The world of real estate can be a complex one and so deciding which California real estate license category is best for you, who you should work with and how to become a real estate agent in California can seem a little difficult. With that said, here are some helpful tips from A&G Real Estate School on how to become a Cali Realtor without feeling overwhelmed.
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Becoming a California real estate agent requires you to meet several requirements. First, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. You must also pass the California State Board of Realtors’ (CSBR) salesperson examination. Additionally, you must complete two years of pre-licensing education from an approved pre-licensing education provider, or complete the 60-hour alternative course of study.
After becoming a licensed salesperson in California, you may become a licensed broker by obtaining your broker’s license through reciprocity or by completing the 30-hour broker course at an approved school. If you want to become a licensed broker in California without ever becoming a salesperson first, then you will need to complete all of the requirements listed above and also pass the national test provided by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Once you have completed these steps, you will be eligible to start working as a real estate agent in California!
How to become a california real estate agent
Complete 150 hours of qualifying education in a real estate agent pre-licensing course that has been approved by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) or the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE).
- Find a course that is accredited by the DRE or BPPE.
- Set aside time for your coursework. Most courses are between 12 and 16 hours long and require about 14 hours of class time per week.
- Check out reviews of the school and course before enrolling, as well as available student services like tutoring and career guidance. Some schools offer mock exams to help prepare you for your licensing exam, but these are not required and vary widely in price.
- Decide whether or not you need additional support while taking the course full-time, part-time, or online—and if so, where you will get it (for example: local community colleges may offer classes at a much lower cost than private schools).
Submit an application to be licensed as a real estate salesperson.
To be eligible to apply for a real estate license in California, you must be at least 18 years old. You can submit your application online or in person. To apply, you’ll need to pay the application fee and provide proof that you meet all the other requirements listed above.
You will also need to submit fingerprints if you are using a Social Security number or taxpayer identification number as your SSN/TIN on your application form.
Pass the California real estate salesperson exam.
You must pass the exam within 3 years of completing your pre-licensing course or within 18 months of submitting application. You can take the exam at a test center or online. The exam is computer based, and consists of 120 multiple-choice questions that you have to answer in 2 hours and 15 minutes. To pass, you need to correctly answer 75% of the questions in each section (real estate law, real estate contracts and finance) correctly.
Find a sponsoring broker.
You will need to find a sponsoring broker. This is the person you will be working with, and they must have the proper credentials to sponsor you. Your sponsoring broker is also the person who pays for your license and is responsible for helping you meet your goals. After finding a sponsoring broker, they can help you get started on getting the required paperwork together for your application and provide guidance in how to pass each step of the process, from getting licensed through renewing your license every two years.
It’s not that difficult but it’s important to pay attention to all the steps.
Becoming a real estate agent can be a tricky process. It’s not as easy as everyone thinks it is, or at least that’s what people think until they realize how much responsibility comes with being a real estate agent. Becoming one requires you to have a license from the state of California and then finding someone who will sponsor you and take care of all the paperwork for you so that your focus can remain on helping your clients find the perfect home for them.
Being responsible means more than just getting paid for doing your job; it means being accountable for all the things that come with selling property: signing contracts between buyers and sellers, ensuring everything is done according to code, making sure homes are ready to be shown before tours begin (basically anything having anything remotely related). This may sound scary but don’t worry—it’s not too difficult if you pay attention to every step along the way!
