- Who enforces the laws and rules for real estate
agents?
- What types of licenses are available?
- What requirements are there for licensing?
- What education is required?
- Is experience required?
- How
much does it cost to become a real estate licensee?
Each state creates their own laws and rules regarding
licensing.
In California, real estate agents obtain a license from the
Department of Real Estate
(DRE). Contact information can be found at:
http://www.dre.ca.gov/Contact.html
Two unique licenses are available. The types
are :
-
Broker
-
Salesperson
Candidates must
complete real estate pre-licensing education, pass a state examination, find a
Broker to hang their license, fill out an application, and submit fingerprint
cards to start a background investigation. During the application process, the DRE will investigate any
criminal records or previous real estate offenses.
It
depends on which license your are applying for. All salespeople
must show evidence of having completed 3-pre-licensing courses including the
following two courses:
-
Real Estate Principles
-
Real Estate Practices
The 3rd
course that needs to be completed for this license is your choice. The
choices are:
-
Legal Aspects of Real Estate (A good choice for students anticipating
pursuing a real estate license in a neighboring state within the near
future.)
-
Property Management (A good choice for students anticipating a property
management career.)
-
Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending (A good choice for students anticipating
a career as a lender.)
-
Real Estate Appraisal
-
Real Estate Finance
-
Real Estate Economics
-
Escrows (A good choice for students searching for escrow or title company
career paths.)
Broker applicants must show evidence of having completed
8 real estate courses per the following list:
- Real
Estate Practice; and
- Legal
Aspects of Real Estate; and
- Real
Estate Finance; and
- Real
Estate Appraisal; and
- Real
Estate Economics or Accounting; and
- Three
courses from the following list
- Real
Estate Principles
-
Business Law
-
Property Management
-
Escrow
- Real
Estate Office Administration
-
Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
-
Advanced Legal Aspects of Real Estate
-
Advanced Real Estate Finance
-
Advanced Real Estate Appraisal
-
Computer Applications in Real Estate
-
Common Interest Developments
A minimum of two years
full-time licensed salesperson experience within the last five
years or the equivalent is also required.
An applicant
with a four-year degree from an accredited college is usually exempt
from the two-year salesperson experience requirement...but still needs to complete the 8 broker courses. Members of
the California State Bar are statutorily exempt from the
college-level course requirements. Members of any other State
Bar as well as individuals holding an LL.B or J.D. degree who
are not members of any State Bar, including CA, may generally
qualify on the basis of education.
ABC Real
Estate School recommends this package for prospective brokers:
- Real
Estate Principles
- Real
Estate Practice
- Legal
Aspects of Real Estate
- Real
Estate Finance
- Real
Estate Appraisal
- Real
Estate Economics
- Escrows,
and
Either...
-
Property Management, or
-
Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
A minimum of two years full-time licensed
salesperson experience within the last five years or the equivalent is also
required.
An applicant with a four-year
degree from an accredited college is usually exempt from the two-year salesperson
experience requirement, but still needs to complete the 8 broker courses. Members of the California State Bar are statutorily
exempt from the college-level course requirements. Members of any other State
Bar as well as individuals holding an LL.B or J.D. degree who are not members of
any State Bar, including CA, may generally qualify on the basis of education.
See the following DRE link:
| 
ABC
Real Estate School