Getting a License in Iowa or Illinois. why no independent option!

[Steve Coffey]

Can anybody explain to me why it seems that Iowa and Illinois require that you work for a broker office to become a licensed broker? I live right on the border and would be fine getting a license from either state simply to have full access to the MLS and look at homes listed without always going through an agent. I am willing to take the classes but it seems that in Illinois you have to have a sponsor from a broker agency to get the license and Iowa it actually states you need to be employed by an agency to get the license. To me this was a tactic to keep competition low . How is somebody that already has a full time job and just wants to invest in Real Estate suppose to get a license. If anybody if from either of these states that could help me out with this I would really appreciate it. Thanks!