A career in real estate can be an exciting and lucrative one. While a commission-only job may not be everyone’s cup of tea, others find that prospect motivating and exciting.
Over the last few years, the number of people moving to Texas has increased substantially, which means lots of potential houses to sell.
Texas Professional Real Estate License
If you are thinking of getting into real estate in Texas, you will have to meet a few core requirements before proceeding with the process, including being of a certain age, having a minimum level of education, and being of good moral character.1
Key Prerequisites for Becoming a Licensed Real Estate Agent
Provided you meet the aforementioned basic qualifications to be a real estate agent in the Lone Star State, you will need to complete pre-licensing education, take the state exam, pass a background check, and find a sponsoring broker for whom you will work. The last part is particularly important as real estate licenses are initially issued in ‘inactive’ status and only become active once you begin working under a licensed broker.
Prerequisite Age and Foundational Education Needs
Two of the most basic Texas real estate license requirements are being at least 18 years old and having a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Pre-Licensing Course Hours Required (Can I Take Free Real Estate Classes Online?)
The TREC requires real estate agents to complete 180 hours of pre-licensing education at an approved real estate school.2 You will have the option of online classes or in-person real estate classes.
If you have already taken any of these classes at a college or university, you may submit transcripts showing proof of completion.
The education requirement consists of 6 classes at 30 hours each.
- Principles of Real Estate
- Introduction to Modern Real Estate Practice
- Real Property
- Concepts and Responsibilities of Home Ownership
- Real Estate Brokerage and Law of Agency/Ethics
- Fair Housing Laws
- Ethics of Practice as a License Holder
- Texas Real Estate License Act
- Legal Descriptions
- Real Estate Contracts
- Interest in Real Estate
- How Homeownership is Held
- Listing Agreement/Ethics
- Principles of Real Estate II
- Real Estate Math
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Real Estate Financing Principles
- Land Use Controls and Environmental Hazards
- Specializations in Real Estate
- Real Estate Investments
- Leases
- Property Management
- Estates, Transfers, and Titles
- Closing Procedures/Closing the Real Estate Transaction
- Law of Agency
- Agency Concepts
- Basic Agency Relationships, Disclosure, and Duties to the Client
- Duties and Disclosures to Third Parties
- Seller Agency
- Buyer Agency
- Representing More Than One Party in a Transaction: Intermediary Brokerage
- Creation and Termination of Agency
- Clarifying Agency Relationships
- Employment Issues
- Agency, Ethics, and the Law
- Deceptive Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act
- Implementation and Presentation
- Law of Contracts
- Texas Contract Law
- Basics of Real Estate Law
- Introduction to Contracts
- Ownership Rights and Limitations
- Contracts Used in Real Estate
- The Sales Contract
- Contingencies, Addenda, and Amendments
- Financing Real Estate
- Conveyance of Title
- Transaction Process and Closing
- Common Contract Mistakes
- Promulgated Contract Forms
- Contract Law Overview
- Laws, Rules, and Regulations
- Parties, Properties and Financing
- Covenants, Commitments, and Notices
- Closing and Possession
- The Remaining Promulgated Forms
- Promulgated Addenda, Notices, and Other Forms
- Other Real Estate Matters
- Practice Makes Perfect
- Real Estate Finance
- The Nature and Cycle of Real Estate Finance
- Money and the Monetary System
- Additional Government Influence
- Primary and Secondary Mortgage Markets
- Sources of Funds
- Instruments of Real Estate Finance
- Loan Types, Terms, and Issues
- Government Loans
- Loan Process
- Defaults and Foreclosures
Expenditure on Pre-Licensing Education for Real Estate
The cost of your pre-licensing education will depend on the format you choose and the type of package. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $1,000.
Most real estate schools offer a variety of packages. The standard package would be the core required courses itself and perhaps some basic exam prep material.
More comprehensive packages might include things like comprehensive study guides, courses to hone your real estate agent skills and teach you how to be a successful real estate agent, continuing education courses for your first renewal, a pass guarantee, and extended time to complete the courses to name a few.
Real Estate Background Verification Conditions (Fingerprinting Locations)
The TREC requires applicants to submit to a background check by submitting their fingerprints to the FBI via the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). You cannot use fingerprints on file with any other agency.
A company called IdentoGO works on behalf of the DPS to collect the fingerprints.
Completing the background check is the second step in the licensing process after submitting your application to the Texas Real Estate Commission. To schedule your appointment, you must obtain an IdentoGO ID number.
You obtain this number by entering your TREC ID number (assigned when you submit your application) or your first and last name and birthdate on the TREC site.3
Once you have the ID, you can schedule your appointment online. There are numerous IdentoGo locations throughout the state so finding one nearby should not be a problem regardless of where you live.
You can search for offices here.4
Can I Become an Agent if I Have a Criminal History?
A criminal history or a history of any professional disciplinary action doesn’t automatically disqualify you. The TREC has outlined standards to evaluate such cases.
If you have any history of either, they recommend filling out the Fitness Determination form before proceeding with the application process.1
References
1Texas Real Estate Commission. (2023). Will Your Criminal Record or Disciplinary History Keep You from Getting Licensed? | TREC. TREC. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://www.trec.texas.gov/forms/fitness-determination>
2Texas Real Estate Commission. (2023). Approved Qualifying Real Estate Courses | TREC. TREC. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://www.trec.texas.gov/education/approved-qualifying-real-estate-courses>
3Texas Real Estate Commission. (2023). Fingerprint Requirements | TREC. TREC. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://www.trec.texas.gov/fingerprint-requirements>
4Identogo. (2023). IdentoGO Centers are the United States’ leader in identity solutions. Identogo. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://www.identogo.com/locations>