Youmay be surprised to find out how fast and convenient it can be to take classesto become a licensed Texas Real Estate Agent.
As housing prices continue to fall, the number of real estateinvestors is on the rise. If you don't have the resources yourself to invest,obtaining your Texas Real Estate License may be an ideal way to get in the gameand supplement your income. You may be surprised to find out how fast andconvenient it can be to become a licensed Texas Real Estate Agent.
1. SuccessfullyComplete the Education Requirements. The Texas Real Estate Commission requires you to have theequivalent of 210 classroom hours (seven 30-hour classes) before you are ableto apply for a Texas Real Estate License. You will needto complete 60 hours of Principles of Real Estate courses, 30 hoursof Law of Contracts, 30 hours of Law of Agency, and 30 hours of an additionalcore real estate courses. You must also complete another four semesters (60classroom hours) in core courses or acceptable related courses. TheCommission's website has a full listing of these courses.
2. SubmitEvaluation of Education Documents. Once you have completed all the Commission's requirements, youwill need to fill out the Evaluation of Education Document Form and send copiesof your transcripts and certificates to the Texas Real Estate Commission. A feeof $30.00 is required for the evaluation of education documents for the purposeof determining if the requirements have been met. The evaluation processgenerally takes 10 business days, and you will receive an evaluation letterfrom the Commission confirming the satisfaction of all education requirements.
3. GetFingerprinted. Beginning January 1, 2008, any person applying for a broker orsalesperson license must have their fingerprints on file with the Department ofPublic Safety. Information on this is included with the Evaluation of EducationDocument Form. License applicants must getfingerprints taken within six months of the date the application.
4. File YourApplication.Once the Commission notifies you that your education requirements have beenmet, you are ready to submit the real estate application and required fee(currently $104.50) to the Texas Real Estate Commission. You can file and payonline which will speed up the application process considerably. Once yourapplication has been received, processed, and accepted, you will receivenotification that you may obtain a copy of the Candidate Information Brochure(CIB). A copy of the CIB can be downloaded from the PSI exam web site (PSIis a testing service company). The CIB will provide instructions on how toregister and reserve a spot to take the exam, and also includes study materialand instructions about licensing. You should not attempt to register for theexam without first receiving notification from the Commission.
5. Study Forand Pass the Exam. The State exam is divided into two parts, a theory portion (basedon National practices) and a Texas-specific portion. As with any exam, it?sessential that you thoroughly prepare. There is a wealth of real estatetraining materials out there to help you from books to audio coaching series.The Texas Institute of Real Estate also offers live and correspondence coursesthat cover the material you will need to know for the State exam.
6. ObtainSponsorship.Before you can practice as a licensed salesperson you must arrange for anactiveTexas real estate broker to sponsor you.After you pass the exam, once a broker holding an active license has mailed arequest to the Commission to act as your sponsor, you may begin to sell realestate.
If you think now may be the right time to get your Texas RealEstate License, it may not be as hard as you thought. The process is simple,and a small investment of your time and money could equal great rewards in thelong run.