If a real estate career is your dream, there is no better place than Florida to see it bloom. The state has a thriving real estate sector largely because of the many choices on offer. From sprawling beachside luxury estates to small single-family homes and everything else in between, the state is a real estate investor’s paradise.
Given this scenario, the rewards for becoming a real estate professional in Florida are incredibly lucrative and satisfying. With dedicated and hard work, earning six figures is very much a reality in this profession in Florida.
To be in this field, you must first get a real estate license Florida. This post will go into all the eligibility requirements for getting a license and the steps to take in a specific order.
To kickstart your career and apply for a license, you must be at least 18 years old and a citizen of the USA. Migrants are also issued licenses provided they have working rights in the country.
Complete the 63 hours of pre-licensing education as mandated by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). This is the controlling body for issuing real estate licenses in the state. The reason why this aspect is given so much importance is that it imparts knowledge about the real estate industry so that agents can offer high-quality services to clients in the future.
Subjects covered in the 63-hour pre-licensing course include the fundamentals, principles, and practices of the real estate industry. Since the rules and regulations are constantly evolving, the coursework helps aspiring professionals keep abreast of all the updates in this field.
Before choosing a course provider, ensure that it is approved by the FREC. Only then will it be counted as fulfilling educational requirements for the licensing exam. To be sure, visit the website of the FREC to check the approved list of course providers in the state.
The following subjects constitute the pre-licensing coursework to obtain a real estate license in Florida.
- Real Estate Business
- Real Estate Laws and Licenses
- Real Estate Contracts
- Federal and State Laws
- Real Estate Commission Rules
- Real Estate Brokerage and Procedures
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Authorized Relationships, Disclosures, and Duties
- Violations of Real Estate Laws, Penalties and Procedures
- Types of Mortgages
- Titles, Deeds, and Ownership Types
- Real Estate Financing
- Market and Industry Analysis
You have the option of going through the coursework either in a classroom setting or an online environment. However, if you want the study time to not upset your daily routine, choose an online course. It offers the flexibility to study from anywhere at your convenience without getting tied down to strict classroom timings. You do not also have to waste time commuting to your place of study.
For a top-quality online FREC-approved real estate pre-licensing course, check out the offering from RealEstateU. The courses are designed by experienced real estate professionals and you can download the instructions to be studied at your convenience. Further, they provide study guides and test prep too where the sample questions replicate the form and structure of the main licensing exam. This will help you easily crack the main test to get a real estate license in Florida.
The cost of the licensing courses typically ranges from $100 to $400 with the RealEstateU courses being the most affordable in this niche.
After completing the 63-hour pre-licensing course, submit your fingerprints for verification of any past criminal records. Visit the FREC portal and pay $58.12 for this test. Real estate agents must maintain high moral standards and checking fingerprints is one way of knowing so. In case of an adverse report, you might be barred from applying for a real estate license in Florida.
On the website of FREC pay $57.75 and schedule the licensing exam. Though the exam is held online, you must physically visit a designated center to sit for the exam. The exam is proctored by third-party agent PearsonVUE.
On the scheduled day, visit the exam center to appear for the test. The licensing exam consists of two sections. The first is the generic national section that covers the laws governing the real estate scenario in the USA. The other is the state-specific section that focuses on the principles and practices of real estate applicable to the state of Florida only.
The questions are in a multiple-choice format and you must get at least 75% to crack the test. Soon after the test is completed, the result is declared at the center itself in a pass/fail grade. This is possible as the exam is held online.
After passing the exam, visit the portal of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and apply for a real estate license in Florida. As proof of having met all eligibility norms for getting a license, attach the proof of completing the 63 hours of pre-licensing coursework and the fingerprint fitness certificate. Pay an application fee of $87.75 on the website of FREC. You will now be issued a provisional real estate license but you cannot start your practice with it.
Find a broker to sponsor you at this early stage of your career. You will be provided with the required office space and infrastructure to start meeting clients. Brokers also provide referrals to budding real estate agents to help them start earning.
Now, inform FREC of your employment status in a brokerage firm. After this is verified by the body, your provisional real estate license in Florida will be converted to an active one.