How to Prepare For a Career in California Real Estate

California is one of the most dynamic, lucrative, and promising real estate markets in the US, renowned for its world-class employment market, warm climate, and strong economy.

The Sunshine State is known as a real estate paradise with an average median home price of $800K and above and sustained demand for residential and commercial properties.

California’s real estate market is home to popular cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas, and there is no shortage of interest from buyers and investors.

Did you know that the top real estate agents in CA can make as much as $200K in a year while enjoying a flexible work schedule and higher professional independence?

Working in California real estate can unlock a plethora of income and commission opportunities and help you tap into a myriad of business opportunities.

If you are dedicated to succeed and you can work hard, you can become financially independent and work for yourself.

The California law allows licensed professionals to work with clients anywhere in the state and earn commissions through real estate deals.

Whether you want to work as a part-time agent or start a full-time career journey, getting your salesperson license is the most important step of your professional journey.

To obtain your license. you must complete a mandatory CA real estate license course and prove your eligibility.

Completing pre-license education is a mandatory requirement in your licensing journey and an essential step in entering the real estate market with knowledge and training.

In this article, we will walk you through the aspects of completing pre-license education in California and what are the important factors you must keep in consideration.

Why Do You Need to Complete Pre-License Education?

California is witnessing a real estate boom with rising home valuations, new housing inventory, and a growing demand; the market is going to be strong and flourishing in the coming years.

To truly unlock the potential for growth and success in any profession, you need to educate yourself about the industry, its principles, and its processes.

Working in a competitive industry like real estate, it is imperative that you be fully aware of the state and federal laws, industry regulations, and guiding principles.

This is where pre-license education comes into the fray as a way to equip yourself with the fundamental knowledge of California laws, standards, and principles of agents.

Like most states, California requires every individual to complete pre-licensing education and obtain a minimum level of knowledge to work with clients.

Completing a CA real estate course will give you knowledge of the fundamental topics, courses, and subjects of your profession and will help you perform your duties skillfully.

It is important to learn about your job duties, responsibilities, and tasks and how you must work with clients and help them navigate through the decisions of a real estate transaction.

You should think of pre-licensing education as the gateway to unlocking success and building a thriving career in real estate. Here are some key benefits of pre-license courses:

• Pre-license education is a must to apply for and obtain your CA real estate license. Without completing it, you will not be able to become a valid professional.
• Completing education helps you stay updated with the industry trends and latest developments in the always-evolving real estate landscape of California.
• Education will help you to grow your knowledge and upskill yourself in your career. To stay competitive in real estate, you must always be learning and growing.
• Pre-license education allows you to meet like-minded students, peers, and experienced instructors. This can help you grow and expand your network.
• Being a knowledgeable and skilled professional significantly boosts your trustworthiness and enhances your perception of professionalism in the industry.

Investing in your education will give you the best return in the short run - not only will it meet California real estate license requirements, but it will also help you prepare for the state licensing exam.

1. California Pre-License Course Curriculum

To become eligible for a salesperson license, the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) requires you to complete 135 hours of state-approved pre-licensing coursework.

The pre-license curriculum is divided into three classes worth 45 hours each, including two mandatory courses, which are - Principles of Real Estate and Real Estate Practice.

There will also be one elective course of your choice, which could be from any of the following options - Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Economics, Real Estate Appraisal, Legal Aspects of Real Estate, Property Management. 

Generally, it will take you around a few weeks to a month or two to complete your course credits, but the exact duration depends on many factors, which we will discuss below. 

2. Choosing a California Real Estate Pre-License Course

In California, there is a plethora of renowned, industry-leading real estate schools, colleges, and education providers.

Choosing a pre-license education provider can get overwhelming, especially when there are numerous options available.

When it comes to choosing the best real estate courses in California, there are certain aspects that you should keep in consideration. Let’s go through them in detail.

3. Research about different learning mediums

As a student, you have the flexibility to choose a physical, classroom-based real estate course or enroll in an online, virtual course as per your learning needs and preferences.

Before deciding on an education provider, make sure to learn about the type of course formats they offer.

Many students prefer the convenience of online, self-paced real estate courses as they can be completed from anywhere using any device. 

The decision depends on your learning needs and schedule, but if you are a busy professional transitioning to real estate, completing an online course would be more feasible.

There are many course providers that offer flexible learning options, which means you can easily learn and cover the coursework at your own pace.

4. Evaluate the course curriculum.

Whether you choose to join a classroom-based real estate school or enroll in an online California real estate course in California, you must evaluate their course curriculum first.

The Department of Real Estate (DRE) in California has established a set of curriculum guidelines and requirements that must be fulfilled to become eligible for a license.

The first thing to keep in mind is that you must learn from a recent, up-to-date course curriculum. It is important to refer to the California DRE for the most accurate course and curriculum requirements.

Ideally, you should opt for an education provider in CA that provides relevant, comprehensive study material so you can get an in-depth understanding of the topics.

Since you will be preparing for the salesperson license exam, it is important that your course of choice be in tune with the latest test guidelines and exam questions.

5. Check the course accreditation.

One of the most important education requirements is to choose a DRE-approved course provider.

Before you decide on a real estate college, course, or school, make sure to check if they are approved by the state or not.

Whether you choose to join a California real estate license course online or enroll in a classroom-based course, it is important to ensure that they meet the DRE’s standards for teaching and education.

By doing so, you can be assured of their training techniques, course curriculum, and relevancy and not worry about your education being valid or not.

6. Get ready to grow your career in California real estate.

Now that you have learned about the importance of pre-license education and how to choose the right course provider, it’s time to get into action and start preparing.

California’s real estate is highly competitive, and to make your mark, you will need a strong foundation, which can be achieved with education and training.

Pre-license courses will help you learn, grow, and upskill as you stay updated with the latest trends, industry updates, and news related to your profession.

Completing 135 hours of coursework should not scare you, in fact, you should be excited by the possibilities of learning new things and becoming better prepared for the exam.

If rowing and advancing in real estate is your goal, then completing pre-license courses can help you get there with confidence and preparation.

7. Tips for passing the California licensing exam

After you have completed the pre-licensing education in California, the next step is to take the California sales associate licensing exam.

The exam consists of multiple-choice questions covering both state and national-specific portions to test your knowledge of general industry principles and other topics.

You should aim to score at least 75% or above to pass the sales associate license test.

If you are wondering how to get your CA real estate license by passing the exam easily, here are some practical and actionable tips.

8. Create a regular study schedule

Preparing for the real estate test is time-consuming, especially as you will be completing several courses and multiple topics.

Having a pre-established study routine will help you allocate a specific time duration to complete various courses and give enough time to each topic.

This way, you can manage your coursework better and cover more ground without having to worry about the course curriculum.

Having a study schedule will also help you be more consistent with your exam preparation.

9. Understand the exam structure and format

Getting better at any exam requires you to understand the exam format in detail.

You should start your preparation by looking at the type of questions asked and the language options available for students.

Additionally, you must learn about the common exam topics which are most frequently covered in multiple-choice questions.

You can ask your teachers or fellow students to help you get familiar with the type of questions asked in the test.

Once you familiarize yourself with the exam structure and format, you will be better prepared to tackle the different questions.

10. Practice using mock tests

Practicing with the help of sample questions and mock tests is a good way to get confident.

Like any other test, the California sales associate licensing exam is also based on some common test topics and questions that you can expect to tackle on the day of the test.

Many real estate courses and schools provide simulated tests and sample questions to help students get an assessment of their level of preparation.

Taking a California real estate exam practice test can give you an honest assessment of your exam readiness. Plus, it will help you improve speed and time management too.