Networking & Starting Out; Should I get a realtors license?

[James NA]

Greetings all,

I recently graduated (in my 20s) and moved into the area for work. I plan on saving my income and applying for a FHA loan next year. In the meantime, I am trying to better understand the Indianapolis (Fishers, Carmel) real estate market and considering getting a realtors license.

In Indiana, the cost for the real estate licensing course is approximately ~$580 and an additional ~$80 annually to maintain. I am trying to decide if this is a worthwhile endeavor.

From what I have read, the main benefit is early access to MLS for purchasing homes and saving on commission costs while selling homes.

This leads to two questions:

- Is simply having early access to new listings worth $600, or is it only worthwhile if I plan on flipping and selling a property on my own? I don't plan on representing others.

- Is the license itself intrinsically useful for networking, or does nobody really need a rookie agent?

My provisional strategy is to put a room in a property up for rent while also living in it as my primary residence for a year. I will do minor renovations over the course of that year then flip for a profit. This may be an overly ambitious strategy considering that I am inexperienced in both DIY and sales contracts, but in theory it seems like a very efficient option. Feel free to give me any advice or direct me to any meetups. I am always looking to build my network.

Best,

James