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You wouldn’t be human if you were un-stressed before the real estate exam. You’ve devoted a lot of time and you are eager to start your new career.
How to Pass!
Study several weeks before test date.
Dedicate 1-2 hours after each pre-licensing class to go back through your textbook, notes, etc. Make sure you’ve got the information memorized.
Repetition is key. Go over Terminology, Math and License Law Questions over and over until you’ve internalized all information. One to two weeks. Give yourself a week to two weeks after your licensing course to prepare for the exam.
Review everything you’ve learned for 1-2 hours each night.
Hand-Written Flashcards. If they worked for you in High School, they’ll work for you now.
How Much Time Do I Have to Complete the Exam?
Each state is different. Anywhere from 90-240 minutes, with questions ranging from 60-120. Check your state’s protocol.
How Do I Prepare for the Real Estate Exam?
Terminology: If nothing else, KNOW YOUR TERMINOLOGY. This is the key to deciphering wordy questions. We recommend the above linked Terminology Master.
Save for Later: Mark Questions you are struggling with as “save for later.” Answer the questions you know for sure first, then go back. This will build your confidence and you will pick up some free knowledge along the way by answering the easier questions.
Scenario Questions: Be prepared for some wordy scenario questions, intended to gauge your reading comprehension. Much of the information provided in these questions is irrelevant to the question or the answer. Use your scratch paper to list all information provided in the question and strike out all irrelevant information.
What’s the Question?: Read the last line of all questions two to three times before answering. Make sure you understand exactly what you’re being asked to solve for. Don’t jump to conclusions.
“Except” Questions: These questions are looking for the answer that is NOT true. EX: All the following cities are in Florida, except:
o Miami
o Fort Lauderdale
o Nashville (Tennessee)
o Cape Canaveral
Repetition, Repetition and Repetition: The key to passing your exam is in repetitive self-testing. We recommend Agent Learning Academy’s:
Unlimited attempts on any device.
Google and YouTube
Stuck on a topic or definition? Need an explainer video? Type your topic into YouTube. You will be amazed at how many answers you can find, presented differently. Find the one that makes the information “click” for you.
Quizlet.com
Is a free online study tool with flashcards, games and more, with audio capabilities. Listen anytime. Create your own study set and invite others.
Class Recordings
Ask your school if they have a video platform of pre-recorded course topics. This is a terrific way to reinforce knowledge for study purposes.
Study Groups
The power or classmates. Arrange an in person or remote study group with your fellow students. Every student has competence in various course topics that can be shared.
Why Do Students Fail the Real Estate Exam?
Expectations: If you thought your pre-licensing class or the real estate industry in general was going to be just like HGTV, you were misled. The pre-licensing course is dense legal information, rules and regulations and massive amounts of terminology. Little of which you will use in your day-to-day real estate practice.
Lack of Preparation: If you’ve heard that the real estate exam is easy, think again. One of the main reasons people fail the exam is simply it is HARD. Do not attempt to complete your schooling without any extra preparation or memorization.
1. Waiting Too Long - If you suffer from test anxiety or are delaying taking the real estate exam to give yourself more time to prepare, you should know that you are probably not doing yourself any favors. Sign up for the exam within a month of completing your course, so that the information is still fresh in your mind.
2. Studying the Wrong Things – Your pre-licensing school can provide you with a list of topics covered on the exam and the percent concentration. Use this as your study guide.
3. Bad Pre-Licensing Courses - Cheaper is not always better when it comes to most things in life, including pre-licensing courses. Be sure to do your research thoroughly before you commit to a school. You should look at their online reviews on a variety of sites and try to get in touch with someone at the school to find out what study tools they offer and how experienced their Instructors are. Tip: Some schools will allow you to attend future classes at no additional charge.
How Hard Is It to Pass the Real Estate Exam?
In short, it is pretty hard to pass the real estate exam, though this of course depends on your test-taking ability and the quality of the real estate classes you take. Many real estate schools publish statewide pass rates alongside their own school pass rates. This can give you an idea of how difficult the exam is.
How Can I Pass My Real Estate Exam Without Studying?
Unfortunately, you probably can’t pass your real estate exam without studying. However, there are tricks and shortcuts you can take that may work better for your testing style. Keep lists of related information, including but not limited to: Terminology, Timelines, Fines and AKA Terms (you’ll find there are a lot of the later). Yes, you really must read the textbook. Once you’ve done this, refer to the chapter summaries and chapter quizzes to hone in on critical information.
What State Has the Hardest Real Estate Exam?
There isn’t any way to tell if one state’s exam is harder than another. Each state’s real estate exam will include questions on local laws and regulations, so each will be tricky in its own way. In terms of the overall process to become an agent, there are some states that have more stringent requirements than others, such as the amount of pre-licensing course hours and brokerage supervision. According to one estimate, Colorado, New Jersey and Texas may be the hardest states in which to obtain a real estate license.
Can You Use a Calculator on the Real Estate Exam?
Yes, in most states you can use a calculator on the real estate exam. However, these requirements vary from calculators supplied by the test site, to use of the testing computer’s calculator.. Check the specifics ahead of time.
Post-Licensing Training
Your Pre-Licensing Course does little to train you to sell real estate. Therefore, it is critical that you affiliate with a brokerage that will adequately train you after you are licensed. Classroom training is great, but you need a hands-on mentor who can walk you through the transaction process of your first few transactions. Yes, there will be a referral fee you will pay to your Mentor (in the range of 20-30% off the top of commissions earned); but it is worth every dollar when the Mentor is available and fully willing to share his/her knowledge with you. Does the Mentor your Brokerage is recommending have enough time for you? Ask how many other new licensees a recommended mentor is handling before you commit.
Resist the urge to be swayed by large commission splits in lieu of hands-on training. A 100% split of zero commissions earned is ZERO. For many, joining a team is a great way to learn the ropes. Before committing, we recommend you speak with 3-4 Brokers and use questions from Industry Insider Broker Interview Questions. You will be amazed at the differences in Real Estate Brokerage Business Models, commission splits and fees from Broker to Broker. Do your research.
How Many Times Can You Fail the Real Estate Exam?
In most states, you can fail the real estate exam up to three times before needing to take additional coursework, in others you can re-test as many times as you want, provided you pay their testing fee for each sitting. Test fees run around $50 - $100, numerous retakes can add up quickly. Your pre-licensing school may have a cap on the number of re-takes allowed for their exam, in addition to a re-sit charge. If school exam retakes are free, it is better to fail a few times on the school exam to solidify your knowledge, before you head to the state exam.
We hope you found this helpful. Feel free to direct any additional questions to info@agentlearningacademy.com