Becoming a real estate agent can be a major career shift. And a lucrative one for that matter, provided you start with the right guidance. From getting commissions for selling expensive properties to helping people get their dream houses, the excitement and reward can be huge. As of 2020, the United States had more 1.46 million realtors. That number has been ever-increasing, thanks to the housing market frenzy of the present world.
The path to starting a career in this industry isn’t a complicated one. You only need to take a few steps and meet some requirements. If you want a hitch-free entry, below are four must-dos for you.
Know Your State’s Requirement
The first thing to do is know your state's unique licensing requirements. Every state has a distinct licensing process, so it's essential to know the required criteria beforehand.
For example, do you need to be a certain age? Is there an educational level or background check requirement? How much are your state's licensing courses, activation fees, and exams? You should have all this information to avoid surprises during your license processing.
Take a Real Estate Training
Once you understand your state licensing requirements, the next is to join a training from a reputable instructor. You need this because there's a licensing exam awaiting you. A real estate agent training program can be the only thing you need to ace your licensing examination. Good training takes you through the underlying real estate principles and prepares you for the exams. That's not all.
This training also puts you on the right track to becoming a successful agent. Technology has made working with professional trainers a breeze, and the learning options are now flexible. You can get online with your trainer and learn everything there is to start and succeed.
Pass The Licensing Exam
With the help of training, you can easily pass your licensing exam. The exam serves as a ticket to get your real estate license. The examination is always in two parts. One covers the national scope of the industry practices and principles. The second centers on your state's real estate laws.
These exams are your entry doors into a real estate agency. Failure in either requires you to retake the exam. Waiting times between exams and the number of times you can retake depends on your state laws. To pass your examination on your first attempt, remember that a training program is all you need.
Activate Your License
After passing your exams, the next thing is to apply for license activation. You do this by sending all the necessary documents and fees (as applicable) to your state regulatory agencies. Once your application is approved, the state regulatory body will send you your certificate.
After this, your name will be searchable under the licensees section on your state real estate regulatory agency website. Until your state's real estate authority issues your license, you're not allowed to work as an agent. You must have your license activated before acting to avoid legal actions against you.
After obtaining your license, you can explore opportunities with a sponsoring broker platform to begin conducting real estate transactions legally. This platform allows you to kickstart your career in the industry while being mentored by an experienced agent. Additionally, you'll likely gain access to various resources and tools that can help you succeed as a real estate agent.
Conclusion
Becoming a real estate agent has some requirements and is certainly not a day job. You can become a real estate agent in less than six months. There might be variations in the durations due to unique state factors. But the steps remain the same, know the requirements, join a training program, take licensing exams, and activate your license.
Lastly, a training program can be your shortcut to getting your license faster and accelerating your career quicker. Don't rule it out.