Another question about getting your realtor license....

[Raven Parmer]

As may others have, I am thinking about getting my realtor license. I know you have to find a brokerage, but I don't really plan on doing anything with my license for a couple of years. The only reason I am considering it now is that i will be off work for maternity leave in a couple of months, and that would be a good time for me to do the courses. So, what's in it for a brokerage for you to hang your license there? Do they charge a fee if you don't actually represent clients and bring them in commissions? What other expenses would be associated with having my license? Is there an annual fee to keep my license active? Is there continuing education or anything like that to maintain my license? Or, alternatively, could I go ahead and take the test, and not join a brokerage for a couple of years until I'm ready? Or is there a time limit - could the license lapse?

I'm sure someone is going to ask why I wont be using it for a couple of years, so I'll go ahead and address that as well. My husband and I bought a 117 year old duplex with a separate carriage house, and we are renovating it, mostly ourselves. And we work full time jobs, and we have 2 kids with one on the way....