Step 1: Get Your Real Estate License

So you think you have what it takes to be a CRE Brokerage Superstar. You’re tenacious, you’re a self-starter, you’re self-motivated, and you know how to make connections with the right people. That’s great! But first things first — you need to get your real estate salesperson license before you can start selling properties.

The first thing you need to do it look up your state’s real estate salesperson licensing requirements. Regulations vary state by state. Texas requires 180 hours of classroom training, but we have it pretty easy here in Massachusetts. The state requires only 40 hours of pre-licensing instruction through a state-approved real estate school before you are allowed to sit for the exam. This means that you can become a Massachusetts-certified real estate agent in as little as 4 days, depending on the program.

Every real estate school is different, so you need to do your research to find the right program for you. Many real estate schools offer 4-day “crash courses” as well as night and weekend classes for added flexibility. Certain programs can set you back as little as $250 — an affordable career investment for most.

Although a college degree is not necessary for pursuing a real estate license, the classes are considered college-level. The textbook-style coursework typically includes reading passages, workbook questions and problems, practice tests, quizzes, and the final exam. Course topics cover concepts such as property valuation, contracts, property conditions and disclosures, risk management, real estate laws, and financing.

Following the class final exam, you must take the official state licensing exam. In Massachusetts, test takers must pass the 4-hour exam with a scaled score of at least 70 out of 100. The general portion of the exam is made up of 80 multiple choice questions, about 10% of which involve mathematical computations. The exam’s two sections cover national and state-specific real estate concepts.

The process for getting your broker’s license is fairly similar to getting your salesperson’s license. You have to be affiliated with a broker for 3 years before completing the 40 hours of broker pre-license training in Massachusetts.

It doesn’t take much to get your real estate license. As long as you’re at least 18, you could become a licensed real estate salesperson in a matter of days.

If you’re ready to launch your commercial real estate career, visit our Careers page here.

[bctt tweet=”It doesn’t take much to get your real estate license. As long as you’re at least 18, you could become a licensed real estate salesperson in a matter of days.”]