Becoming a Real Estate Agent: What You Should Know Before You Start

Posted by Premier Commission on November 26, 2014 in Uncategorized

With the real estate industry back on its feet, it’s a great opportunity to revive your career as a real estate agent. If you’re just coming out of college, there couldn’t be a better time to get licensed and get ready to earn your first commissions.

So, how do you become a licensed real estate agent?

Get prerequisite education

Just like with every career, you’ll need pre-licensing education before you can even start talking about being an agent. Different states have different educational requirements. Typically, you’ll need to take a certified real estate sales course from a licensed course provider. At the end of the course you will be awarded with a certificate.

Find a brokerage

Every real estate agent must work under a broker – that is a rule that applies all across the country. A brokerage is more of like an agency or office from which all real estate salespersons work. It’s always advisable to find a broker before you’re through with your training courses so that you can start learning from them early.

Finding the right brokerage is not always easy. You’ll need to do a lot of online and offline research, read reviews and comments, and ask family, friends, neighbors, and your instructors for assistance. At the end of the day, the brokerage you choose must be adequately experienced, reliable, and very reputable. If they offer additional training, that’s always a bonus.

Obtain a real estate license

A real estate license is required of anyone who wishes to conduct licensed real estate activities. The license can also be used by real estate agents who do not immediately intend to work under a broker.

To obtain this license, one must;

• Be at least eighteen years old at the time of application
• Provide proof of legal presence in the USA
• Disclose criminal records as proof of honesty and truthfulness. Many times conviction of a crime leads to disqualification and failure to disclose criminal records may result in denial of license.

You’ll also need to sit and pass written examinations.

Budget from the start

Start-up fees for real estate agents are estimated to between $1,500 and $2,000. This fee should cover licensing courses, basic advertising, business cards as well as association fees. Of course you also need to budget for any additional exams or marketing materials.

Real estate is all about commissions – so you’ll need to set aside enough money to get by until you earn your next commission. Or you can register with a commissions advance company if you don’t want to wait until closing to receive your hard-earned commissions.

Premier Commission can help new real estate agents maintain their cash flow as they learn the ins and outs of the industry. For more information about our commission advance services, contact us today at 1-866-309-5582.

Comments are closed.