Studying For The Texas Real Estate Exam
If you want to become a real estate agent in Texas, you are in luck as the state has plenty of locations to help you prepare for the real estate exam. As Texas is such a huge state, it is no surprise to learn that there are dozens of schools available in which applicants can study for their exam as well as complete the stringent pre-license and post-license educational requirements. Austin Community College and Richland College are among the top community colleges in the state with the Texas Real Estate Academy in San Antonio and the MetroTex Association of Realtors in Dallas two of the best private schools.
Texas Real Estate Industry Oversight
The Real Estate Commission in Texas is extremely strict when it comes to clamping down on companies who break the rules and regulations within the state. In order to improve the standard of real estate salespeople and thus improve the state’s economy through successful real estate sales, the Texas Commission has introduced tougher educational requirements than the majority of other states.
Eligibility To Become A Real Estate Agent In Texas
As already mentioned, the educational requirements to become a real estate agent in Texas are lengthier than in other states with a total of 210 hours of pre-license education required. Once this has been completed and the exam has been passed, you must apply for the license within six months of the exam date. You cannot get your license unless you are sponsored by a real estate broker who is licensed in Texas. If you have no sponsor, you can still sit the exam but your license will be deemed inactive. You also need to pay $20 to have your education evaluated. Anyone who defaults on a student loan is deemed ineligible and cannot apply for a license.
Texas Real Estate Exam Information
An independent company known as PSI are in charge of administering the exams. You are required to pay a fee of $97 to apply for your license as well as submitting an extra $10 for the Real Estate Recovery Fund which is a one-off charge.
Renewing Your Texas Real Estate Agent License
A real estate salesperson license in Texas usually lasts for three years. In this time, you have to finish 270 hours worth of continued education. This process is known as the Salesperson Annual Education Requirements (SAE) and 210 of these hours must be core courses approved by the Commission. A minimum of 30 hours have to be completed every year with another 60 hours filed when licensed for the first time. The Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) requirement involves a minimum of six hours of classroom education which focuses on legal ethics. Applicants taking SAE must pay a $58 renewal fee while those on MCE must pay $115. A late renewal fee of $67.50 also applies.
Additional Information
At the time of writing, no state has a reciprocity agreement with Texas. If you wish to be a real estate salesperson in Texas, there are no shortcuts.
Next Step: Becoming A Real Estate Broker In Texas
Those applying to be a real estate broker in Texas have to prove that they possess a minimum of 24 months experience as a real estate salesperson in the last eight years. If you are applying from outside Texas, this requirement changes to 24 months within the last three years. In total, prospective brokers have to complete a total of 900 hours worth of pre-license education. This is divided into 630 hours of general real estate courses with a further 270 hours dedicated to core courses. You have to apply for the license within 6 months of passing the exam. The broker application fee is $300 plus the $10 Real Estate Recovery Fund fee. Renewing a broker’s license costs $519 with a $300 late fee in effect. It is not cheap to be in the real estate industry in Texas.