Real Estate Broker or real estate agent, they are the same aren't they? No they are not the same there are many differences between Real Estate Broker and real estate agents. The biggest difference is experience, another big difference is knowledge. If real estate experience and real estate knowlege are important factors when hiring a real estate professional, please read on.
A Real Estate Broker license is required to sell real estate in the state of California. Real Estate agents work for a Real Estate Broker. Without a broker a real estate agent can not sell real estate in California. To obtain a real estate license you take a few classes on real estate principals and take the state exam. If you achieve a score of 70% or higher (not a very high percentage) on the state test and pay some fees you have yourself a real estate license. In the past few years there have been a record number of real estate licenses issued with the great boom in the real estate markets of CAlifornia and the nation. Many of these same agents are now exiting the business as times have become tougher.
To obtain a Real Estate Broker license it takes a little more effort, actually a lot more effort. There are a couple of ways of achieving a Real Estate Brokers License. the two most common require real estate experience and knowledge. The most common way of obtaining a Real Estate Broker License is to first obtain your real estate (agent) and gain two years of practical experience. Once you have two years of experience and you have completed additional real estate classes on topics like real estate law, real estate agency, real estate ethics and many other topics, then you can sit for the State Real Estate Broker exam. This exam however is twice as long as the real estate license (agent) exam and requires a greater knowledge of real estate practices and real estate law. The other typical way of obtain a Real Estate Brokers License is by obtaining a Four year university degree, a person can sit for the Broker exam.
So when looking for a Real Estate Professional to represent you in the buying or selling of Real Estate in California, if real estate knowledge and experience are important to you, choose a Real Estate Broker. Typically they have greater experience and knowledge.