Step by Step Guide to Become a Real Estate Agent in 60 Days or Less!

The quicker you can become a real estate agent the faster you can start making money and enjoying a flexible schedule. Starting the process can be overwhelming and the time frame is discouraging.

But with this guide on how to become a real estate agent in 60 days, your career goals can be a reality.*

The best way to start out if you want to become a real estate agent in 60 days is to check your state requirements. Each state can lay out its requirements differently. This also includes the pre-requirements.

It is important to make sure you have a firm understanding of what your state needs. There is also a specific order to the process.

For example, some states require you to have a broker mentor before you take the exam while other states allow you to find a broker after.

Not knowing what is required of you by your state will lead to a much longer process. How to become a real estate agent in 60 days is to check the state requirements.

To make it easy, we are including an overview of each of the state requirements in this section.

Once you have checked your state requirements for how to become a real estate agent, it is time to choose a pre-licensure course. There are many options out there. The key is to make sure the program is accredited and meets state requirements.

Real Estate Express is a reputable and accredited option. They have a high success rate and a pre-licensing program for most states.

You can choose your schedule, which is helpful when trying to become a real estate agent in 60 days. Being able to go as quickly or slowly as you want is a positive attribute of an online program like Real Estate Express.

The pre-licensure course will cover all of the required materials related to real estate. This will help prepare you for your state exam as well as your career. That is why it is imperative to choose a proven pre-licensure program.

There are in-person or live online options as well, however, you have to work on their schedule. This is not ideal when trying to become a real estate agent in 60 days. If this is an option you are interested, make sure you take an in-depth look at the timeline for the program.

Part of taking the pre-licensing courses is the requirement to pass the final exam. This is not the same as the licensing exam.

This will simply provide proof that completed the course and understood the materials. Once this is passed, it is time to move to the next step in the process to become a real estate agent in 60 days.

To make sure you are ready for your exam, exam prep is imperative. There are many programs out there, most of them online. This part of the process happens after you have submitted your application or registered for your exam.

Choosing a program can seem impossible with all of the choices but there are programs that stand out. Even though there are several great programs we prefer PrepAgent.

They have years of experience and a great program that sets students up for success. With different ways to access the information while still remaining budget friendly, it is hard to find a better choice.

Their program is interactive, has live webinars, and a no strings attached money back guarantee.

Going through the pre-licensure course may be enough for some students when it comes to passing the licensing exam. But many students need some extra help to prepare and pass the first time.

If you are wanting to make sure you pass the exam on your first try a prep course is in order. If you don’t feel confident about the exam, exam prep can help. It can also help students who didn’t pass all of the quizzes or only barely passed the course final.

Some students know that they will need extra help with taking an exam prep course while taking their pre-licensure courses. This isn’t recommended because of the information flow and time frame.

It is better to devote the time you have to study to the pre-licensure course and then take an exam prep course after. This will also give you a good idea of what you need to focus one.

With PrepAgent there are three packages that offer different time frames. This is perfect if you want to complete your licensure within 60 days.

Once a package is one week for those who really need to do some last minute cramming before the big exam. But there is also a one month package and a one year package. Something to fit every time frame.

Even if you can’t, or don’t want to, commit to a class, some kind of exam prep is recommended to become a real estate agent in 60 days. PrepAgent has many resources available to free like the free practice exam, question of the day, and test taking tips.

They even have private exam prep tutoring if you just need a little boost.

Depending on your state requirements, you may need to apply to take the state exam. For some states you will simply register for the exam and take it.

In the instances that you will take the exam without an application, you will then apply for your license after completion. Either way, there is an application involved.

Typically students will have a twelve month window to take their exam after their pre-licensing course. If you want to get your real estate license in 60 days, then you will need to make sure you take it as quickly as possible.

If you have to have an application approved before taking the exam, that will slow down the process. Make sure your application is complete and submitted as soon as your course final is passed.

One thing that can really slow your process down is not passing the exam on the first try. It is possible to take the exam again but it will take time.

That is why there are exam prep programs and materials. Take advantage of these resources for your best chance. We are going to talk about exam prep next.

Before we move to the next step, choose your state below to learn how to apply to take your state exam.

After all of the prep work, education, and exam taking there is still more. This is the point of the process where, in most states, you will need to find a sponsoring broker.

A real estate agent can’t work alone when they first begin. They need a broker to work with. This can be a great experience and propel your career if you choose the right one.

The best way to find a broker is to look in the area you want to work in. Start calling around, networking, and asking questions. There are few top questions to ask a broker you are considering.

Types of Brokerage Firms

There are a few steps that come into play when trying to choose the right broker. The first thing you need to consider is what type of firm you want to work with.

There are two basic types of firms. The large, national real estate brokerage firms and the small, boutique firms.

Each one has pros and cons that go with them. For instance, the smaller firms are able to really mentor new agents and give them one on one attention.

The drawback is that you may not get many sales in the beginning if the office is small but has multiple agents. They also tend to take a larger portion of your commission.

With such a large office, it will be difficult to get one on one attention. But they have great resources and more potential listings.

Choose a Location

After you decide what type of firm you want to work for you will need to think about the area in which you want to work. Do you want to stay in your local community or go to a larger area down the road?

The area you choose to be in will naturally narrow down your choices. There may only be a few real estate firms in your area that fit the description of what you are looking for.

Keep in mind that larger areas do tend to have a better real estate market. More buyers and more sellers to go around. But there are agents who stay in their local market and have successful careers.

It is also good to remember that you want to make sure the broker will be willing to guide and mentor you in your career. That is more important than location or type of firm. A reputable, ethical broker that will really help you.

Budget and Commission

Real estate agents become real estate agents because they want work/life balance as well as financial freedom. This leads some agents to make poor choices when it comes to choosing a brokerage firm.

It is tempting to choose the firm that will charge the least amount in fees and commission splits. Keeping more of your money sounds great, but that doesn’t need to be the deciding factor when choosing a broker.

There are different ways brokers charge fees. So ask questions about what this looks like for the brokerage firm you are considering.

Some brokers charge a flat rate. This could be $200 or less off of each sale. Some will charge a desk fee for your spot in the office and a percentage of the commission.

Other brokers have been known to require up to half of the agent’s commission on each sale. There are other factors to consider besides money.

For example, find out what the business flow is like. Do they have a consistent flow of clients? How is their rate of sales?

Also think about the ethics of the firm, the quality of the mentorship, and how willing they are to help you get started.

There are websites out there that say they can help a new agent find a broker that will let them keep 100% of their commission. That sounds great, but it is unlikely that you will get any sales. Or in any case, very few sales.

Money is important and you need to firmly understand what your budget is starting as a new agent. But it needs to be considered alongside the other factors.

Once a new real estate agent has secured their license they aren’t finished. There is more to the process when it comes to keeping your real estate license active.

The first year after obtaining the real estate license there are requirements in some states called post-licensing courses. This is not as intensive as the pre-licensing course work but will require some time.

Often the course hours required are around 30 hours. Post-licensing is not the same as continuing education. These are two different requirements.

Continuing education is the state requirement to keep your license active during each renewal period. For some states renewal is required every year while others keep it around every two years.

The CE requirements vary by state when it comes to the time frame and the hours required. Make sure you check with your state to make sure you get all of your continuing education hours.

Without getting the appropriate amount of continuing education hours your license will not be renewed. If your license lapses you are able to have it reinstated. However, you must wait six months.

If you haven’t had your license reinstated by the two year mark of the lapse then you will have to start the licensing process over again from the beginning.