Real estate brings in a lot of opportunities for those who want to pursue a career in this field, like real estate agent or broker. Imagine what would happen if everyone you knew had a real estate license without requirements. Obviously, there would be a lot more agents than houses on the earth. Your passion and talent lies in real estate and you want to make it a full-time job. You need real estate license to begin with. That being said, let us answer some of your questions about obtaining a real estate license in detail.
How long does it take to get a California real estate license?
If you are in the state of California, it can take anywhere between five weeks to six or more months to obtain a license. Education requirements will consume most of the above specified time, so unless you are a fast learner or taking a quick online class, this time period is more or less the same. The application process is another area where considerable amount of time will be spent, probably six to eight weeks. Make sure to devote much of your time in studying for the exam so that you can pass it in the first attempt and shorten the period of obtaining the license.
How much does it cost in Los Angeles or the state of California?
The cost of getting real estate license can vary from state to state but in California it is a combination of exam fee, licensing fee and fees for taking required offline or online real estate classes. Classes both online and offline can range anywhere between $200 to $800 or more. The exam fee for the license is $60 if you want to become an agent or $95 for broker. The licensing fee can vary depending on your end goal - $245 for an agent and $300 for broker. More than ninety percent of real estate agents believe that time is money. This is simply true because many opportunities will be lost in the market if you delay in getting the needed license. In essence, the benefits of obtaining the license on time far outweighs the cost involved in the beginning.
What courses are required for a California real estate license in Los Angeles?
There are plenty of courses for those who are interested in real estate license. Some of the online courses from affiliated firms or real estate schools offer three 45-hour course that will cover the mandatory 135-hours of pre-licensing requirement. These online real estate classes are mainly classified as principals, practices and finance although the offline or online real estate classes materials may differ from one school to another. And some courses have more credibility than others which means you need to do your own research before selecting the right real estate school. Other course sessions come with many additional features such as practice exam, extra studying materials, input from various professionals and chance to interact with other students.
The practice exam may be very helpful in preparing for the real exam down the road. Once the pre-licensing course is completed, you can take the final exam which is a part of the mandatory requirement for license. You will have two attempts to pass the finals administered by a proctor. You are allotted one minute for every question on the paper. The passing score is 70%. The exam may need to be scheduled well ahead of time. To find out more about the exam process and tips, visit one of the official websites for these real estate schools.
In summary, these are the steps to becoming a real estate agent in California:
- A potential real estate agent in California should be at least 18 years old. In addition to this, the person should be a citizen of the United States.
- The potential real estate agent must have completed 135 hours of pre-licensing course from a BRE-approved real estate school.
- The would-be real estate agent should be fingerprinted and background checked as a part of the license process.
- The agent needs to pass the California salesperson or agent licensing exam.
All these above steps are more or less similar in most states. However, there may be unique set of process or additional terms to obtaining the license. In every step, you may be required to fill numerous forms, show proof of residency, citizenship status and other personal details.
One caution though. There are numerous online resources claiming to be approved for getting real estate license. Do not fall victim to these bogus claims. Start thinking like a professional and admit yourself to one of the known and popular schools after reading reviews and doing your own research. Networking with other people in the real estate industry, people who have passed the exam successfully and are running their agencies or working for businesses can provide a very solid source of information regarding this. They often come across latest information about the license requirements. They also interact with people who can connect you with a real estate firm for future employment as well. And let us not forget about the major reason to network with other agents: accessibility to potential customers.
How much do real estate agents make?
Whether they deal with foreclosures, auctions, regular property sales or networking with other agents or brokers, these professionals are some of the most important people with whom buyers and sellers want to work with. The salary earned by real estate agents vary widely, the national average being $45,000. Top real estate agencies pay a top real estate agents salary, which again depends on the market condition, number of clients, years in business and many other factors.
