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How to Become a Real Estate Agent

Written by Posted On Thursday, 20 August 2015 04:36

A career in real estate offers a wealth of opportunity for organized, flexible and driven individuals. The path to establishing yourself as a successful real estate agent is a matter of following a clear course of action that includes getting the education necessary to pass the licensing exams.

Getting Educated

Every state has its own state specific requirements for becoming a realtor, but no matter where you live, you will have to take the pre-licensing courses. The courses will give you the background and knowledge necessary to pass the exams. They will also make certain that you have a solid foundation on which to build your new career in real estate.

With the number of regulations that govern the real estate market, attempting to short cut your way through the exam will leave you exposed to the possibility of making costly mistakes down the road.

The amount of education required in each state can vary wildly. California, for example, requires that every future realtor take three college-level courses, while other states merely require a set number of hours of classes.

But just because you have passed the state licensing exams, doesn't mean that your education is necessarily complete. There are certain real estate agencies that will require additional education and training for their agents working through the hiring process.

Choosing a Brokerage

Choosing which brokerage to work for once you've acquired your license is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a real estate agent. The brokerage refers to the agency – also called an office – that real estate agents and brokers conduct business from.

One of the requirements of working in real estate is that every agent must work with a broker. At some point during your education process, even before graduating, you will want to reach out to a broker. Brokers have several years of additional training in real estate, and are qualified to mentor new agents when it comes to navigating the ins and outs of listing and selling homes.

When looking for a broker, you'll want to consider the size of the brokerage itself, the reputation it holds and whether any additional training will be required down the road.

You can verify the broker's reputation by doing a quick online search and going over any reviews or comments that you find. Your course instructor may even be able to give you additional guidance on which brokers you should contact.

Once you have secured an interview, you'll want to arrive prepared with a few questions of your own. The following questions will help you decide whether you and the broker are a good fit for one another:

 

·                    Will there be any additional training or courses required?

·                    How many years have you been in real estate?

·                    Will I be paired with a mentor or trainer while I'm learning the ropes?

·                    What is your chosen method for developing leads?

 

Getting Licensed

After you have passed the required state and national exams, you will need to pass a criminal background check in order to gain your real estate license. The fees to sit for the exams, and the subsequent licensing fees can be expected to set prospective agents back in the vicinity of $200, although exact prices will vary from state to state.

In many ways, becoming a real estate agent is very much like running your own small business. While you will be working under the umbrella of a brokerage alongside other professional agents, you will need to treat it as your own business. You'll want to have a reserve of funds to see you through the first few months before the commission checks begin arriving. Your reserve of funds will also provide you a means by which you can market your business and bring in new clients.

 Naomi Bells works as a marketing specialist and Content Manager at Career FAQs, Australia’s leading portal on online learning and career resources.

 

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