Hi Trey.  Good points.  Yes there are very few barriers to entry.  The hard part is sticking around.

Great post.

Ken

3 evenings seems like an exaggeration to me. Maybe not though. Yikes.

Hi Trey.  Interesting points, many which I agree with.  I actually just took my CA stat exam, but it wasn't all "fun and games".  Some changes have been made in CA recently to make it "more difficult" to get your real estate license, although some may argue that it still isn't enough.  One requirement is that each applicant must take a minimum of 18 days to take a course.  So none of that "3 courses in 3 nights."  That's a good move, I think.  Still, it's all baby steps.  In a few years, there will probably be more requirements added.

One thing that someone pointed out - a lot of agents are dropping out and far fewer are signing up.  I took my real estate exam in 2004 at the height of the real estate boom here in CA.  I tested with at least 200 people.  I passed by the way, but didn't pursue RE.  When I took my exam the other day, I tested with about 20 people.  That means a huge decrease in licensing funds coming into the CA DRE.  Food for thought...

Good post. Our office has new agent training every week and also requires that new agents go through a Century 21 online training. The problem with the real estate schools is that they teach more about real estate law and ethics then how to write a tight contract.

I agree licenses are easier to get than ever before.  I don't mind when a newbie sends me a contract because I usually get to take control over the whole process and give them free training in the interim.  You know as well as I do that it takes more than a real estate license to succeed in this business.  Whether someone obtained classes on line or got it the old fashioned way the market is still adjusting.  The good agents will survive and succeed in any market.  The bad ones, even coming out of a traditional classroom, are going to leave a wake of unsatisfied customers for us to clean up after.

AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!  Last year, over 400,000 Realtors didn't sell a single home.  Is the Realtor organization doing the public a disservice by allowing this to happen?  I think so.  If the state doesn't have adequate requirements, then we should have our own.

The requirements have actually become more stringent since I started 11 years ago, but it is still VERY easy to obtain a license in Texas.  I doubt that the three evenings is an exaggeration at all.  I only had to take three classes when I started, but they didn't offer them online back then. 

In our state you have to have 96 hours of classroom instruction

Ken,,  that does seem to be the case for many agents these days doesn't it? Office hopping doesn't seem to help some of them no matter where they land either.

Tiffany

Lots of California buyers coming this way with $$$$$$$. My management division probably has 60% California ownership of the property we manage. Have any investors? Send them our way . We love to pay referrals :O)

Tony

I didn't know about the 400,000.

Jason.

I believe they should eventually require an associates degree. The business is getting too complex.

Melody , It is so hard though when the newbie isn't with your firm.

Jimmy,

We have to know a lot about a lot.

When you put it that way, it does seem ridiculous how easy it is to actually become licensed to actively sell Real Estate.

I do think that more education is not necessarily the answer. At least in the light of being able to speed through a couple of courses. Most of the mandatory education is so darn easy in my opinion.

I think maybe an internship or something of the sort might be better. Like you said, coming from the sponsoring broker. Real world training is so much more effective. You just can't possibly understand unless you've done it.

Trey, I have seen that these online courses are becoming common for inspector training too. I worked with some who received their training by this method, and I found that their knowledge was lacking. If someone goes this route, they need to spend some time offline ensuring that they have the know how.

I think the online courses should not be allowed. I think it would be a nice barrier to entry if you had to attend the courses in person and then take the test. I feel the knowledge gained would be beneficial to the new agent and would allow them to make use of their time and education when they finally started working.

Best,

Scott 

Trey,

I understand what you are saying.   In my opinion, part of the problem is that people do not want to take time to read the contract and to understand what they are filling out.  To pass the real estate exam, you take a multiple choice exam.  Real life, has multiple choices but they generally are not laid out A, B, C, D. 

I'm thinking it is imperative that brokers get their new agents to practise writing offers/contracts.  And, then maybe check them before they are submitted to the other party. 

Sondra,

We have done that for years. I would be scared not to.

Trey, Trey, Trey, If you only knew how much I agree with you and the old school way of thinking. I am dealing (recent post) with a newbie agent that's pretty old...like my age. He is a retired school teacher and doesn't know squat. I had to completely explain the contract to him verbatim. He just didn't know it yet. When we made changes to the actual paperwork for a final agreement I simply made an addendum with all the changes and submitted it signed off by the buyer.

He kept telling the seller that it was not a "real" agreement because the changes weren't initialed...hum. I explained for about 30 minutes to him while he was speaking to me in front of his client as if I did not complete the transaction and I was exhausted after it was all said and done. Finally he realized it only took one of his clients signatures to wrap up the deal and he really got mad. He yelled...my broker wants you to sign these.

I said, "no."

After he checked with his broker he came back and told me the paperwork was "acceptable" and all was well. No it's not. I shouldn't have to educate another newbie from another office should I?  Okay, I'm ranting. I have to go to bed. Nite nite. Hello to Kris. Later in the rain~Deb

Trey, the real issue to me is not the license. All the license proves is that you knew enough about the lawe to pass a State test. It says nothing about your sales ability or your likelihood of being successful. Knowing the law is important, but being able to sell is what counts.

Deb

I have been in your shoes a lot lately . I have witnessed a few tears over the last year from some newbies who were just overwhelmed because they didn't understand it all. The secret is ...no one completely understands it all . We learn everyday. But it can be exasperating when we are always playing educator with agents form another firm. Just have to be patient I guess.

Trey

Trey - come to NY where it takes only one 45-hour course and the ability to fog a mirror to become a Realtor and licensee.  It's beyond scary.  Deeds, short sales, boilers, lot lines, etc.  There is no idea to simple for NY Realtor to be able to become licensed without understanding.

Add another 45 hours any you can be a broker.

So, 90 hours, plus a years experience in real estate (yes, even selling your own properties counts) and you can have a broker license.  And I wonder why we are so screwed up around here!  Don't feel bad.  You guys at least have some standards.

The entry bar is WAY too low to get in and way too low to stay in.  In my opinion if at least half the people with licenses left the industry both Realtors and consumers would benefit.

 I'd be willing to bet that very very few of those who should leave are on Active Rain.

Wow. Texas has a lot more requirements than Florida. I wish Florida required that much. I don't mind if people do their courses online, since I expect the brokerages to actually train their agents for field work. 

What I don't understand is why anyone can get a license so easily, yet there is no way to obtain a designation online. It seems a little bit backwards to me. 

I think that it is really to easy to become a real estate agent these days.  Maybe that is why their are so many of them.  I think that the states really need to up the requirements.

 Steve

 I know an agent that can sell, sell, sell, that is when his license is current. He  has had his liscense suspended twice!  So he had to completely start over twice and has left a trail of trashy deals behind him. I prefer to work with quality professionals. The unprofessional ones are the reason we have the lowest professional rating with the public. When I started real estate, Lawyers and car salesmen were at the bottom ...now we are. 

My whole point is that the license may need to be tougher to get in the first place... weeding out those that can just "ease by" and pass.

Paul

I bet you are right about AR participants in general. Quality pros!

Paul

I bet you are right about AR participants in general. Quality pros!

classroom training means a great deal  . After training at a brokerage is important as well

I dont think it was that easy, however competiion always draws people to pull punches somewhere.  I have seen Realtors with 10 + years asking me questions about Real Estate because they are not staying current since we dont live in an old school environment.  The folks that got into Real Estate 10 years ago or 10 weeks ago got into it for the same reason...to make money...I am greatfull that I have been surronded by an entire company, broker and mentor that has been willing to aid me through some of my first steps..