The time frame needed to get a real estate license

Day 6 of 30 – Robert Earl’s Prospective Agent Mentorship Guide – Digital Agent Show

There is a reason I am confident that you can get licensed and cash your first check in 66 days or less.   

It is because of this time frame and schedule.

I recently got an inquiry that stated the following: “I took the real estate class a year or so ago, but I never took the exam and I never got my license.

What a waste.  A waste of time.  A waste of money.  A waste of effort.

Luckily they asked the right follow up question.   “What do I need to get my license in a timely manner this time around?”

In my experience, taking the real estate course on 4 different occasions in different states, here is a proven timeline with schedules that you can follow to get your real estate license as soon as possible with the least amount of hassle or frustration.  

The steps include:

• Decide is real estate right for you
• Select a school / class
• Select a class
• Take the class
• Pass the class final
• Study for the final state / national exam
• Take the test
• Select a brokerage
• Complete new agent training
• Find buyers and / sellers
• Sell first home
• Collect first check

Let’s take a few moments to breakdown each step and provide a time frame for each one.

Decide is real estate right for you

Honestly, no one else can put a time frame on this part of the decision for you.  This is unique to each individual.   As I shared on Day 3, as long as you know where you need to go when you get into real estate then you can make an informed decision.

Factors include:

• Budget

• Savings

• Current work schedule

Time: 1 day to 1 month to 1 year or more.  It is an individual decision.  We are here to help you work through it

Select a school / class

On day 5 I shared with you the 11 reasons that online schools are your best bet

(DESCRIBE PACKAGES WITH EXAM PREP)

If your state does not offer online classes, then let me know and we will connect you with a local office in your area that can recommend a school they have worked with and recommend.

Time: one day (day 3 link)

Take the class

You should plan on taking no more than 30 days to complete the course.  Even if you are working full time.

I took the course when I was working full time when I moved from Virginia to Florida.  I had to take the entire course again even though I was previously licensed.  

Here was my schedule:

9-5 work
5-6 commute / take dogs out / personal time
6-6:30 Dinner
6:30-11:30 class time m-th
Saturday 9-2 class time
Sunday 10-1 exam prep.  1-3 meal prep

This schedule would allow you to finish any state’s classes in 14-30 days.

I learned to get very efficient with meals, taking time on Sunday to plan out meals that could be pre-prepared or cooked in the crock pot.  I would make a few days worth so that I could have the leftovers.

If you have a significant other, share the schedule with them.  Explain and agree that this is a short term commitment to a particular schedule in order to accomplish a big goal you have.  They should be willing to step it up and help with meals, around the house with chores, kids, etc.  (If not, well, I am not Dr. Phil, so you will have to work that out on you own)

Time: 14 to 30 days

Pass the class final

Notice that I inserted time in the schedule for exam prep.  Doing so allows you to be ready to take the class final soon after finishing the course materials.  I would recommend that you do not take longer than a week after you finish the class to take the class final.

When you complete the required sections and chapters, I would still follow the schedule I laid out.  Just substitute exam prep time on weeknights for class time.

Time 1 – 5 days

Register for & Study for the final state / national exam

When you pass the class final exam you will be issued a certificate of completion.  This will allow you to register for the state / national licensing exam with the real estate board or the independent testing server like psi.

You want to register as soon as you pass the class final.  Reserve the first available time.  Usually this will be 7 to 30 days out from the day you register. (These longer timeframes can be frustrating.   Also check the surrounding cities for times.  It may be worthwhile to drive to another city to get the exam out of the way.)

Again, use your time blocked schedule for exam prep.  Take the sample test over and over again until you are passing at a 90% or above rate every time.  This ensure that even if you are nervous on exam day and have a few brain freeze moments, that you will still pass with flying colors.

Review any terms and sections that you don’t understand during this time as well.   Set a goal of passing the exam the first time with no excuses.

Time: 7 to 30 days. (Covid protocols have also caused longer wait periods.  Be patient and use the time to study, study, study.)

Take the test

Time: 1 day.  You are going to pass it on the first attempt because you prepared the right way.

Select a brokerage

When you have passed your class final and registered for the final exam then I would recommend you contact me so that we can get you in touch with a local brokerage that is hiring agents and will actually teach you how to sell real estate and work with and find buyers, sellers and investors.

This should take 1 – 7 days.

Complete new agent training

The brokerage will have a training schedule that will include new agent training.  This structured program will be taught by local top producers following an award winning, proven curriculum. 

15-30 days

Find buyers and / sellers

The new agent training will also include exercises that teach you how to get into action finding ready, willing and able prospective clients.

Time: Starting day 1 as a new agent

Sell first home

The first brokerage I selected took me 6 months to sell my first home.  The 2nd brokerage I selected trained me and I sold my first home in 2 weeks.    You can learn from my mistakes and select the right brokerage.

Time: plan on 30-45 days max if you follow the company training.

Collect your first check

Time from deciding to go into real estate: 66 to 90 days.   

Again, any longer than this shows that the agent didn’t follow the advise of a mentor and tried to figure it out on their own.

As you can see, the process is really pretty straight forward, but there are some key timeframes and decisions that have to be made in order to complete the process in a timely manner.  

Going it alone or trying to figure it out on your own can lead to some costly mistakes as I have shared in the past.

Follow this schedule and my advise and you have a fighting chance at being a future millionaire real estate agent.