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One of the best things about a career in real estate is that every city and town needs Realtors® and other real estate agents. If you are interested in pursuing this career, start by talking to agents in your area. Ask them what they enjoy and what they dislike about their job. Make sure to ask if the area’s market can sustain another Realtor®; in some cases there are too many agents for the available work, and in other cases the few working Realtors® would welcome both the help and the competition. Also ask if the Realtors® have enough work to support themselves and their families.
If you have explored the career in your area and are committed to making it yours, you will then need to enroll in a real estate school. Different states have different requirements for Realtors® and real estate agents, but most states expect you to have an average of 21 hours of training before you can be licensed. In some states, you can take all or part of your classes online, which often helps those who live in rural communities and do not have access to the communities where real estate schools are likely to be found.
Obviously location is the first consideration when choosing a real estate school. The coursework you will do in your classes will be aimed at preparing you for your licensing exam in the state where you will work. Therefore, your real estate school must know the requirements of their state. You also have to be able to get to the school, which can be a challenge if you are in a rural community. If you take online classes, you have to be sure they are geared toward your state’s licensing requirements and that you have consistent computer access for the duration of your coursework.
Cost is another consideration for real estate school, as it is for any school. Tuition costs vary in price by school. Some schools are independent while others are attached to real estate agencies, such as Century 21 and RE/MAX®. Make sure to find out how students finance their education in each of the real estate schools, and discern whether you are able to make that investment right now.
The subsequent level of real estate school should be geared toward becoming a Realtor®-Broker. To do this you have to work with a licensed broker and take up to 30 additional hours of classes. Again, make sure that your state’s requirements are met through this coursework. Both levels of certification have licensing exams that you must take and pass before you can operate as a Realtor® or Realtor®-Broker in your state.
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