Considerations for becoming a licensed agent (Alabama)

[Brian Utley]

My wife and I live in north Alabama.  We are on the front-end of our real estate business and new to the BP community.  After examining the pros and cons of getting licensed as a real estate agent we have decided that 1 of us is going to do so for a number of reasons.  As we look to start the process I wanted to have a better idea of the parameters to expect so we can be more educated in our selections.  First, generally, what is the upfront time and cost to get licensed?  Second, what should we look for in selecting a broker and what kind of ongoing fees should we expect, understanding that it varies from state to state?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Brian   

[Rob Drum]

@Brian Utley Welcome to BP! There are a lot of ways to get licensed and move forward as an agent.  The best way depends on your personality and circumstances.  I'll just tell you what I did. 

-60hr pre-license through 360training.com (cost with a groupon ~$150, time total of 7-8 weeks)

-State specific book of practice tests from Amazon.com ($8, 1 week to go through all of them)

-Take the test (~$70)

-Join local Keller Williams office ($88/month + commission splits)

-Pay to join local MLS and NAR affiliates (~1k)

-So, I would say 2-3 months of work and $1500-$2500 cost

KW is a great place to start because they understand investors. The culture and training is great too. Hope that helps.