If you are thinking about getting your real estate license this is a blog post for you. As someone who has successfully passed the 90-hour course, and the National and State Exams, and secured a spot at a local real estate agency, I can provide valuable information on the 5 steps to getting your license… in simple terms.
90-Hour Real Estate Course
The first step is completing the required course. You can pick from multiple great websites or in-person courses. These courses will teach you basic real estate law, contracts, and finance, with many more concepts. Based on how you want your education done, here are some great websites that are certified and provide you with a certification to submit to Indiana.
- The CE Shop – Excellent in customizable experiences, and great recourses: CE Shop Website
- Indiana Real Estate Institue – Great for networking and job placement: The Institute Website
- Colibri Real Estate – Best for online, self-paced education: Colibri Website
- McColly School of Real Estate – Efficient for in person learners: McColly Website
Pass Course Final Exam
After completing your course, there is a final exam to pass. This will give you your certificate to apply for the next few steps ahead. For most courses there is a practice exam to pass, and a minimum passing grade of 75%.
Take the State and National Exams
This is the most difficult part of getting your license, passing the 125 question exams. Indiana has a requirement to pass with a minimum of 75%. Most courses will offer a package with practice exams, if you do not want to pay the extra fees, there are many resources like YouTube videos, and websites to help you study. Most people find the national portion more challenging. You can take these exams as many times as you want with a fee for each time. PSI (Professional Standards Institue) is the only place that you can take these exams in Indiana, this includes online and in-person proctoring.
- National Exam Focuses on: Ownership, Land Use, Property Valuation and Market Analysis, Law, Contracts, Closing Process, and Agency Relationships
- Indiana Exam Focuses on: Indiana Specific, License Law, Agency Relationships, Fair Housing Law, Property Law, Sales Contracts, and Indiana Taxation
Select a Sponsoring Broker
To be an active real estate agent you must be sponsored by a managing broker. In simple terms, to sell you must have a boss. In Indiana if you want your license to be in Active Mode (ready to get in a contractual agreement) you need to have a sponsor. Picking a sponsor can be difficult, you might want to consider…
- Companies’ reputation nationally and locally.
- Are they technologically advanced and up to date?
- What is their commission structure?
- What kind of marketing material do they provide?
- How do they train agents in their company, and do they offer leads?
Complete Your Application to Indiana
Congratulations, you are on the last step to being an agent! This is the simplest step of them all. Now that you have your course certificate, your passing grades, and a managing broker, you can apply to get your license. This is done with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. After a few days, you will get your license number, and you are official!
Application Requirements
- Age Minimum of 18
- Passing Background Check
- High School Diploma or GED
- Passing State and National Exams
- 90-Hour Course Certificate
Although reading this blog is easier than getting your license, this is a great profession to get into. There may be additional requirements through your new company you work for that also take you through additional training Real estate can be very rewarding when you put time, effort, and marketing into it. I will provide a few websites below that may be helpful to your future endeavors, come visit us in the Career Hub for more information, and good luck!
Additional Websites
Indiana Association of Realtors
