What Does it Take to Become a Real Estate Agent?

The life of a real estate agent is exciting and can be quite lucrative and successful if you apply yourself and put in hard work and dedication to this very rewarding career. If you are wondering if this thrilling career path is right for you, it’s time to do some investigating. If being your own boss, working with people and setting your own schedule is something you would enjoy, becoming a real estate agent could be perfect for you. The earning potential in this field is impressive and the people you meet along the way will shape your career. You get to be there for the biggest financial transactions your clients will make in their lives and that is an exciting process. There are a few steps to becoming a realtor but with your feet pointed in the right direction as well as determination and self motivation, you will succeed. Here some of the things it takes to becoming a real estate agent:

1. Understand the job and requirements

It is important to understand what you are getting into with this career. Every work day is spent working for yourself and while you will be under the umbrella coverage of a broker, you are in charge of your success. A few things most realtors do are:

• Set their own schedule
• Advertise their services
• Learn to be assertive as you fight for your client’s wishes
• Manage their own office
• File and fill out paperwork
• Develop client relationships
• Follow prospective leads
• Manage contacts
• Mediate between buyers and sellers
• And more…

As you decide if real estate is right for you, it’s a good idea to follow a realtor friend around for a day and ask other realtors what their job is like. Being an organized, motivated and driven personality will definitely help you get far. These are also a few of the basic requirements. You must be at least 18 or 19 years old (depends on the state) and have legal U.S. residency.

2. Enroll in a real estate prelicensing course

Enrolling in real estate courses can be done in a variety of avenues such as online or in person through accredited universities, colleges and technical schools as well as real estate firms. Finding a school with a good reputation is important because brokers will want to see where you received your schooling. As you complete this training, you will need to pay attention closely and take notes because your real estate exam is the final step to becoming a realtor. The best way to make sure you pass the test is to take practice exams. The practice exams you can take through Real Estate Prep Guide are guaranteed to help you get a passing score on your test. Taking these tests and studying will ensure you achievement of that passing score.

3. Choose a broker

Choosing a real estate broker you will work with is a requirement for becoming a realtor. Before graduating from your training course, choose a broker who can guide you through the process of becoming a realtor. Brokers have additional training and education within the real estate world and will be a valuable resource to you.

4. Take the real estate salesperson exam

Every state has their own requirements for becoming a realtor. Finding out your state’s requirements and then taking the test are the last few steps to becoming a real estate agent. You must pass this test to become a realtor but taking practice tests will assist you in your success on this test.

Onto your rewarding career

Once you have passed the real estate exam with all your diligent studying, practice quizzes and tests, you can get licensed as a real estate agent in your state with some additional paperwork, a background check and licensing fees. Becoming a real estate agent is similar to starting your own business and you will need to build a client base. Take every step seriously, dedicate and apply yourself and you can make this career as great or small as you would like. Real Estate Prep Guide is here to help get you there.