How To Become A Real Estate Broker

Educational Requirements
Real estate may seem exciting if you are in the commercial sector or you may want to help families find houses to raise children, so you may want to know how to become a real estate broker in order to get into this career. Candidates need at least a high school diploma or a GED in order to enter this field. Like other industries, the real estate market is becoming more competitive, so employers prefer to hire individuals with a college degree.  Candidates can now pursue associate's and bachelor's degree programs in real estate that are offered at community colleges and universities. Certificate programs are also offered. Coursework involves subjects in finance, economics, accounting, business administration, and law. Brokers who may want to open their own company could benefit from taking more business and law courses.

Licensure Requirements
Real estate professionals must be licensed if they want to work. Licensure requirements vary by state. Generally, candidates are required to be at least 18 years old. They must pass an exam and complete a specified number of hours of real estate courses (real estate principles, practices and law, and property management). They must also have one to three years of experience working as a licensed sales agent. State licenses have to be renewed after every 2 to 4 years. As this line of work does not have any stringent educational requirements, candidates must possess other important qualities. These include effective interpersonal skills, good persuasive skills, and strong sales ability.

Real Estate BrokerJob Description
The key responsibility of real estate brokers is to assist clients in buying, selling, or renting commercial and residential properties. They are involved in soliciting potential clients to sell, buy, and rent properties. They must be knowledgeable about the market trends as they have to advise clients on market conditions, prices, and mortgages. They have to make comparisons between properties to determine a competitive market price. They generate and manage lists of properties for sale, and sort them on the basis of details like location and features. In order to sell the property, they promote it through open houses, advertisements, and listing services. They are often required to arbitrate negotiations between the seller and the buyer. They must ensure that any purchase offers received by them are presented to sellers for future consideration. Lastly, they prepare documents such as purchase bonds, loyalty contracts, and deeds; and ascertain that all terms and conditions of these documents are met.

Job Outlook
Real estate brokers will be in demand in the coming years. The prevailing economic conditions often motivate people to invest their money in real estate. In addition to this, rapid population growth and increased occupational mobility have increased home sales significantly. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has stated that the employment of these professionals is expected to grow by 11 percent from 2010 to 2020. Real estate professionals will be employed as appraisers, developers, inspectors, brokers, investment consultants, and residential planners.

Online Learning
Online education is ideal for candidates who are working full time or have other obligations that prevent them from attending on-campus programs. Many universities and colleges offer online programs in real estate that equip students with the relevant knowledge and skills about property management needed to progress in this area. Students will have the chance to study at their own pace since schedules are more flexible. They can access course material from their computers while at work or at home.