Pre-License Real Estate Courses in North Carolina
Introduction
Starting a Real Estate Career in North Carolina
North Carolina’s housing market has been witnessing some of the strongest growth numbers in the last few years.
The average home value in NC increased by around 5 percent as compared to the previous year.
Further, real estate trends have been pointing towards even more demand for homes in the future.
These statistics point towards the fact that now is a great time to join the North Carolina real estate market as an agent or a broker.
Thanks to the stable economy, strong job outlook, and a high demand for homes, real estate professionals can generate high income and commission opportunities.
If you are looking to build a thriving career in North Carolina’s booming real estate market, you will have to complete a set of steps and fulfill certain requirements. Chief among them is going through pre-licensing education and passing the real estate exam in NC to get your license.
Top-earning agents and brokers have one thing in common - they are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in a dynamic, competitive environment.
This is where pre-licensing education can help aspiring professionals who want to soar high and set themselves up for a successful career.
For aspiring real estate agents and brokers, we have put together this in-depth guide on completing pre-licensing education with confidence and boosting your exam preparation.
We will share tips and actionable advice on meeting the NC license eligibility requirements and choosing the right pre-licensing education provider.
What is a Pre-Licensing Course?
Before you embark on a journey to prepare for the licensing exam, it is important to ask and understand - what is a pre-licensing course.
A pre-licensing course is a learning curriculum taught to students who want to obtain a real estate license.
It is a structured program that teaches the fundamentals of the real estate industry including state and federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Pre-license education curriculum helps students strengthen their understanding of the principles of real estate.
Pre-licensing education provides an overview of the different aspects of working in the real estate industry. It teaches students the topics required to take and pass the licensing exam.
Importance of Pre-License Education
Pre-License education is mission-critical for aspiring real estate professionals. It is the stepping stone to a successful career in real estate.
Successful real estate professional must equip themselves with the knowledge of industry principles, state laws, property management, agency relationships, taxation, property rights, and legal frameworks.
You simply cannot apply for a license and get one, you must prepare and qualify for the same by completing 75 hours of pre-licensing education.
Without completing pre-licensing education, you will not be eligible to take the state licensing exam and apply for a real estate salesperson license.
It is a part of the legal compliance for applicants to adhere to the state and federal level regulations.
The North Carolina real estate pre-license education imparts students with the required industry knowledge.
Passing the exam is mandatory for all applicants who want to become a licensed agent or broker in North Carolina.
There is nothing more important than passing the North Carolina salesperson or broker licensing exam.
Taking a pre-licensing course will give you the confidence to do so with the help of expert instructors and comprehensive training packages.
Pre-licensing education helps students gain the knowledge and understanding of the topics taught. The exam questions are based on the courses covered in the pre-licensing curriculum.
Education provides networking opportunities and helps you network with experienced trainers and industry experts.
This way, you can expand your network and open potential doors to finding clients and building partnerships.
Pre-License Requirements in North Carolina
Age and Education Requirements
To complete pre-license real estate courses in North Carolina, you must meet the general eligibility requirements established by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC).
As per the NCREC, every applicant must:
- Be at least 18 years of age or older
- Be a legal citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted non-citizen national
- Have a valid social security number
- Have a high school diploma in education or GED equivalent
In addition to the above, the NCREC also requires applicants to complete 75 hours of state-approved pre-licensing education.
Completing pre-licensing education is mandatory to obtain an NC salesperson or broker’s license.
Post-completion of the pre-licensing education, you will receive a certification of completion. It will be valid for three years from the date of completion.
Course Requirements
There are no special requirements for completing a North Carolina real estate pre-license course.
The only detail to keep in mind is that you must choose a state-approved and accredited education provider.
As per the NCREC, students are free to choose between joining an in-person, classroom environment or enrolling in a self-paced, online course module.
However, students must ensure they are learning only from NCREC-approved education providers.
Therefore, you must check the accreditation of a real estate college, school, or online course with NCREC before finalizing.
Background Check and Criminal History
As per the licensing guidelines established by the North Carolina Real Estate License Commission (NCREC), all applicants must complete a background verification check.
This is to ensure complete compliance with the state and federal laws and jurisdiction.
You will be required to submit updated records of electronic fingerprints along with your license application. You will have to pay a one-time fee of $18 to get your fingerprints.
You can submit your background check documents online on the NCREC website.
If you have any history of felony or criminal activity in the last seven years, you are required to disclose the same and send an updated copy of your hearing.
After you have submitted the records and documents, the NCREC will conduct an in-depth background, identity information, and criminal history check.
How To Select A Real Estate Pre-License Course
To complete the 75-hour real estate pre-licensing course, students are free to choose their preferred real estate school, college, or online course provider.
Although there are many prelicensing education providers, you must verify your education provider’s accreditation with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC).
The NCREC requires all students to choose a state-certified educational institution, be it a physical real estate college or an online school.
To do so, you can visit the official website of the NCREC and find out the full list of state-accredited real estate schools, colleges, and courses.
Course Delivery Options
When it comes to pre-licensing education, many students often get overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices and options available.
Although there is no single answer that works for everyone, you can classify all the education providers based on their medium of providing education.
Broadly, there are three main course delivery options you can choose from:
- In-person classes: This is a traditional, rigid teaching environment where students are expected to be physically present in a classroom with a teacher or trainer. In-person classes are held at the same location and it can be time-consuming for students to complete them.
- Online classes: This is a more recent, flexible teaching methodology that utilizes video lectures and recorded tutorials for teaching. In this medium, students can take classes from anywhere at their own pace without having to physically commute to a set location.
- Hybrid classes: This brings the best of both in-person and online content delivery mediums. Hybrid classes allow students the benefit of taking the classes from anywhere however the lessons are synchronized in real-time for updated content delivery.
Every student has their learning preferences, needs, and expectations. Based on what your learning style is, you can choose the most suitable pre-licensing course for you.
If you have trouble deciding, it is recommended that you reach out to different education providers and ask them for details about their courses. Based on the inputs gathered, you can make an informed decision.
Course Curriculum
The real estate exam in North Carolina is based on the 75 hours of pre-licensing education curriculum and its included courses.
The course curriculum is developed to provide you with a basic, fundamental understanding of the profession, the real estate industry, and its underlying principles and frameworks.
Listed below are the key topics you will learn in your pre-licensing course curriculum:
- Laws of Real Estate (State)
- Laws of Real Estate (Federal)
- Principles of Real Estate
- Contracts in Real Estate
- Types of Property
- Fair Housing Laws
- Ethics
- Real Estate Finance
- Taxation
- Land Use Controls
Completing pre-licensing course curriculum will cover all the topics and subjects that you will face in the North Carolina real estate licensing exam.
Duration of Pre-License Courses
Full-time vs Part-time Options
Although every aspirant might share the common dream of becoming a successful real estate professional, it is not necessary that there is only one path to get to that goal.
For many applicants who are also working professionals joining a full-time pre-licensing course might not be the best option.
Thankfully, there exist part-time pre-license real estate courses in North Carolina to help you manage your work-life commitments while completing the mandatory 75 hours of coursework.
Estimated Time Commitment
Many aspiring professionals often face a common question before embarking on their licensing journey which is how long it takes to get a real estate license in NC.
There is no specific answer to this question, however, considering you have to complete 75 hours of NCREC-approved pre-licensing education, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months.
Your learning schedule and timelines may vary based on your real estate school, college, or online course provider.