Real estate brokerage is a very lucrative industry and there are many people working as real estate agents all over the country. Not only do they make a good profit, but they also contribute to society in some way by helping sellers sell their properties and helping buyers buy them at the same time. So, can anyone start a career as a real estate agent? Well, no.
A real estate license is a prerequisite for becoming a real estate agent. However, obtaining a real estate license is not difficult. In most states, qualifying for a real estate license is very rare. Therefore, you should first check the eligibility criteria for obtaining a real estate license (pre-licensing, to be exact) in your state. Eligibility criteria for real estate licenses include things like minimum age limits (mostly 19 years old) and educational qualifications (mostly high school). Once you know you meet these real estate licensing (pre-licensing) eligibility criteria, you can go ahead and enroll in pre-licensing training. There are many real estate schools that offer real estate license training. Some real estate schools offer online training for real estate licenses. Choose a course that is long enough, such as 1 year, so that you get the concepts right (after all, you want to be a successful real estate agent, not just another real estate agent). As part of your real estate license training, you will be taught a number of topics. All of these will help you to have a basic understanding of real estate and all aspects related to real estate (such as real estate law, deeds, contracts, transfer of ownership, etc.). Once you have received this real estate license training, you will be required to take a state exam. After you pass this exam, you will generally be required to take another state-approved course of training. That’s it, you can now get a real estate license, and the effort is worth it (as you’ll find out in the years leading up to starting real state brokerage activities). Most states also require you to go for continuing education after you get your real estate license. However, this is only a few hours every few years.
Therefore, a real estate license is all you need to begin your career as a real estate broker. But your success after that will depend on how carefully, ethically and intelligently you conduct your work.