How to start a real estate career has become a popular topic of discussion lately. With the market recovering and house prices and sales both rising, a career in real estate looks promising. You get to be your own boss, make your own schedule, and it can be extremely rewarding both financially and personally. But how do you get started? First of all you need a real estate salesperson license, and like your driver’s license there is education and testing involved.
Here’s the list of steps you need to follow in order to kickstart your career in real estate:
- Find out if Real Estate is right for you – Take our quiz and see!
- Enroll in Licensing School
- Complete Real Estate Classes
- Submit Application to State
- Attend Crash Course/Prepare for state exam
- Take and Pass State Exam
- Hang Your License With a Broker
What are the requirements to get a real estate license?
Real Estate licenses are regulated by the state so be sure to check your local state laws. If you live in California you can find all the information on state requirements here. Basically you must be at least 18 years of age or older. You must be able to provide Proof of Legal Presence, which means that you have the right to work in the United States.
This is done by providing a copy of a birth certificate or U.S. Citizen Identification Card or any other document that indicates U.S. citizenship, you can find the complete list of acceptable documents here. And last but definitely not least you must take and complete 3 real estate courses and pass the California salesperson state exam.
Do I need to take Real Estate classes?
Yes. You need to have taken 3 real estate classes; Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice, and an elective from the following approved list such as Legal Aspects of Real estate. You can go to Firstteamcareers.com to find out about local real estate classes and pricing or speak to a training specialist now by calling (877) 845-1997.You can complete your real estate classes at a local college or through a state approved licensing company. First Team Real Estate has a program to help prospective agents finish their classes in a little as 6 weeks, the fastest completion time in the industry.
What is the cost of a real estate license?
The cost of real estate license itself is only $245 and it is valid for 4 years. But there are additional costs such as your state exam fee, fingerprinting fee and the cost of your real estate classes. To see a complete list of fees for the state of California check out the BRE’s website. Currently the cost of the examination fee is $60 each time you take the exam, so be sure to attend a FREE 2 day crash course so you can be prepared and pass your first time.
Additionally when you submit your application you must submit a set of fingerprints that are acceptable to the State Department of Justice. To view the fingerprint requirements, get the form and find a live scan service provider follow this link: http://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/Fingerprint.html
What other costs are there to get into real estate?
It depends. This is a tough question to answer because there are many variables and they vary from broker to broker. Here are some of the costs and fees once you are a licensed real estate agent:
- Advertising/Marketing
- Association of Realtors/MLS
- Errors and Omissions Insurance
- Desk Fees
- Phone fees
- Training fees
- Legal fees
Becoming a real estate agent takes planning and saving. If you have more questions on how to start a real estate career and what you need to do to start earning the money you deserve call a First Team Real Estate career specialist at (877) 845-1997.
