Real estate agents look and act the part of a highly educated professional. They deal with complicated contracts and help buyers and sellers navigate complex financial situations. They have a lot to do, and they need to know a lot in order to be able to do it correctly.
When they’re great at doing what they do, real estate agents often make a comfortable living. Their profession is respected, and they work hard to maintain their reputations. It would seem as though a career of such caliber would require a wealth of education.
But do you need a degree for real estate industry work? The answer might surprise you.
What Are the Educational Requirements for Real Estate Agents?
In order to begin taking required real estate courses, you need to be an adult with a high school diploma or a GED. If you don’t have a GED, they’re affordable to obtain and many states allow learners to pursue them online.
Once you have your diploma or GED, you can enroll in your state’s official real estate courses. Every state has different requirements for course hours. Some states, like Florida, have very short courses.
The state of Florida only requires you to complete 63 clock hours of learning before you’re eligible to take the official exam. Other states require comprehensive learning. Texas real estate agent hopefuls need to complete a minimum of 180 clock hours of coursework, which is almost three times the amount of learning Florida agents are required to complete.
When your coursework is complete, you’ll need to take an exam. The exam is actually two separate exams that are given on the same day. The first exam is state specific, and the second exam is focused on federal real estate laws and regulations. You need to pass both exams in order to be eligible to receive your real estate license.
When you’ve satisfied the coursework and exam requirements, you can contact your state’s regulatory board and formally apply for a real estate license. If you pass the required background check in addition to meeting the educational requirements, you’ll be granted a real estate license. You can then work for a real estate brokerage in your state.
Do You Need a Degree for Real Estate Industry Jobs?
You don’t need a degree for a real estate industry job, and that may come as a surprise. Real estate is treated like a trade. Barbers, electricians, massage therapists, plumbers, sonographers, and IT support specialists don’t need degrees either.
Most people in these fields have specialty certifications that demonstrate their expertise specific to their career rather than a formal university education. With more and more people choosing the traditional university route, there is a significant number of trade positions available for people who are interested in entering the workforce through a less conventional path.
This is part of what makes real estate such an enticing career path. People who cannot find the time to obtain a bachelor’s degree (as well as people who don’t want to deal with student loan debt) like the idea of finding a meaningful and rewarding career within a reasonable span of time. You don’t need to sit through years of general education classes that aren’t relevant to what you’ll be doing every day.
With every pro comes a con, and you’ll want to consider that before you go to work as a real estate agent. The courses you’re required to take will teach you the things you’re legally required to know before working in the real estate industry. They won’t teach you how to be successful in real estate.
While you’re saving time and money bypassing a degree, you’re likely to wind up wishing you’d learned more about how to become successful in real estate. You’ll still have a lot to learn once you pass your exam, but you’ll need to take that upon yourself. Any voluntary learning you do will only serve to improve your ability to compete in your market and make a better living.
What Degrees Are Useful for Real Estate Agents?
If you already have a degree or you’re interested in pursuing higher education, there are several degrees that may be beneficial to real estate agents.
- Advertising
- Marketing
- Business administration
- Graphic design
- Interior design
- Architecture
- Photography
- Copywriting
- Finance
- Accounting
- Communication
- Public relations
There are also real estate specific degrees, although no state requires learners to obtain one in order to work as a real estate agent.
These degrees are potentially valuable because, as a real estate agent, you’ll need to know a substantial amount about all of these things. Real estate agents do a lot, and they often work independently.
They don’t always have someone around to delegate tasks to, and if they do, they’re splitting their negotiated commission with that person. Real estate agents are most often paid through commission from sales. Commissions can vary widely, and a certain amount is never guaranteed; they are all open to negotiation.
It seems baffling that a career that requires you to know so much wouldn’t require a college degree, but that’s the way things are. The state is most interested in assuring that you know how to operate within the law and that you’re a safe and trustworthy person.
When you complete your real estate course and take your exam, your state’s regulatory board isn’t interested in your success. Your success is your own to find, and real estate agents are afforded a lot of independence.
Rather than going to school for a dozen optional degrees, you’ll need to learn how to pick and choose which aspects of which areas are going to be most useful to you in your quest to become a successful real estate agent.
Maybe you’re a strong writer and you’re great with a camera. Photographing and listing a house might come naturally to you. But what about pre-qualifying buyers or speaking publicly at real estate events? Are you confident in your ability to rise to those challenges?
How Do You Learn To Be a Successful Real Estate Agent?
After you satisfy the minimum requirements to obtain your real estate license, learning becomes self-serve. You need to dive in and commit yourself to mastering the nuances of the real estate industry and understanding tested strategies that will lead you to success.
Make it Your Business To Know
Real estate trends change constantly. Tomorrow’s outlook may be drastically different from today’s outlook. Last week, everyone was buying single family homes in quaint New England neighborhoods. Now everyone is interested in moving to the bustling technology hub of Austin, Texas. You have to know what’s going on, or you won’t be able to understand the needs and desires of potential clients.
You should be reading real estate industry news every day. Look at projections and forecasts. Watch the trends. Come back tomorrow and do it again. You never know what might change.
Look for Resources On the Go
Real estate agents are typically very busy people. Tools like podcasts and audiobooks will allow you to learn while you’re driving, cooking, folding laundry, or working out. Put in your earbuds or turn up your speakers. You’re learning hands-free.
The Tim & Julie Harris podcast is comprehensive and informative. We cover a wealth of topics vital to the success of all real estate agents. We discuss business planning, lead generation, working as a buyer’s agent, listing properties, and even maintaining the right mindset for success. We also interview top producers, giving listeners an opportunity to glean wisdom from people who are walking highly successful paths.
You can also read our book, Harris Rules: A Real Estate Agent’s Practical, No-BS, Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming Rich and Free, where we share our personal success story and industry wisdom.
Access a Real Estate Learning Library
Harris Real Estate University learners have on-demand access to our massive learning library. It’s a goldmine of resources and lessons that are especially helpful to new real estate agents who aren’t sure where to start.
We provide learners with lead generation systems, objection handlers, useful scripts, marketing techniques, listing systems, and even mindset and motivational content. We’re here to teach you everything you need to know.
Work With a Real Estate Coach
Harris certified coaches (as well as Tim and Julie themselves) are only a phone call away. With one on one coaching sessions, you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions and work out strategies with real estate industry experts who want to see you succeed.
Coaching sessions can help you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, helping you establish areas in which you’d benefit from a little more learning. Coaches also keep you accountable, which is very important for new real estate agents. You’re going to have to learn the best way to spin multiple plates at once, and the accountability and strategies you get from your coach will help you find your rhythm and stay productive.
You can schedule a free coaching call with a Harris certified coach to learn firsthand how Harris Real Estate University can help you set your mindset for success in the real estate industry.
Sources
Price Of The GED Test And Rules For Testing | GED
High-Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty, While High School Grads Line Up For University : NPR Ed | NPR
Duties and Responsibilities of Real Estate Broker | The Balance
