A Bird’s Eye View of Getting A Texas Real Estate License 

Aspiring real estate professionals in Texas typically have one question uppermost in their minds – is it worth the effort? Will my earnings be enough to live a comfortable life? The answer to both these questions is yes. 

Let us first look into the projections for the Texas housing market for 2024, after which we will move to the steps necessary for getting a real estate license in Texas.  

The market is expected to grow with sellers who adopted a wait-and-watch policy in 2023 now jumping into the fray. They will look to downsize and list their properties adding about 30 million units to the housing market. 

Buyers will move in to pick up these properties riding on the back of lower mortgage rates. In October 2023, mortgage rates had touched 7.79%, the highest in 23 years. Next month it dropped to 7.35% and is expected to stabilize at 6% in the second half of 2024. This phenomenon will bring the buyers back to the market. 

On the construction front, the state is ahead of the others in the country with more than 200,000 construction permits issued in 2023. Leading the cities is Houston with around 23,000 construction sanctions. All these units are expected to be up for sale in 2024.

These statistics indicate a very important point, that the real estate market in Texas is robust and dynamic with plenty of opportunities for real estate professionals to make a mark. 

So, how do you go about getting a real estate license in Texas?

The Process To Get A Real Estate License in Texas

Let us now go through the process that you as an aspiring real estate professional need to follow to get a license to practice in the real estate field. 

Meeting Pre-requisites to Get A License

Only citizens of the USA who have attained the age of at least 18 years will be awarded a real estate license in Texas. Legally admitted aliens are also eligible for a license provided they have been permitted to work in the country. You can start the formalities for obtaining a license before you turn 18 but will get a license only after you reach this benchmark. 

Go Through the Pre-Licensing Courses

Go through 180 hours of pre-licensing coursework consisting of the following modules.      

  • Principles of Real Estate 1&2 (2 x 30 hours)
  • Law of Contracts (30 hours)
  • Promulgated Contract Forms (30 hours)
  • Law of Agency (30 hours)
  • Real Estate Finance (30 hours)

The course content is established by the TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission), the regulatory body responsible for supervising all aspects of the real estate industry in the state. 

Before selecting a school or course provider, ensure that it is on the approved list of TREC. 

You can go through the pre-licensing coursework either in a classroom environment or online. The latter is preferable as it offers the flexibility to study at your convenience from anywhere. 

Now which course stands out among the best in this niche? Try out RealEstateU online courses that are of high quality, simply because they are designed by top real estate professionals in-house and not licensed from third-party providers.

RealEstateU also offers practice questions and mock tests that replicate the real exam scenario. You will thus be aware of the structure and format of the questions and face them with confidence on exam day.  

Have fingerprints verified

A real estate salesperson is expected to maintain high moral standards and ethics in real estate deals. Hence, you have to submit your fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety for verification of any acts of felonies in the past.  

Apply for A License To TREC

After completing the above steps, apply online to the TREC for a license. Attach proof of completing the pre-licensing coursework and fingerprint clearance certificate and pay $185 as an application fee.

Pass the Texas Real Estate Licensing Exam

Once your license application is approved, you can appear for the licensing exam which has a 150-minute national section and a 90-minute state section. The exam is proctored at specific centers in the state. You have to score 70% at least to crack the exam. 

The results in pass/fail grades are declared soon after the completion of the exam at the center itself. 

Find a Real Estate Broker to Mentor You

The last step to being a licensed real estate professional in Texas is to find a broker to mentor you. The complexities of the real estate industry are not easy to master and you should have an experienced broker to teach you the ropes and provide leads in the early days of your career. 

You are now ready to receive your real estate license in Texas and launch a very successful career in the state.   

Robin Donnelly

Robin Donnelly

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