Real Estate Exam Requirements

A real estate professional helps facilitate and negotiate one of the major financial decisions in a person's life.

Facts

A real estate professional is the key mediator in selling and buying property for clients. A real estate professional can acquire a state's licensure as a real estate sales agent or real estate broker. A real estate sales agent works directly with buyers and sellers facilitating real estate transactions. A real estate broker is responsible for hiring sales agents, overseeing agency production, listing residential/commercial properties and managing office personnel.

State requirements

Each state's real estate regulating agency governs its own rules, regulations and laws for real estate exam requirements. Most states require that prospective real estate exam candidates complete state application requirements before registering to sit for the real estate exam. Check with your state's real estate regulating agency for specific requirements and prerequisites before beginning any study course or real estate class.

Education

In most states, the general education requirement for the real estate exam is a high school diploma and 60-120 classroom hours in law, agency and real estate principle core courses. The requirements for the real estate broker exam require 100-120 additional classroom hours along with a number of required years of sales agent experience. Depending on the requirements for each state's real estate regulating agency, supplementary real estate-related courses might also be required. Real estate classes can be taken at community colleges, universities or real estate education institutions regulated and certified by the state.

Fees

Real estate examination prices vary by state. Most real estate examination fees range from $60 to $100 and state application fees are from $90 to $300. Real estate core courses and related classes can cost from $120 to $250 per class.

Considerations

The real estate exam can be challenging. It consists of real estate policies, procedures, laws, code of conduct, ethics and specific real estate regulations for each state. Investing in a real estate exam preparation course can help you prepare. A real estate exam preparation course is offered at real estate education institutions, colleges or online real estate certified organizations.

Resources

• Real Estate Agent Job Description