What are the benefits of having a real estate license?

[Ronald P.]

I am about to start my real estate salesperson classes and I heard you get money from every deal you do with a real estate license, even if I buy a house? What are the advantages from having this license? Will I be able to get hired as an agent even if I'm only 18?

[Jason Turgeon]

What are the benefits of having a real estate license?

1. You can legally work as a real estate agent and make commissions when you are involved in a sale or rental
2. You can join your local MLS (for an ongoing fee) and get access to a better source of data for your local market than Zillow, etc. (although that data advantage is shrinking as the big national players get more aggressive)
3. Especially when you are just getting started, it can lend you some credibility
4. If you choose the brokerage you join carefully, you may be in a position to learn a lot from your team

Aside from these, there aren't many benefits. It's certainly not essential to being an investor, and it does come with added costs and obligations. But if you're young and hungry, it can be a good way to get started.

In answer to your other questions:

I heard you get money from every deal you do with a real estate license, even if I buy a house?  If you are buying a house for yourself and the house has been listed with another agent and the listing includes a split to the buyer's agent, then yes. You are the agent procuring sale, and you get your portion of the commission. At least in my state - things may be different where you are and you should confirm with your broker.

Will I be able to get hired as an agent even if I'm only 18? Real estate sales operates on an antiquated model that can be quite exploitative to new agents. Some things to know:

• You don't get "hired," you join a brokerage as an independent agent who works entirely on commission. The broker allows you to work under him/her, and in return they get to charge you a huge array of ongoing fees and take a portion of your commissions. Be very careful who you choose to work under, as these fees and commission splits can be downright usurious, and very rarely do you get the kind of support you are promised.
• Because you make money for the broker through ongoing fees and they also take a portion of any commission you make, brokers will approach every new agent who gets a license from the state and try to recruit them. So yes, you will get "hired" regardless of your age, because your broker will make money on you even if you never sell a house. Choose your broker wisely. 
• Just because you sign up with a broker doesn't guarantee you'll ever get a check. Your age may work against you when you are trying to sign up clients. But there are lots of stories of successful young agents out there. @David Greene has likely hired more than a few people your age. You will need to be focused, hard working, and patient, but if you really want to be a successful real estate agent you can do it even at a young age.
  

Good luck!