Do you want to work as a real estate agent? Well, it’s actually not a big deal, and you can become a licensed agent in record time. In four to six months, depending on where you live, you can become a real estate agent. Generally, obtaining a real estate license requires taking a prelicensing course, passing the licensing exam, activating your license, and signing up with a brokerage in Florida, California, Texas, or any part of the United States. These are the necessary steps to take in becoming an agent.
How to Become a Real Estate Agent
There is a lot of variation in a real estate agent’s career. Since you’ll be working with multiple clients and visiting numerous homes, you’ll do different things every single day. You also have the independence that comes with being your own boss and the fulfillment of helping buyers and sellers navigate a key turning point in their lives. A real estate agent typically earns roughly $48,340 per year, according to data from 2021 provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average annual salary for real estate agents is $62,010 with more education, certification, and experience. The top 10% of agents made more than $102,170 in total earnings.
How to Begin Your Career as a Real Estate Agent
Being a real estate agent demands a sizable initial time and cost commitment, depending on where you get your license. The specific requirements differ by state, but here is a general summary of how to become a real estate agent.
#1. Find Out What Your State Requires
Since there is no federal real estate license, you must satisfy the specific licensing criteria established by your state. Go to the regulatory agency directory on the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) website to find the real estate regulatory office’s website. Since some states have reciprocal licensing arrangements with one another, you can earn your license in one state and use it in another without having to sit for a new license exam.
#2. Take a Prelicensing Course
Regardless of where you live, a $350 pre-licensing course from an accredited real estate licensing school is required before you can take the real estate license exam. There are educational standards that vary by state. Candidates must successfully complete three 135-hour real estate courses in California. In Georgia and New York, the courses are 75 hours long; in Florida, they are only 63 hours long.
#3. Taking the Licensure Test
Your instructor ought to go over how to arrange, sign up for, and pay for the licensing exam. Costs for the test normally range from $100 to $300. Exams are computerized and separated into two sections: a national component covering real estate fundamentals and practices and a state-specific section covering your state’s real estate laws.
#4. Consider a Career in Real Estate
Realtors and real estate agents are two words that are occasionally used interchangeably. Realtors are licensed to help buyers and sellers during the real estate transaction process and are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). They also abide by the NAR’s rigorous Code of Ethics.
#5. Join a Brokerage Firm For Real Estate
You carry out your responsibilities as a real estate agent under the supervision of a supervising broker who is permitted by the state to oversee real estate transactions and makes sure you follow the required moral and legal requirements. An hourly wage is not typically given. An alternative is for the brokerage to give you a share of the commissions it gets from your real estate transactions. Depending on the terms of your contract with your brokerage, you may be forced to pay desk fees, tech fees, marketing materials, business cards, and other operating costs.
Activating Your Real Estate Agent License
After passing the test, you need to submit your application to your state’s real estate regulatory body together with any required documentation and application fees, which normally cost between $200 and $400.
After the state has approved your application, it will mail you your real estate license certificate, which will also include your name in a searchable database of licensees. Keep in mind that you cannot practice as a real estate agent until you have received your license from the state’s real estate authority.
What is the Highest-Paying Real Estate Job?
Real estate brokers are permitted by law to plan and conduct real estate negotiations. A real estate broker has one of the most rewarding and high-paying positions in the industry.
How to Become a Real Estate Agent in California
If you’re considering starting a real estate professional in any part of the state of California, you must obtain a real estate license. Before you can get a real estate license in the Golden State, you need to be at least 18 years old, finish the 135 hours of prerequisite study with an accredited school, submit your fingerprints, and pass the California salesperson licensure exam.
After completing the below phases, you become a licensed agent and are ready to launch your real estate business.
#1. Match California’s Criteria
To get a real estate license in California, make sure you meet the following requirements:
- The age of 18
- Able to find employment in the US
These regulations were established by the Department of Real Estate (DRE) to protect the integrity of California’s real estate market.
#2. Enroll in an accredited real estate program in California
Once you qualify for a real estate license, the next step is to enroll in a real estate program. A California real estate school will instruct you on the salesperson pre-licensing material that has been approved by the Department of Real Estate (DRE). All students must pass the following courses:
- Real Estate Methods
- Real Estate Fundamentals
- One elective course
You will receive a certificate of completion once you have completed each course. You may verify that you registered for and finished your course by looking at your certificate. But then, you must also complete the mandatory courses within a year of the enrollment date in order for the student to be eligible to take the state exam. Maintain your attention and stop putting things off. When you have completed all three courses and have the necessary certifications, you can sign up for the California real estate exam.
#3. Application for the California Real Estate Examination
To take the California real estate exam, you must submit an application and the necessary supporting documents:
- A reliable photo ID
- Filled out live scan form
- State examination expenses
- Three certificates for licensing training
- Filled-out DRE forms
The following are the DRE forms that have been finished:
- Application for RE 435 Exam/License
- Live Scan Service Request: RE 237
- If paying with a credit card, type RE 909
- Use the following code: RE 400A to submit an application only for the exam (not a license).
To take the real estate exam, you must pass a live scan background check. This background check will show any criminal history, allowing the state of California to evaluate if you are qualified to work as a real estate agent. If you have a criminal history, it is advisable to speak with the DRE and be honest and open about it.
4. Pass the California Real Estate State Exam
Your examination date will be put into consideration once you submit your application. The state test presents difficulties. Studying the content is necessary if you want to pass the course with at least 70% or above.
To help you pass the state exam, several schools provide additional resources. These training courses provide in-depth course recaps and test-taking strategies.
#5. Involve a Brokerage
Following your success on the state exam, the DRE will email and mail you a copy of your real estate license. You are free to decide which brokerage you would like to interview. When the real estate brokerage hires you, you can start your exciting new career right away.
A real estate brokerage is an easy place to acquire a job interview. All you have to do is contact the brokerage. Let them know you just received your license and will love to work with them. Some universities for real estate might even connect you with a brokerage they trust.
How Promptly Can You Become Licensed to Sell Real Estate in California?
Depending on when you need the license. However, you can get a real estate agent license in California within 135 hours. or a bit under eight weeks. Comparatively speaking, this career has a low entry barrier and a quick start-up. Someone may go from representing high-end clients to having no real estate knowledge in just six months.
Amazing, that! After completing your studies and enrolling for the state exam, you will need to wait for the DRE to determine your test date. This process takes about three months. We urge you to utilize this time to study as much as possible.
Is Being a Real Estate Agent Worth It?
Although it’s not simple, becoming a real estate agent or broker can be rewarding both personally and financially.
How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Texas
Texas’ expanding real estate market, ease of obtaining a license, and numerous freedom and flexibility are all benefits of this line of employment.
Comprehend what the Texas Real Estate Commission Requires
To get a real estate agent license in Texas, meet the following conditions:
- At least eighteen years old.
- Complete the course in180 hours
- Look for a broker to sponsor.
- The applications and charges of the Texas Real Estate Commission.
- Pass the test to become a real estate agent.
- Before you may not start working as a real estate agent in Texas, you arrange for a Texas real estate broker with a current license to sponsor you as a sales agent.
Think About How Long it Will Take You to Get a Real Estate License in Texas
Because there are multiple steps involved in getting your real estate license, it’s a good idea to allocate several months for the procedure. A typical timeline appears as follows:
- Pre-licensing education must be completed in 180 hours within two to six months.
- Your application will be processed by TREC in two to three weeks.
- It takes 30 to 60 days to establish trust with a broker.
Students who follow a strict study schedule can complete all the criteria and become a Texas real estate agent in just two months, even if online courses can be completed more quickly than in-person classes.
Prepare for Associated Costs and Fees
The biggest financial investment you will likely need to make in order to become a registered Texas real estate agent is likely to be your real estate education. There are numerous ways to fulfill the 180 hours of pre-license training required to become a real estate agent in Texas.
How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Florida
According to the Florida Real Estate Commission, the following steps must be completed in order to get a Florida real estate salesperson license (FREC).
#1. Complete 63 Hours of Approved Education
The first step in obtaining a license is to complete the 63 Clock Hour Florida Pre-License Course, which covers all you need to know to become a sales associate and pass the licensing exam.
#2. Pass The Course’s Final Test
The minimum course time requirement set forth by FREC must be met, the unit exams must be passed, the 63-Hour Course must be completed, and the course final exam must be passed with a score of 70% or above. The test can be taken again once within a year of your initial failure. If you fail the final exam more than once, you must redo the entire course in order to be eligible to retake it.
#3. Your Prints Should Be Sent to the Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR)
After finishing and passing your course exam, you must SUBMIT FINGERPRINTS TO THE DBPR five days before submitting your license application.
#4. Complete License Application
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement must then receive the application for a license (DBPR). After your application is accepted, the DBPR will send you a mail with an associated RE Application ID number.
#5. After Passing the Florida Real Estate Examination
Finally, both the federal and state versions of the Florida Salesperson License Exam must be passed. Online exam scheduling is available via PEARSON VUE.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Real Estate License in Florida?
It typically takes 2 to 5 months to earn a real estate license in Florida. Some students are able to complete the required 63-Hour Pre-License course in only a few weeks, while others may take several months, depending on how much time they have to devote to their course.
After completing the required course, students should spend an extra one to two months to find a sponsored broker, finish the license application procedure, and pass the Florida real estate exam.
How Do I Become a Real Estate Agent in NY?
Requirements
- Send the Department of State a finished application together with the necessary payment.
- Age 18 or older.
- have satisfactorily completed a 75-hour salesperson qualifying education course that has been approved by the Department of State.
- Pass the New York State Real Estate Salesperson test.
- be supported by a real estate broker with an NYS license.
Is the NY Real Estate Exam Difficult?
If you are organized, composed, and thorough, passing the New York real estate exam is not as difficult as you would believe.
Is Real Estate Math Hard?
Because there are so many formulas to know, real estate test math is quite challenging.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Real Estate License in NY?
In New York, becoming a real estate expert is not excessively expensive. All told, the cost to become a licensed agent ranges from $500 to $1,000, while the cost to become a licensed broker ranges from $950 to $1,450.
How Many Times Can You Take the NY Real Estate Exam?
The NY state licensure exam can be retaken as often as necessary until you pass. You just need to pay the $15 exam price and arrange a fresh attempt through your eAccessNY account.
Conclusion
Becoming a real estate agent is quite simple, so you can get on with that career change. However, aside from receiving your license, you must be a good salesperson to make money as a real estate agent.
How To Become A Real Estate Agent FAQs
How much do real estate agents make?
According to Indeed, the average annual salary of a real estate agent in the United States is $95,076.
What is the job outlook of real estate agents currently?
From 2020 to 2030, employment for real estate brokers and sales agents is predicted to expand by only 4 percent.
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