Do you think becoming a real estate agent is the next step to building the life you want? You’re in good company. You’ll be joining more than over 2,00,000 other real estate agents in the United States.
While becoming a real estate broker isn’t the most complicated task in the world, there are still some crucial steps to take to get your license and become successful. Keep reading to learn how to become a realtor.
Research Requirements in Your Local Area
The first step to becoming a realtor is to research your local requirements. Some areas require prospective agents to take classes and apprenticeships before they’re allowed to work independently.
To find out which requirements you may need to fulfill, consult your area’s Board of Realtors’ website. These websites have the local-specific requirements you need to meet.
In addition to meeting state and local requirements, realtors often need a certain amount of educational experience and specialized licensing knowledge. Some states also require agents to belong to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) or the state’s Board of Realtors (if there is one). This helps ensure that all agents have met minimum standards for experience and education.
Take a Real Estate Course
The next step to becoming a realtor is to get your real estate license. To do this, you’ll need to take the real estate exam and complete the required coursework.
You can take your course in several ways. First, you can take a real estate course at a college or university. You can enroll in a full-scale real estate program at an accredited school and go for your Bachelor’s degree in the subject.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to commit to the time it takes to get a full degree, you can study at home by taking online courses. Several different sites have online courses for sale.
However, before you commit to an online course, make sure they are an accredited institution that will provide you with the correct educational requirements for your area. Your course should also offer you training programs to get you ready for your licensing exam.
Take Your Licensing Exam
Now that you have the necessary coursework under your belt, it is time to take your realtor license exam. If you graduated from a real estate school, your exam might be waived. You’ll need to contact the state in which you’ll receive your license for additional details and make sure that any prerequisites required for a waiver are met.
If you took an online course, you might be required to take an exam for state certification. If you have already fulfilled the requirements and want to check if you’re eligible for a waiver, log onto the website of your state’s real estate licensing board.
If you have to take the licensing exam, there isn’t much to worry about if you took your coursework seriously. It’s no more challenging than taking any other standardized test, and it doesn’t take too long to prepare for.
The first thing you need to know about your licensing exam is that there are two main sections: general and specific. The general section measures the amount of knowledge you have of real estate basics and your ability to relate that information to a set of questions. You’ll need to prove that you know everything about a particular state’s real estate laws during the specific section.
Once you pass your exam, you can become a licensed realtor.
Find a Mentor at a Real Estate Company
Once you have your realtor license, you’ll need to find a sponsor for your real estate journey. Without a sponsor, you can’t activate your real estate license in your area.
If you want to find a sponsor, look to the real estate broker companies in your area. Ideally, you’ll join the brokerage your sponsor is at so they can help you get up to speed on starting your real estate journey.
Your sponsor should also be willing to take a leadership role with you. They need to be willing to sit down with you to help you figure out complex topics, learn how to find new clients, and help you learn how to stand on your own.
It can be challenging to find a sponsor. You may need to talk with several real estate brokers before finding one willing to take you on as a client.
If you have trouble finding someone to work with, reach out to the educational institute you worked with during your training. They can help make introductions to respected realtors to help you get started.
Begin Marketing Your Services
Being a real estate agent means you have to get the word out about your services. You can’t count on people referring a lot of business to you initially, so you’ll have to learn how to market to get your first few customers.
The Internet has made it easier than ever for real estate agents to market their services. Many real estate agents work with multiple digital marketing channels to help them get the word out about their business.
Another way to generate real estate leads is to network with other realtors in your area. Some realtors join trade organizations, which can help them stay up-to-date on the latest news affecting the real estate industry and connect with other realtors. Some agents have too many clients to handle at once, so they might reach out to you if they know you can deliver excellent service.
Now You Know How to Become a Realtor
By now, you should have what you need to know how to become a realtor. There is a lot of education in the future, so make sure you start the process today. The sooner you get out into the real estate market, the quicker you’ll know if becoming a licensed realtor is right for you.
If you thought this post was helpful, head back to our blog for more valuable posts. Our business section has what you need to turn your real estate hustle into a real business.
