What are the Requirements to Become a Real Estate Agent

How To Become A Real Estate Agent

The real estate field is an exciting venture for persons who have a propensity for understanding contracts and legal jargon. The process to become a real estate agent will vary from state to state, according to the government rules and regulation for study material and related coursework. And one of the most difficult state board exams comes from the state of California.

To get the ball rolling in your new real estate career, you will need to be enrolled in a real estate school. The course should last two to three months, with options to remain in class until all the preliminary testing is complete. The first step is to take an exam of the Principals of Real Estate course, earning a score of at least 70 percent. Successful graduation from this preliminary level will qualify you to take the California state exam.

The state exam is held about twice a month, rotating the exam location and scheduling times. This comprehensive exam will test your skills on the fundamentals of real estate with questions related to the legal aspect of housing to include zoning, insurance, geological factors that affect a home and the basics of contracts. The state exam also covers the financial side to a real estate transaction to include loan document information, interest rates and more.

The test questions will take a sampling from many different areas of the industry, and qualified candidates who pass the state exam will be granted a licence to practice the real estate side of the business or elect to become a licensed loan officer. Its your choice, however, a card will be mailed to you for an official signature as to what aspect of the business in your intent.

The real estate license will carry an expiration date and the agent is responsible to keep their licence current. Every few years, there are additional training courses required by the state, and like the original exam, a score of at least 70 percent is mandated for the agent to retain his of her licence. However, these additional courses may be a home study project and you may take you exam online with an open book.

Once the agent achieves his or her real estate license, it is well advised to join a regional or national association to become a Realtor. All Realtors are real estate agents, but not all agents are Realtors. The advantage to becoming a Realtor is prestige, lock box keys and access to meetings and publications that says you are a professional and continuing your education. The Realtor title and membership is open to all agents who have a broker participating in the program. A hefty initial fee is required and there are additional membership fees collected throughout the year.

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