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Getting your Real Estate License in Texas - Step By Step
Howdy! Many of you may have seen my recent thread about my journey to becoming licensed in TX. The thread is here:
This thread will serve as a step-by-step guide, for aspiring agents. This is the order I should have done things in. And the order that the TREC website doesn't fully explain.
FYI, the TREC website outlining the requirements is here: TREC Sales License Requirements
You should be able to complete the entire process to become an active agent within 10 weeks if you have lots of time to devote to the education. My education took me about 60 actual hours to complete. I had roughly 10-15 hrs/week into the education portion, and I finished in exactly 1 month.
Now for the steps:
1) Decide what type of education will be best for you. Options are study-at-home books, with online tests & discussion groups | Online everything | and in-person education (classroom style). I opted for the study-at-home books. I prefer something I can read anywhere, without having to deal with a laptop or tablet, and the eye fatigue that goes with it.
2) Decide which education provider to use. TREC Provides this list: TREC Education Providers. Do your own research. Make sure your provider offers some kind of exam prep. I chose Kaplan. My cost was roughly $500 for the education. Here is the link to Kaplan: Kaplan RE Education - Texas
3) "DO" the education part. This happens on your schedule. No one else's. The good programs will have self test quizzes as you work through the material to make sure you're actually learning.
4) Start researching brokers in your area. Ask around, check out websites, talk to other Realtors, etc. Start working on a short list. By the end of your education, you should have a short list of 3-4 Brokers you want to interview with.
5) Application time! As soon as you've completed your education and have all the certificates, apply to the state. The cost is currently $205. The link to the TREC MyLicense page is here: License Main Page. You'll need to "register" for an account first. The link will be on the Main Page. Here's the direct link to register: TREC MyLicense Online Registration. Once you've registered, use the Main Page Link again. When you log in, it will take you to what they call the Menu Page. Here's the direct link to the menu page: TREC MyLicense Menu Page. Keep in mind you can only hit this page if you're logged in already. Click "Start a new application" and follow the prompts. You will have to pay. Be sure to print your receipt, and/or the auto email it sends you. Next, you need to email all of your education certificates to [email protected]. This is SUPER IMPORTANT!!! If you don't do it at this point in the process, it will DELAY!!!
-- Steps 6 & 7 need to happen concurrently, as soon after you apply as possible. The state will take 15 days to 3 weeks to get back with you after you apply. Use this time for Exam Prep & Interviewing Brokers. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE HERE OR YOUR PROCESS WILL BE DELAYED!!! --
6) Exam Prep! Use your education provider's exam prep to determine what areas you're proficient in, and which ones you need a little work. Use their review materials to brush up. Take pre & post tests to make sure you know everything you need to. If you're still struggling with a subject, keep working it until you have it. Most providers have review services to help you. Keep at it until you're comfortable with every subject in the exam prep.
7) Interview Brokers! Use the time after you apply before they approve you to interview the brokers on your short list. Take good notes. Have multiple conversations with the ones you "like". Don't choose based on one conversation. If getting your license as quickly as possible is your goal, You need to have one chosen BEFORE the state gets back with you.
8) Choose a broker, Ideally within 10 days of application. Have them sign a broker sponsor form and send it to TREC. Do NOT wait to do this, or your license will initially be inactive, and you'll have to transfer sponsorship manually. It takes longer that way. Here's the link to the form: Broker Sponsorship form (pdf download)
-- Somewhere between 15 days and 3 weeks after you applied, you'll receive an email with your TREC ID number, authorizing you to schedule your exam, and get fingerprinted. Get on it! You're almost there! --
9) Get Fingerprinted!!! This needs to happen as soon as possible after you receive your authorization email. You'll need to get a FastPass to get fingerprinted by a MorphoTrust center. The download form is here: Fast Past Form Download. Just enter your TREC ID number at the bottom. Print out the form, sign it, keep it safe. Then go to the FastPass page, and click to schedule online or call the number. Here's the link to the Fast Past Page: TREC Fast Pass Page. Schedule & go. Don't wait! The cost is currently $40ish
10) Schedule your Exam! TREC uses Pearson Vue to handle testing. Here's the link to the Texas Real Estate Exam page. Pearson Vue TX Real Estate Testing. Schedule & Pay. The cost is currently $54.
11) Take the test!!! Make sure you have 2 forms of SIGNATURE ID, such as Driver License, Social Security Card, Credit/Debit Cards, etc. Your results will be shared with you as soon as you finish.
12) Wait! The state will email you when your results have been received and your inactive license issued. If you were lucky enough to have your sponsoring broker send in the signed form in time...you'll be issued an active license shortly thereafter. Took about 12 hours from my inactive email to the active email.
13) Join your local Association of Realtors! for MLS Access, and tons of other things you'll need. For my area the avg yearly cost is about $1300. It will be pro-rated based on when you join. Different things are paid at different intervals. Some brokers pay these fees and you pay them. Check with your sponsoring broker. You'll have some instruction/training from the association (MLS, etc).
14) You're done!
Hope this helps!
Great guide. Would these steps also be applicable for other states? I live in California.
Also is this guide meant for those who primarily want to practice as a salesperson? As I am someone who is getting their license more to aid in my investing. If so, what alterations should I make to the guide to fit the investor minded agent? Such as what criteria to follow to interview brokers.
Originally posted by @Marwin Balibrea:
Great guide. Would these steps also be applicable for other states? I live in California.
Also is this guide meant for those who primarily want to practice as a salesperson? As I am someone who is getting their license more to aid in my investing. If so, what alterations should I make to the guide to fit the investor minded agent? Such as what criteria to follow to interview brokers.
@Marwin, it's similar but talk to other agents in CA, and check out the CA DRE website for the latest info. Good news is, CA has less education hours than TX.
Thank you Shane!
I have read both of your threads - very helpful information.
I'm currently in the process of becoming a RE - but I'm not as fast in the education department as you :) I am also taking Kaplan, and did the OnDemand video course. There are a lot of videos to get through, but I knew I could not just read a textbook, and I work full time, so didn't have time for a classroom. The OnDemand seemed to be a nice compromise - lectures, but at my own pace - which is slow. I hope to be a full time RE by Jan 1st!
I agree that the TREC licensing information section is just a total mess - and your step by step helped clear up a few steps. Thank you again!
Hey @Tami Lumpkins! I'm glad my step by step guide helped you! I wish I found one before I started :)
How are you liking the video courses? I didn't have the patience for that. And on the flipside, textbook reading isn't for everyone. I was lucky in that I had already worked with investors for the last 3 years, so many of the key points were just refreshers.
I wish you the best of luck!
The National videos were very good. I actually enjoyed them. The instructors would explain things so it all made sense. The state portion is a little harder to follow - she zips through it pretty fast - and so far all I have completed is the 30 hour National and 30 hour state course. I'm about to start the next course tonight.
I have zero background in real estate.
But I have always been fascinated by the real estate industry. I tried to get my license some 25 years ago, but life (and then 3 babies) got in the way. I'm approaching 50 now, and decided I should go for my dream.
But the videos, along with the practice quizzes have been very helpful. I took my "final exam" for Principles of Real Estate last night and without going back to study, I passed with a 90%.
Working full time, and busy with my kid's activities (still have 1 at home) it's been slow going.
The practice quizzes are awesome!
Originally posted by @Shane Woods:-- Somewhere between 15 days and 3 weeks after you applied, you'll receive an email with your TREC ID number, authorizing you to schedule your exam, and get fingerprinted. Get on it! You're almost there! --
9) Get Fingerprinted!!! This needs to happen as soon as possible after you receive your authorization email. You'll need to get a FastPass to get fingerprinted by a MorphoTrust center. The download form is here: Fast Past Form Download. Just enter your TREC ID number at the bottom. Print out the form, sign it, keep it safe. Then go to the FastPass page, and click to schedule online or call the number. Here's the link to the Fast Past Page: TREC Fast Pass Page. Schedule & go. Don't wait! The cost is currently $40ish
10) Schedule your Exam! TREC uses Pearson Vue to handle testing. Here's the link to the Texas Real Estate Exam page. Pearson Vue TX Real Estate Testing. Schedule & Pay. The cost is currently $54.
11) Take the test!!! Make sure you have 2 forms of SIGNATURE ID, such as Driver License, Social Security Card, Credit/Debit Cards, etc. Your results will be shared with you as soon as you finish.
12) Wait! The state will email you when your results have been received and your inactive license issued. If you were lucky enough to have your sponsoring broker send in the signed form in time...you'll be issued an active license shortly thereafter. Took about 12 hours from my inactive email to the active email.
13) Join your local Association of Realtors! for MLS Access, and tons of other things you'll need. For my area the avg yearly cost is about $1300. It will be pro-rated based on when you join. Different things are paid at different intervals. Some brokers pay these fees and you pay them. Check with your sponsoring broker. You'll have some instruction/training from the association (MLS, etc).
A few questions - I think I'm near the finish line.... I still have one course to go - Promulgated Forms - but I hope to have it done tonight or tomorrow.
So, after I finished my last course, I'm going to make an application - and it's going to take them 2-3 weeks to get back to me - right? I can't schedule the exam until I get an approval email - is that correct? And during this time, study, study, study.
How long does it take to get the exam scheduled? Is there more than a few days between scheduling and taking the exam? Do they have Saturday tests (I'm in the DFW area)?
And how long between taking the test and getting the "inactive/active" license email?
I am hoping to give notice at my current job at the beginning of December and work until the end of the year - and then start my new real estate career full time in January.
I guess now is the time to start interviewing brokers. I've got three on my list - Re/Max, KW, and Coldwell Banker. I'm not too concerned with the split - I'm more looking for good training, mentoring, and hopefully some lead generating opportunities. I guess I don't have to join a broker in my town - maybe I should branch out. I'm not sure the luxury home type offices are my cup of tea.
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Congrats on nearing the end of your education requirements. After you finish the last course, everything can go very quickly. After I finished and applied online, I believe my response from TREC was within a day or two, quicker than expected. Once you get that email, set up apps. for fingerprinting and the test w/ Pearson Vue. I used the Hurst location (26 @ Hurstview), which s/b close to you. The next available test slow was nearly 2 weeks out for me, so don't procrastinate scheduling it. I don't recall any Sat. time slots, but maybe I wasn't paying attn.
Originally posted by @Tami Lumpkins:A few questions - I think I'm near the finish line.... I still have one course to go - Promulgated Forms - but I hope to have it done tonight or tomorrow.
So, after I finished my last course, I'm going to make an application - and it's going to take them 2-3 weeks to get back to me - right? I can't schedule the exam until I get an approval email - is that correct? And during this time, study, study, study.
How long does it take to get the exam scheduled? Is there more than a few days between scheduling and taking the exam? Do they have Saturday tests (I'm in the DFW area)?
And how long between taking the test and getting the "inactive/active" license email?
I am hoping to give notice at my current job at the beginning of December and work until the end of the year - and then start my new real estate career full time in January.
I guess now is the time to start interviewing brokers. I've got three on my list - Re/Max, KW, and Coldwell Banker. I'm not too concerned with the split - I'm more looking for good training, mentoring, and hopefully some lead generating opportunities. I guess I don't have to join a broker in my town - maybe I should branch out. I'm not sure the luxury home type offices are my cup of tea.
Originally posted by @Chris Soignier:
Congrats on nearing the end of your education requirements. After you finish the last course, everything can go very quickly. After I finished and applied online, I believe my response from TREC was within a day or two, quicker than expected. Once you get that email, set up apps. for fingerprinting and the test w/ Pearson Vue. I used the Hurst location (26 @ Hurstview), which s/b close to you. The next available test slow was nearly 2 weeks out for me, so don't procrastinate scheduling it. I don't recall any Sat. time slots, but maybe I wasn't paying attn.
Thank you for the info! I guess I need to get my butt in gear. And yes, the Hurst office is the one I was planning to use, but I can go to any of them if the timing is right. I would rather not take a day off of work, but if I need to, I can.
Great post! Thanks so much for the detailed step by step!
I personally prefer statece.com. I have taken several Texas oriented courses there. I have 11 Broker licenses, but only a sales license in Texas, as they have some strange requirements. Good post.
Originally posted by @Tami Lumpkins:
So, after I finished my last course, I'm going to make an application - and it's going to take them 2-3 weeks to get back to me - right? That is correct. Once the application is done online at the link in the original post, they will send you confirmation they received it, and as long as you ALSO emailed your course documentation to the email address provided above, they'll get with you in 2-3 weeks telling you you've been approved to schedule a test.
I can't schedule the exam until I get an approval email - is that correct? And during this time, study, study, study. Also correct. The email they send you will be approval to schedule your test & get fingerprinted.
How long does it take to get the exam scheduled? Is there more than a few days between scheduling and taking the exam? Do they have Saturday tests (I'm in the DFW area)? Test scheduling is done on the link provided in the original post. You pick several test sites, and availability shows up on a calendar. If they don't have the days you want, you can look at other sites. You pick a day & time, and that's it, you're scheduled. Waco, Abilene and sometimes Dallas have tests available in a day or two. Some of the other locations require about a week to get in. You just have to play with it. I tried 3 different times and got different days/times each try. People sign up and cancel all the time.
And how long between taking the test and getting the "inactive/active" license email? Took 10 days for mine. I received the inactive and then active license emails within a few hours of each other.
I guess now is the time to start interviewing brokers. I've got three on my list - Re/Max, KW, and Coldwell Banker. I'm not too concerned with the split - I'm more looking for good training, mentoring, and hopefully some lead generating opportunities. I guess I don't have to join a broker in my town - maybe I should branch out. I'm not sure the luxury home type offices are my cup of tea. I would HIGHLY recommend meeting with a local broker in your area. One that's not with a chain. Do some asking around in the area you want to work, find one who is known well and highly regarded. It's your choice, but I would always recommend at least one non-chain option.
I'm not sure why, but my formatting didn't go through on the previous reply. I had all questions in bold italic, and all answers not.
Thanks for the answers. I was able to follow along despite the formatting.
I waded through promulgated forms (OMG, that was awful, but I passed the final exam easily).
I made my application last night - now I'm just waiting for them to let me schedule. I did send them an email with all my course certificates. They also said to include the receipt for payment - but I didn't get a receipt for payment - but I was charged the $205.
Re: Brokers - I have no idea who is well respected - I just know who advertises at the local football games :D But I'll broaden my search - there are just soooo many real estate offices in my area.
OK, I am just beginning the process towards getting my license and I had a question that I wanted to put out to "un-involved" parties. My 2 nieces are both brokers from around the Houston area (Fayetteville and Columbus). Should I just ask one of them about being my sponsering broker or should I look for someone local instead?
@James Stevens It depends on what you want to do with it. If you're going to be acting as a real estate agent, buying and selling properties for others, then you should probably find a broker closer to home. If you're going to buy and sell for yourself, then your family members will be fine.
Thank you @Fred Heller I am not looking to go into the business of doing deals for other people. My main interest in being licensed is to give me the benefits of MLS access and lowering the fees to I pay to other agents. Obviously, once I obtain my license, my mindset could change on some of those aspects, but those are not my intentions . So, from that mindset, asking one of my nieces to be my sponsering broker would be a good idea.
Originally posted by @James Stevens:
Thank you @Fred Heller I am not looking to go into the business of doing deals for other people. My main interest in being licensed is to give me the benefits of MLS access and lowering the fees to I pay to other agents. Obviously, once I obtain my license, my mindset could change on some of those aspects, but those are not my intentions . So, from that mindset, asking one of my nieces to be my sponsering broker would be a good idea.
Depending on the local realtor board where you want to work, they may require your sponsoring broker to be a member for you to have MLS access. Or they may not require that. But you'll need to ask.
Thank you @Shane Woodsthat's definiitely something I'll have to look in to. I'm in Temple and also looking to have access to Rockkdale area. So, I'll check it out.
@Shane Woods is absolutely correct, and I wasn't even thinking about that. You will have to be a member of your local association to join MLS. I think Temple has its own Realtor Association.
thank you @Fred Heller
I got my eligibility letter today! ~~happy dance~~
Took exactly one week to get it. Though I still can't schedule the exam - I'm not in their system yet, they said to wait 24 hours after getting the letter. ||open||open||open||
I am just starting the prep course - took the pre-test yesterday and scored 80%. So I feel confident after the exam prep course I'll be well prepared. Almost all the questions I missed involved math because... well... math.
Awesome! Keep trying! It should work within a few days!
I did it! Passed the test.
I didn't do the fingerprints until the day of the test. Will that delay getting the license email?
I don't have a broker yet, but I'm narrowing in on one. So it will be inactive until I do - but I think once you sign with a broker, your license goes actives right away (I think).
@Tami Lumpkins Congratulations! The fingerprints only take 48 hours or so to be "in the system", so you should be fine. You'll be active as soon as a broker endorses you. Happy selling!