advantages to being licensed when wholesaling

[Patrick Britton]

howdy, 

there has a lot of chatter recently about getting an RE license when wholesaling.  i have thought about it, but in WA state it's 90 hours and $400 or so.  the 90 hours is the real turn off for me.  

could someone please rationally explain the advantages of being licensed? if licensed, must i work for a broker? what are the fees and costs associated with being licensed (in terms of MLS, etc.) how about pay the Errors & Omissions insurance, desk fees, lock-box fees, Local Board fees, National Board Fees, etc.?  

in terms of advantages, beside the additional knowledge base, what sort of legal protections are there for licensed "wholesalers?"

[Jay Hinrichs]

@Patrick Britton 

depends on what you want to do.. do you want to have RE as a career? or do you think wholesaling will be a long term gig for you.. most folks that wholesale last a year or two then migrate.. those that get licensed and treat it as a career do it for years .. Like me 40 years that's all I have done by being licensed I do far more than just flip homes I have learned to lend money ( CA brokers are HML) I learned about tax sales foreclosure sales how to research the ct. house.. Plus along the way got listing that sold in a week and made 15k all legally ... and probably the biggest is just the networking with other RE professionals instead of being on an island.. and of course MLS at your home computer that is invaluable in todays highly competitive market... So if you just want to wholesale you will probably not be doing it in a year or two.. If you want a career then get the license give it a run and see where it takes you it took me all over the world and created a pretty fabulous lifestyle frankly.