Before becoming a licensed real estate agent, there's a lot you need to know. First, you’ll have to take and pass a number of required real estate pre-licensing courses. The courses you take must be approved by your state, but you can choose to take the courses online.
It’s also good to know why putting time into studying now will save you time in the future and why it’s important to pay attention — especially in your contracts course. Finally, knowing about continuing education requirements will help you prepare for the future.
Here's a closer look at the five things you need to know before starting pre-licensing education.
1. Pre-license Education Must Be Provided by an Approved Educator
Don’t get fooled by companies offering dirt-cheap real estate courses. The courses may not be approved by the state’s real estate commission, and therefore, any classes they offer won’t count toward the required credits.
Check for accreditation before signing up for any pre-license education course. If you're not sure, check with your state's real estate commission, such as the TREC in Texas or the DPOR in Virginia. That way, you won’t waste your time taking classes that won’t do you any good!
2. You Have Options for How, When, and Where You Take a Real Estate Pre-license Course
Many people assume you have to go to a traditional classroom-based real estate school for pre-license education courses, but that hasn’t been the case for years. Today, aspiring real estate agents have options for how, when, and where they can take their pre-licensing courses.
AceableAgent's TREC-approved Texas real estate pre-licensing course is a great example. We’ll turn your mobile device into a classroom with courses that you can take online at your own pace. Our courses are interactive, and you’ll learn everything you would in a traditional course, but you get to choose when and where you do the work. This is the perfect solution for people who want to fit their studies into their busy lives.
3. It Pays to Study
If you don’t pass your courses or the pre-licensing exam on the first try, you’ll have to take them again. It’s worth making the effort to pass the exam the first time you take it!
People who take their pre-licensing courses through AceableAgent have a big advantage. For example, only 55% of the people who take the Florida real estate license exam pass it. But for AceableAgent students, the pass rate is 95%!
AceableAgent offers an online real estate exam prep platform called PrepAgent to help you pass your real estate exam on the first try. It has a wealth of engaging features for studying at home or on the go, including:
Thousands of questions from a recent exam with clear explanations of the answers
More than 75 videos plus hours of audio lessons and recorded webinars
Live webinars five times per week
A 100+ page prep ebook
For the best chance of passing on the first try, take the time to thoroughly work with the prep materials, and wait to take the exam until you feel ready. That will save you time, money, and effort in the long run.
4. Pay a Lot of Attention to Real Estate Pre-licensing Courses on Contracts
In a real estate transaction, the contract is crucial. It must be done correctly to protect your client’s best interests. Knowledge of contracts is something you may need right away. You could get lucky and land a deal within days or weeks of getting your license. Then you’ll be glad you paid close attention to the pre-licensing course sections about executing contracts.
Beyond that, a solid understanding of real estate contracts will serve you well throughout your entire real estate career.
5. The Courses Don’t End When You Get a Real Estate License
In the real estate industry, there’s something called real estate continuing education. Agents have to take continuing education courses after getting their licenses to keep those licenses active. Each state has its own continuing education requirements for which courses you need to take and when you have to complete them.
In Texas, for example, real estate agents have to renew their licenses every two years. The first time you renew, you will need to complete 98 hours of approved continuing education courses. For subsequent renewals, active agents only need 18 hours of approved courses.
By being aware now of your future continuing education requirements, you will know what to expect and can budget the time for these important career steps.
Get Ready for Your Pre-License Real Estate Courses
If you’re ready to hit the books, you can sign up for your state’s real estate course in minutes and get started today! See how quick, easy, and affordable it is to take your pre-licensing courses online with AceableAgent.
Updated 1/15/25