There are so many appealing things about beginning a career in real estate — especially in Texas, as the housing market continues to explode in the Lone Star State.
If you are thinking about becoming a licensed real estate agent in Texas, you can follow the steps and start your real estate career in a matter of months!
With just five easy steps, you can receive your Texas real estate license.
In the state of Texas, there are a few basic requirements that must be met before you can start your application process. You must:
The Texas Real Estate Commission requires all real estate licensees to complete a thorough 180-hour course through an accredited educational institution. The
The coursework is broken down into six different sections that each require 30 hours of specific topics:
Upon completion of your course, your educational institution will provide you a certification slip that you’ll need to copy and send in with your official application to show you’ve met the requirement.
Once you’ve filed your application and completed your educational requirement, you’ll then receive an approval letter from the Texas Real Estate Commission with a candidate handbook and instructions on how to schedule your final exam.
Texas has partnered with test administrator Pearson Vue, who hosts the exams in person at an approved test facility. To schedule your exam, you can make an online reservation or call a test facility.
However, walk-in tests are not permitted, so you’ll need to schedule your exam at least 24 hours before your desired date.
While scheduling your exam, it’s also a good time to schedule your fingerprinting appointment. This is a required part of your real estate application and is done through a state-contracted company, IDEMIA.
Similar to your exam, same-day appointments are not accepted so make sure to plan ahead at least 24 hours.
In order to pass the Texas Real Estate exam, you’ll need to correctly answer 61% of the questions on the exam in order to pass.
More specifically, you’ll need to answer 56 out of 85 of the questions in the national section and 21 out of 40 in the Texas-specific section.
You’ll be given four hours to complete the exam and will be able to immediately see if you passed. So far in 2022, an average of 62% of applicants passed the exam on the first try.
If you’ve passed the exam and received approval from the real estate commission, your next step to becoming a licensed agent will be to sign with a Texas brokerage. Until you do so, your license will be considered inactive.
Once your broker has accepted your sponsorship request, you’ll be given an active license and can begin working as a real estate agent!
If you have a real estate license in another state and are looking to become active in Texas, you will still have to complete much of the Texas licensing process because Texas does not offer reciprocity from outside states.
While you won’t have to retake the national portion of the exam you will have to complete the other application requirements like the educational course, background check, and pass the Texas-specific exam.
From start to finish, you should expect it to take four to six months to receive your license depending on the amount of time you are able to dedicate to the process.
The most time-consuming aspect is the 180-hour coursework and exam prep that is recommended to pass the exam. Keep in mind that if you fail the exam three times, you’ll be required to take an additional 30 hours of coursework, adding to the overall timeline of your application and license.
You should be aware of the fees required to get your Texas real estate license. Keep in mind that these costs are an investment into your future career and will pay off in the long run!
You can expect to pay around $500 on average for your coursework, with online classes being more affordable than on-campus in-person courses.
You will have to pay a $185 application fee submitted to the Texas Real Estate Commission and a $38.25 fee for your fingerprinting.
All in all, it’s best to anticipate between $800 and $1,000 for your license.
There are so many rewarding aspects to working in real estate. And while the industry might not be for everyone, there’s a reason it’s become a popular career for many.
If you are someone who likes the flexibility and hard work required to run a business, real estate might be a good fit for you, as real estate agents are essentially entrepreneurs.
They set their own hours, run their own business, and have ultimately unlimited earning potential.
Plus, you’ll be helping clients through one of their biggest transactions in life — buying or selling a home.
According to Redfin, the median price for a home in Texas is up almost 20% year-over-year, indicating that we’re seeing a boom in the market.
With the real estate market growth over the last few years and no signs of slowing down, there’s never been a better time to get your real estate license!
If you’re ready to get started, enroll in our partnered Texas real estate licensing course today and get a discount.
Florida is the third-most populous state in the United States and is an excellent location for real estate professionals to build a career.
To work as a real estate agent in Florida, one of the baseline requirements is a real estate license.
To get one, you have to meet the necessary requirements, complete real estate coursework, and pass the real estate exam.
Continue reading to get all the details you need to set you on the right track to becoming a real estate agent in Florida.
There are 5 easy steps you can follow to get your real estate license and become a real estate agent in Florida. Here are the steps to follow:
There are requirements set by the Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) to be eligible to become a real estate agent in Florida.
You must meet these requirements to be eligible to take the exam and they include the following:
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation set these requirements in a bid to ensure that high standards and integrity of the real estate industry in Florida are maintained.
After meeting the basic requirements for the real estate exam, you can proceed to enroll in the pre-license education program.
This entails compulsory 63-hour coursework for real estate agents administered by an accredited Florida Real Estate School.
The course covers everything students need to become real estate agents and pass their real estate licensing exam. The topics covered include:
The topics covered in the coursework are provided by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). You must pass the unit exam for this course by at least 70% to proceed with the next stage.
The certificate you receive on completion of this course is valid for 2 years and you have to apply, write and pass the real estate exam within this time frame.
The next thing to do is to apply to take the Florida real estate exam. To apply, you have to fill out the DBPR RE1 form.
You can submit your application via the online portal or send a printable copy via mail to the Florida DBPR. Your application should get approved within 10 to 30 days.
Once it is approved, you will be notified via email with an ID number to schedule a time and location for your exam with Pearson Vue.
Keep in mind that you will also have to submit your fingerprints. These can be taken at any accredited Livescan vendor including Pearson Vue.
The final obstacle to getting your Florida real estate license is studying for and passing the real estate exam. You can choose to take it at any Pearson Vue center or from home.
You have 3 hours and 30 minutes to answer 100 multiple-choice questions. You have to score 70% to pass the exam.
The pass rate for the exam is about 50% to 60% meaning it is a somewhat tough one. However, if you prepare and practice well, you can ace the exam in your first sitting. If you are unable to pass the exam at your first sitting, you can retake the exam within a day and a year after your first sitting.
Once you pass the exam, you will get a copy of your real estate license. You have to activate your license by submitting another application that has been filled out by a broker of your choice.
To get an interview, you just have to contact the brokerage, inform them about being a newly licensed agent, and that you will like to work with them.
The entire process of getting a Florida real estate license as a real estate agent takes anywhere between about one to two months on average.
There is the compulsory 63-hour pre-license course, which may take some students a few weeks to complete.
It may take some others a few months depending on their levels of commitment.
After completing the coursework, students will have to spend some time finding a broker to sponsor them, go through the license application process, have their application approved, then write and pass the exam.
Getting a real estate license will require both money and time.
At the end of it all, any intending real estate agent in Florida will spend about $400 to $500 to get their real estate license.
Here is a breakdown of these costs:
Being a real estate agent can be very fulfilling and financially rewarding. However, it does require putting in the work.
You would also need a lot of commitment and diligence to succeed in this field.
You will need to learn how to promote yourself, track leads, handle complex paperwork and relate with customers as real estate is a people-focused business.
If this sounds like an interesting challenge, then you should consider becoming a real estate agent.
Starting a career in the Florida real estate industry can be pretty challenging, however, you can scale through every requirement with enough gusto.
Just ensure that you follow the five easy steps that have been outlined, and this would position you on the right track to begin making major waves as a real estate agent in Florida.
If you’re ready to get started, enroll in our partnered Florida real estate licensing course today and get a discount.