Becoming a Licensed Real Estate Agent in CA is Easier Than You Think!

If you are ready to make the most of California’s booming real estate and tap into exciting opportunities, it’s the right time to start preparing for it.

California real estate is a highly diverse, dynamic, and high-growth industry worth billions of dollars and continues to create growth opportunities.

Working in California real estate can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling career experience, especially if you value financial independence and autonomy.

The housing market in California has been one of the strongest since decades and it continues to show robust demand from homebuyers and investors.

Thanks to the pleasant weather, abundance of natural parks, high quality of living and a world-leading job market, the Golden Gate state is one of the most sought-after locations.

California’s real estate landscape is diverse and the state is home to some of the most popular markets like San Fransisco, Santa Clara, Dublin, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego among many others.

 Real estate data estimates that the median selling price of a residential home in California has appreciated by 40% in value in the last five years. Now imagine earning 4 to 5 percent commission as a real estate agent by helping close a deal worth $600K to $800K!

If you are keen to explore the career path of a real estate agent, work independently, and achieve financial growth, California can offer you a great platform to achieve your goals.

What’s amazing is that you do not need to complete any advanced education or spend years getting a college degree to become a real estate agent.

All you need is a valid real estate license in CA and you will be on your way to working with clients anywhere in the state and earning commissions by helping them buy and sell homes.

Getting a license is an essential step in starting a career and to help you get familiar with what it takes, we have put together this in-depth article which will answer your questions.

What does a real estate agent do

Before we give you a step-by-step process of what it takes to obtain a license, it is important to understand what a real estate agent does.

Did you know that a licensed real estate agent in California can earn anywhere between $120K to $150K in a year? However, to make a six-figure income, they need to perform a range of tasks and duties.

Although your job duties and responsibilities will vary depending on your skill level and job description, here are some common tasks and duties you can expect to perform in this role.

• Meeting prospective clients and understanding their needs and requirements
• Responding to inquiries from prospects via text, email, and phone
• Working with home buyers to search for properties in a locality
• Working with sellers to list and advertise their properties
• Complete paperwork and documentation to close real estate deals
• Educate clients about the various state and federal laws and regulations
• Negotiate on behalf of your clients to help them get the right deal
• Assist clients in making decisions related to buying and selling of real estate
• Maintain regulatory compliance with state and federal regulations and guidelines
• Collaborating with loan officers, brokers, home appraisers, and home inspectors
• Maintain proper records of all real estate deals and financial transactions
• Engage in marketing and promotional activities on behalf of your employer

The job profile of a real estate agent requires you to manage and execute administrative, operational, marketing, and customer service-related functions.

Benefits of working as a California real estate agent

Working in CA’s flourishing real estate market is an exciting and rewarding career path which offers a plethora of advantages and benefits which you must learn.

Yes, it takes time, patience, and effort to achieve the fruits of your hardwork but if you are sincere and determined to succeed, you can enjoy build a truly amazing professional path.

1. High-income potential

Imagine earning a six-figure income annually while helping people achieve their homeownership dreams.

Imagine the prospects of earning $50K in commissions by helping sell a luxury home in California worth $2 million dollars.

Earning a six figure income and achieving financial stability is one of the most important benefits of choosing real estate as a career path.

With a CA real estate license, you can easily unlock monetary success and profitability within a few years of industry experience.

The best part is that there is no upper limit to how much you can earn - the more deals you help close, the more money you can make in this industry.

2. High career autonomy and independence

Real estate offers a career path where you can be your own boss and achieve professional autonomy, especially when compared to a conventional nine-to-five job.

Imagine having a flexible work-life balance where you can define your own schedule and take control of your hours - your calendar will be truly yours to mange.

If the idea of working for yourself sounds exciting to you, pursuing a career as a real estate agent might just be the ideal career path.

As a real estate agent, It is up to you to choose how much you want to work based on your career goals and sales targets.

Independent agents have the freedom to establish their own working hours, find their clientele, and set their own targets and goals.

3. Opportunities for career growth

Real estate is a dynamic, evolving industry that offers numerous career paths to choose from.

California’s real estate market is worth billions and is growing steadily over the years. If you are seeking a stable, high-growth profession, then this could be it.

Even if you start as a real estate agent, you can advance in your career by becoming a licensed broker in CA and even apply for a REALTOR license after a few years.

Whether you want to work with a brokerage firm or start your own real estate agent, you can choose your ideal path to meet your career goals and ambitions.

4. Emotional fulfillment and career satisfaction

Beyond a six figure income, high degree of professional autonomy and a flexible work-life balance, many individuals choose real estate as a way to help people.

Real estate agents work with clients and help them buy and sell properties with the help of guidance and assistance.

Spending time with clients, understanding their needs, and helping them achieve their homeownership goals - you can do all of this while getting paid for it.

If you are good with people and want to serve them as a professional, working in CA real estate can help you achieve this goal.

Are you already wondering how to get a CA real estate license and reap the above benefits? Keep on reading to find out about the step-by-step process next.

Basic eligibility requirements for a California license

Before you start applying for a license, it is important to understand and meet the minimum qualifying requirements for working in the industry.

The California DRE (Department of Real Estate) requires applicants to meet the basic statutory California real estate license requirements before committing to the process.

To obtain your salesperson or broker’s license in CA, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age or older.
• Be a legal resident of the state of California
• Have a high school diploma or GED equivalent in education.
• Have a clean background and no history of any criminal activity or felony.

Complete California pre-license education

The DRE in California requires aspiring real estate agents to complete a minimum qualifying education and become competent to work with clients.

To obtain a Salesperson license in CA, you must complete 135 hours of pre-licensing education from a DRE-approved education provider.

Completing 135 hours of pre license education will give you an understanding of the fundamental principles of real estate along with the various laws, regulations, and guidelines for real estate professionals.

The course curriculum will cover the following topics:

• Principles of Real Estate: This covers the basic principles of working in the real estate industry and its core practices and policies. You will also learn about the California license laws and federal standards for real estate professionals.

• Real Estate Practices: This covers the fundamental knowledge of real estate concepts, practices, and frameworks such as contracts, and real estate finance, property management, escrow, types of property, real estate appraisal,

Note that you are free to choose a CA real estate license course of your choice i.e. you can choose to learn from an in-person, physical classroom course or enroll in an online real estate course to complete your coursework.

Most students prefer online real estate courses as they can be completed from virtually any location and offer more flexibility and convenience as compared to physical classrooms.

In addition to training you about your industry, profession, and job role, completing pre-license education will also help you prepare for the salesperson license exam in CA.

Passing the CA salesperson license exam

Whether you choose to complete your California real estate license course online or join a real estate college, the next step in your license journey is to prove your competence.

The California DRE requires all students to take the salesperson licensing exam and prove their knowledge and preparation to work with clients.

The CA licensing exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions covering both state and national-specific portions.

You will get a total of 3 hours to complete the test and you must score at least 75 percent or above to pass the test.

You can apply for the salesperson licensing exam and take the test at any of the Pearson VUE centers in one of the following locations: Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Fresno.

If you are unable to pass the test on your first attempt, you can pay the $60 exam fee again and retake the test after 24 hours.

Submit your salesperson license application

After completing the difficult steps of your license journey, you need to complete your salesperson license application and submit it to the DRE for approval.

Along with your application, you must submit an electronic copy of your fingerprints to clear the federal criminal history check and background verification.

The DRE in California requires all applicants to complete mandatory background verification to meet the standards of honesty, integrity, and good moral conduct for working with clients.

After submitting your salesperson license application along with the documents and background verification proofs, you need to wait for a few days to a week to get your license.