Since 2019, Selling Sunset has taken the limelight as one of TV’s most addictive series. Every year, millions of avid fans tune in to get the latest on the lavish mansions, office drama and eye-watering commissions of the estate agents from the Oppenheim Group. For many of us, the glamorous team of estate agents provide a real dose of escapism, as they attempt to sell Los Angeles’ most expensive real estate to the rich and famous.

Selling Sunset driving an increase in ‘How to be an estate agent’ searches

With the fifth season of the show having released earlier this month, we at GetAgent decided to take a look at the effect the show’s been having on the UK’s would-be estate agents. We analysed Google Trends data from 2022 to show how estate agent related search terms have peaked since the 5th season of Netflix show ‘Selling Sunset’ began.

Search terms regarding estate agent salary and the process of becoming an estate agent have increased in volume to nearly 244% over a four day period from the programme’s latest release.

To solidify our findings, we also checked the search interest for phrases including the term ‘real estate agents’. In the United States, ‘realtors’ and ‘real estate agents' are the primary phrases used to describe estate agents. As ‘Selling Sunset’ is based in Los Angeles, it stands to reason that UK audiences may use these search terms to inquire about UK agency opportunities.

The chart above illustrates interest over time for the search term ‘How to become a real estate agent’. Throughout the 2017 and 2018 periods, the volume is fairly static, until an upsurge in late 2019. The first season of ‘Selling Sunset’ released in March 2019, while the second season released on the 22nd of May 2020. As you can see, there is a clear upward trend in interest tracing back to the first release of ‘Selling Sunset’.

Estate agents in the UK

The positive effect ‘Selling Sunset’ has had on inspiring estate agents in the UK is clear. However, it’s important to note that working as an estate agent in the UK isn’t exactly the same as the day-to-day lives of Chrishell and Christine. You can read more about what estate agents do in the UK, in our guide.

So, how much do Estate agents make?

The average estate agent salary in the UK is between £30,000 to £40,000, with most agents living on an additional commission scheme. With the average price of a property in the UK currently sitting at around £399,844 however, you’re unlikely to earn the gigantic commissions of those at the Oppenheim Group.

Becoming an estate agent

For those considering a career in real estate and what qualifications you need to become an estate agent - there are currently no formal requirements to become an agent in the UK. Many agencies provide new employees with their own training programmes.

However, many agents choose to get a professional qualification to validate their training. The most commonly recognised qualifications come from Propertymark Qualifications, a UK specialist organisation which is associated with the National Association of Estate Agents professional body, NAEA Property Mark.

Estate agents in the UK can achieve an abundant, successful and rewarding career, with many earning high salaries. Plus, there’s nothing to stop you injecting some outrageous outfits and a little drama into your life as an estate agent, Selling-Sunset style!

Methodology

Google Trend numbers represent search interest relative to the highest point on the chart for the given region and time (with 100 equalling peak popularity). It’s these numbers that we’ve used to calculate the increases in search interest.