Real Estate Continuing Education in Pennsylvania
Understanding Real Estate Education in Pennsylvania
The Importance of Continuing Education in Real Estate
In real estate, everything moves fast - from market trends and developments to laws and regulations.
The world of real estate is dynamic, competitive, and ever-evolving and to thrive in it, real estate professionals need to adapt to the changes too.
The real estate industry is always on the cusp of new laws, path-defining regulations, evolving social shifts, and economic fluctuations.
This means you must invest in keeping yourself educated about what’s the latest in the industry and know how to get a Pennsylvania real estate license.
It is not a difficult task. Go through the pre-licensing Pennsylvania real estate license course and pass the licensing exam. Apart from completing a few other formalities, you will then be on your way to getting a real estate license in Pennsylvania.
If you are a licensed real estate agent or broker in Pennsylvania, you must embrace the importance of continuing education.
It will help you in keeping up with the latest developments, updates, and trends in the real estate industry.
To stay on top of your game in a competitive industry, you must stay abreast with changing regulations, current facts, concepts, guidelines, and emerging developments at the state and federal levels.
Completing Pennsylvania real estate continuing education is not only important for upskilling yourself, but it is also a mandatory requirement for renewing your salesperson or broker license.
In this article, we are going to dive deeper into some of the important aspects of completing continuing education as a licensee.
This article will serve as a benchmark for all active and aspiring license holders who want to build a thriving, successful career in Pennsylvania real estate.
Comprehensive Overview of Real Estate Education in Pennsylvania
Completing real estate continuing education in Pennsylvania is mandatory for all active licensees who want to legally conduct or partake in real estate transactions.
Many newly licensed agents and brokers often assume that getting their real estate license means the end of the road of their educational journey.
However, due to the highly volatile, dynamic, and fast-moving nature of the industry, active professionals are required to stay updated on the latest rules, regulations, trends, and shifts.
To enforce the importance of continuing education, many states, including Pennsylvania have established continuing education course curricula for Pennsylvania license renewal.
As per the Pennsylvania Department of Real Estate, you are required to complete 14 hours of continuing education from a state-approved education provider.
Active license holders can apply for continuing education in Pennsylvania in a classroom or an online learning environment as per their preference.
Before joining a college or online course, applicants are encouraged to check if their particular program of choice is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Real Estate.
How Can Continuing Education Impact Your Real Estate Career?
It is said that in a knowledge-based profession, the more you know, the better you grow.
The importance of Pennsylvania real estate continuing education is multifold and we are going to take a closer look at why it is a must for all licensees.
Real estate continuing education is important for many reasons, some of which include:
1. Changing Regulations
Real estate is a highly regulated industry and is based upon an intricate set of laws, rules, and guidelines at the state and federal levels.
Completing continuing education will help you stay abreast with the latest updates in the industry.
Plus, it will help agents and brokers stay on the right side of state and federal laws.
By completing post-license educational courses, you can ensure compliance with legislative shifts and developments, industry best practices, and fair housing laws.
2. Compliance
To keep up with the needs and expectations of the real estate industry, its professionals, and consumers, the state and federal governments continue to update their laws and regulations.
By completing continuing education, real estate professionals can ensure compliance with the latest policies, rules, and guidelines enforced by the Pennsylvania Department of State.
If you do not complete additional continuing education coursework, you can lose your license’s validity and it could lose its active status.
Compliance with the state and federal regulations also serves as a trust-building medium with your clients.
Ensuring compliance will help you foster transparency with your clients and assure them that their interests are safeguarded with your expertise.
3. Upskilling
The way the real estate industry moves and evolves, it can be difficult for most professionals to catch up to the pace of innovation.
Thankfully, this is where continuing education courses can help you stay up to speed.
Completing a Pennsylvania real estate continuing education can allow you the opportunity to embrace the latest advancements in the industry.
You can upskill yourself on the new innovative trends and technological shifts such as artificial intelligence and AR/VR, blockchain which are rapidly changing the real estate landscape.
In a competitive industry like real estate, you must stay abreast with the latest and greatest.
Continuing education will help you stay on top of your professional game and maintain a competitive edge.
4. Credibility:
One of the most important benefits of completing Pennsylvania continuing education courses is to boost your professional credibility.
When you invest the time, effort, and resources required to complete additional education, you demonstrate your commitment to your profession.
This credibility and sincerity reflect on your self-confidence as well as in your resume.
Since real estate works on the foundation of trust, clients are more likely to trust a knowledgeable, well-read, and confident professional.
Credible agents and brokers are also more likely to gain referrals and repeat clients owing to their high trust factor and advanced skills.
Pennsylvania Real Estate Continuing Education
Understanding the Need for Continuing Education in Pennsylvania
You might be wondering what exactly is the need for additional education when you have already studied and cleared the state licensing exam once.
The short answer is - to renew your real estate salesperson or broker license in Pennsylvania, every licensee must complete continuing education.
Without renewing your Pennsylvania salesperson or broker’s license, you will be unable to legally participate in a real estate transaction.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, all salespersons and brokers renewing their license for the first time must complete 14 hours of state-approved continuing education.
To meet the real estate license renewal continuing education in Pennsylvania, you must take the General Module course worth 7 hours of credit. For the remaining course hours, you can choose between the Commercial or Residential real estate module.
Note that if you have acquired your Pennsylvania real estate license after December 2023, you will not be required to complete the continuing education till the date of your first license renewal cycle.
Completing continuing education is needed for two main reasons - firstly, it allows you to keep your license status active.
Secondly, it gives you additional skills and knowledge which can help you make more money.
Guide on the Requirements and Curriculum
For first-time license renewal applicants, PA real estate continuing education requirements are as follows:
- You must complete 14 hours of continuing education including two module courses
- You must complete 7 hours of General Module as part of your coursework
- You can choose between residential or commercial-specific courses (7 hours)
If you are a returning agent or broker ready to renew your license, you need to complete 14 hours of state-approved continuing education which must include:
- You must complete 3 hours of course module covering the details of Agent vs Broker responsibilities
- You can choose to complete any of the elective courses to finish the remaining 11 hours of education
Note that the Pennsylvania license renewal cycle goes from June 1 to May 31 every year.
Tips on Maximizing Your Continuing Education Experience
Many agents and brokers think that continuing education is only necessary for real estate license renewal.
As much as it is an important reason to pursue it, you will also gain valuable knowledge and credibility during the process.
During your real estate license renewal continuing education, you will go beyond the general principles of real estate and gain specialized knowledge and skills to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Whether you want to join a real estate school for in-person, classroom learning or enroll in an online continuing education course, it is important to understand the course curriculum to maximize your learning.
Since you will be covering multiple topics as part of a state-approved continuing education program, you should prepare yourself to take advantage of the wealth of information provided to you.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the common topics included in your coursework:
- Real Estate licensees and their duties
- Title Reports
- Closing Costs
- Contract Types and Agreements
- Land Development and Subdivisions
- Agency and Representation Deeds
- Land Zoning
- Fair Housing Laws and Ethics
- Uniform Construction Code
- Environmental Concerns in Real Estate
Completing the 14-hour continuing education curriculum will help you advance in your career and learn new skills as you progress.
However, to get the best value out of your invested time, effort, and resources, you should keep the following tips in mind:
1. Prepare in advance:
As you prepare yourself to complete the coursework, you should start by learning about the course topics and curriculum beforehand.
By reviewing the syllabus in advance, you will get a sense of what to expect in the coursework.
Also, early preparation will allow you to fully engage with the course curriculum and grasp important concepts easily.
2. Expand your network:
During your continuing education classes, you will get the opportunity to learn with agents and brokers from Pennsylvania.
Now you might like to think of them as competitors, but while you are completing your education, you should not hesitate in discussing and exchanging information.
Networking smartly means you can look for like-minded individuals who could be of value to you in your profession.
It is rightly said that your network is your net worth, thus you should not leave any opportunity to build professional relationships with fellow students.
3. Utilize study material:
If you are committed to gaining the most value out of your continuing education program, you should keep a close tab on all the classroom resources.
Be it study notes, handouts, case studies, and expert sessions, you should take advantage of the wealth of information provided as part of the curriculum.
Consider keeping a journal where you can keep track of the resources allocated to you.
You should not hesitate to reach out to trainers and teachers, especially regarding any doubts you may face about the study material.
4. Stay curious:
Learning how to learn is an underrated professional skill.
To get the most out of your curriculum, you should always cultivate a curious mindset.
Look for what’s shaping the industry, ask questions about future trends, and find opportunities to seek ideas about your career’s progression.