applicable.

An estate agent being used as a term in the United Kingdom means a person or organization whose business is to market real estate on behalf of clients, but there are significant differences between the actions and liabilities of brokers and estate agents in each country. Beyond the United States, other countries take markedly different approaches to the marketing and selling of real property.