How To Become a Real Estate Agent in NJ
It's hard to believe I have been a real estate agent for 8 years. I grew up watching HGTV with my mom and something about it just fascinated me. I always knew it was something I wanted to do in the future. I ended up waiting until after I graduated college to get my license. I found a full-time corporate job right out of college, so I didn't get my license until I was 23.
I went to real estate school two nights per week after I finished working for the day. After 12 weeks of class, I locked myself in my room for two weeks and studied my butt off. A few weeks later, I had my real estate license. I found a broker I wanted to work with and bam, I was ready to roll.
Here are the steps I took and the steps you can take to get your New Jersey real estate license:
Find a real estate school. I attended Kovats Real Estate School in Maywood, NJ. It cost me about $400 which included the cost of books. I decided to take the 3 hour night class twice per week as it worked best for my schedule, but they also had afternoon and weekend options. I went in person, but nowadays, in a post-Covid world, there are many online courses available. *You must be at least 18 years old, have a high school education or equivalent and be a legal resident of the United States.
Take and pass the state exam. After I finished the course, I had a year to take and pass the exam, but I wasted no time. After two weeks of studying, I took the exam and passed on the first try, phew! I recommend taking the exam as soon as possible or else it's easy to forget everything you just learned. You can also take the test again if you don't pass the first time.
Find a broker. This is probably one of the only jobs out there where you are interviewing them instead of them interviewing you. Being a real estate agent is a 100% commission-based job. That means if you don't sell anything, you don't make any money. Because brokers are not paying you a salary, they will typically hire anyone, so it's up to you to do your research and make sure it's a good fit for you. Every brokerage has a different business model, so you want to make sure their goals align with yours. I suggest interviewing with at least 3 brokers to weigh your options before you make a decision.
Getting your real estate license is not difficult, but it requires dedication. If it's something you want, the biggest piece of advice I can offer is to stay focused and dedicate time to study. Once you pass the exam, you never have to take it again as long as you pay to renew your license and take the required continuing education courses every two years. That initial $400 investment can bring an unlimited amount of return to your future.
Are you interested in becoming a real estate agent? Reach out to me with any questions.