How to qualify for a California Real Estate Salesperson

How to qualify for a California Real Estate Salesperson

General Requirements

Starting a career in the real estate business and become a real estate salesperson in California can prove to be rewarding if the candidate begins right. Basically, the real estate licensing agency in California requires all candidates to be at least 18 years of age. Furthermore, candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenry and or of legal residency in the U.S.

These candidates, can download an application form available from the California Department of Real Estate website, fill and return it with an application fee. The application fee is $305 as of March 2011.

However, candidates who are not residing in California are required to complete an additional form called a Consent to Service of Process that can be downloaded from the same department’s service website.

Online Procedures

Like in most states in the U.S., real estate sales salespersons, agents or brokers, need to obtain an official license from the state you are working. Traditionally, the way to get your real estate license is to visit and attend a physical school in your area. Today, having no time to attend classes away from home, one can still obtain their license online instead.

The process of acquiring a real estate license online can be fairly easy and begin a career as a real estate salesperson. The few simple steps online are;

1. Choose the state you wish for your online real estate license
2. Know the state requirements to get an online real estate license. Comply with all the requirements.
3. Choose an online real estate license provider.

Let us define the California – Pre-qualifying Education

Before acquiring a license in California, it is a pre-qualifying need for the applicant to undergo the pre-licensing training or seminar for real estate agents. The courses in real estate practices and principles are mandatory for all candidates. On top of this mandatory courses, applicants can however select a third course of their choice on; property management, real estate finance and economics, business law, office administration, appraisals, general accounting, escrows, mortgages or plainly the use of computers in the real estate business. The school, college or university where the candidate will take the courses must be affiliated or accredited and approved by the California Department of Real Estate.

The California – Pre-qualifying Character Background Check

In California, to have a history of some misdemeanor violations and felony convictions can typically prevent and disqualify an applicant for a real estate salesperson’s license. It is mandated by the California Department of Real Estate that all applicants must undergo the criminal background check at its accredited centers.

The procedure requires all candidates to participate in an accredited professional fingerprinting process at a Candidate Live Scan center designated by the State Department of Justice. This process has an additional fee for the fingerprinting and background check. The amount of the fee is $51 as of March 2011.

The California Real Estate Examination

Having completed all the above requirements, the candidate is now ready to take the real estate licensing examination. Candidates must achieve the passing rate for the written examination to acquire their license.

The written exam can lasts for three hours and 15 minutes. California applicants can take the paper-based exam form in San Diego, Los Angeles, or Sacramento. But for those who choose to take a computerized form exam, they can take it in Fresno or in Oakland.

The questions in the exam are easy and simple. These questions are in multiple choices. Generally, the topics covering the test include; real estate laws, property valuation, process of transferring a property, property ownership, financing properties, the contracts and disclosures in real estate.

It is not difficult to qualify for a real estate salesperson in California at all.