by Paul Lines

Created on: October 28, 2008

So you want to be a real estate agent. The first question that will spring to your mind once you have made this amazing discover is "how do I make my dream career choice come true?" The answer is that you will have to approach your goal by taking four straightforward steps.

1 Evaluate the career choice

It is easy to say that you want to be a real estate agent, but in doing so it is very important to evaluate whether this is the right career choice for you as a person. You need to be sure that you have the right characteristics and interests to be able to undertake the role of real estate agent. For example, as it is a customer facing and selling based career, it is probably better suited to someone who is extroverted and able to get on well with people. Similarly, it is helpful if you have an interest in property and homes and understand how their features appeal to the prospective purchaser. People who are looking to purchase real estate will react to those who can enthuse about homes and are more likely to buy from someone who is able to create a positive image of the property as their future home.

2 Training

The second stage in reaching your career goal, and needed before you can even think about applying for a licence to work in real estate as an agent, is training. There is a legal requirement in most US states for applicants to have undertaken a specific level of educational studies for this career at an appropriate place of education, which indicates that attendance at a university or college will be required. These establishments will have pre-designed courses relating to real estate agency, but in any event they must include real estate principles and the current regulations and legislation relating to this industry, for example the laws of contract and agency.

It is recommended that the minimum number of study hours required and acceptable to the state in this respect will be between 160 and 200, thus this means that there is no short-cut or fast track route to the qualifications.

3 Licence application

All US real estate agents are required to have a state licence prior to being able to pursue this career. Applications for this licence are available from the appropriate state department and must be accurately completed and returned to that department together with the necessary proof of the applicants study.

Whilst straightforward, the application form will ask for details of any criminal convictions or court action that has been levied against the applicant and these will be carefully checked and considered before a licence is granted. However, assuming that the applicant is considered suitable and has the required knowledge, an "inactive" licence will be granted, which at that stage still does not permit you to act as a real estate agent.

4 Work experience

To move your licence from the "inactive" to the "active" stage will require a sponsor. This sponsor has to be acceptable to the state licensing authority. In other words they will need to be a qualified real estate broker. In most cases this sponsor will normally the broker who has agreed to employ you as an agent. Once this sponsor has been found your licence will be made active and you are then in a position to pursue your chosen career as a real estate agent.

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