How to Become a Real Estate Agent

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  1.  Understand the General Requirements
  2. Consider a Specialization
  3. Get your Education
  4. Find your Brokerage Fit
  5. Pass the State and National Exams

You love HGTV. You dream of a career that allows you more flexibility than a normal 9-5. You have heard from numerous people you would make a great real estate agent. You want to learn more about how to become a real estate agent. Read on, my friend; you have come to the right place.

A career in real estate can be full of flexibility and financial reward for those who are willing to work hard. Many people are interested in real estate but are not sure exactly how to become a real estate agent. This article will help you understand what steps are needed to become a real estate agent in Ohio.

 

Understand the General Requirements

In the State of Ohio, the full requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson’s license can be viewed at the Department of Commerce website here. In general you must:

 

Do your homework

You probably have a general idea of what a real estate agent does if you have ever bought or sold a home but have you ever wondered what a real estate agent actually does on a day to day basis? It is important to research and understand the career so you can get a better feel if it is a good fit for you. There are a lot of different paths you can take with your license—many Hondros alumni become residential agents, those who help people buy or sell their home. You can also become a commercial real estate agent and could assist with the sale of a commercial property or development.

Residential real estate agents work with buyers, sellers, or both. Some of the day to day activities include showing homes, doing a listing presentation, marketing a property, generating potential leads, completing paperwork, holding an open house, building relationships, and communicating with clients. Sound good? Keep reading!

Real estate agents have a lot of flexibility over their schedule and can set appointments based on their life calendar. They can also choose to work as little or as much as they want. It is important when considering real estate as a career to understand that good time management skills will be essential.

Hondros College offers an excellent opportunity to learn more about the real estate industry each month at our Career Launch events. These events are Q & A sessions with a successful real estate agent who can answer your specific questions. You can learn more or register for these free events here.

 

Get your education

Once you have decided real estate is the career for you, it is time to go back to school! The state of Ohio requires that you take 120 classroom hours of real estate pre-licensing education in order to sit for the state exam. Hondros College of Business offers these real estate classes all over the state of Ohio with different schedule options including day, evening and weekends. Our most popular schedule can be completed in as little as three weeks! There are four different courses you must take:

  • 40 hours of Principles & Practices
  • 40 hours of Real Estate Law
  • 20 hours of Real Estate Finance
  • 20 hours of Real Estate Appraisal

During your classes it is so important to STUDY, STUDY, and STUDY! Study your notes, read your textbook and utilize exam prep tools like CompuCram and the Crammer courses. Once you feel ready you need to find a sponsoring broker, if you don’t have one already, and schedule to take the state exam.

 

Find your Fit

Before you can take the state exam you must have what is called a “sponsoring broker.” This is the real estate broker who will hold your license once you become a licensed real estate agent. There are many important factors you should consider when choosing a broker. The most important is to find a broker you feel most comfortable with.

Ask questions! Understanding key differentiators such as what kind of training will be available, what are the expectations for agents, and what resources are available will help you in the long run. Hondros College offers our students the opportunity to ask all these questions and more at Career Night. These free events allow students to meet with many different brokers in a job fair style setting.

 

Pass the State Exam

Once you have a sponsoring broker and have completed all your real estate classes you are ready to sit for the state exam! In order to sit for the state exam you must follow a couple different steps: First, you must submit a completed Salesperson Examination Application and a $60 fee to the Division of Real Estate. Make sure you include your four course completion certificates from Hondros College with your application. Once the Division of Real Estate processes your application, your information will be sent to the testing vendor. The testing vendor will send you a Candidate Information Booklet that will instruct you on how to schedule the exam. Finally, it will be exam day! The Ohio Real Estate Salesperson exam has both a State and National portion and you must receive a passing exam to get your real estate license.

Once you pass your state exam and your license is received by your broker you will be ready to embark on an exciting new career that offers unlimited potential!

To get started today visit www.Hondros.com or call 1.888.HONDROS.

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