A Guide To Becoming A Real Estate Agent In Texas 

By Sara J. Wheeler 9 months ago

Before you take the plunge to become a real estate agent in Texas, step back for a moment and study the Texas real estate market first. It will help you to evaluate whether it is worth your time and effort to take up this career option in the state. 

Let us see the inventory first that is expected to be added to the market. Potential sellers who had adopted a cautious attitude in 2023 will now downsize and list their properties. This will add almost 30 million units to the residential property market. 

In the new construction segment, Texas is far ahead of other states in the USA. About 200k new building sanctions were awarded in 2023 alone with Houston leading at 23k permits. These units will flood the market in 2004. 

Are there enough buyers in Texas to snap up these properties? Yes, there are. In recent times, mortgage rates are hovering at 7.35% and are expected to drop to 6% in the second half of the year. This is a great incentive for buyers to realize their dreams of owning a home in Texas.   

So, what do we get here? That this is the right time to be a part of the booming real estate industry, both from buyers’ and sellers’ perspectives and carve out a lucrative career for yourself. To do so, you have to first get a real estate license in Texas. 

In this post, we will study in detail how you can go about doing so. 

Meet Basic Requirements

Before studying for and applying for a real estate license in Texas, ensure that the following criteria are fulfilled. You would not want to be refused a license after going through the education grind.

  • Be at least 18 years old. 
  • A resident of Texas, or an alien with working rights in the USA.   
  • You must be honest with high ethical standards and have no background with criminal records. As we shall see later in this post, proof of your credibility is obtained through a clearance of your fingerprints.

Complete the Requirement for Pre-licensing Education

You must complete 180 hours of pre-licensing education to get a real estate license in Texas. The total coursework is divided into six modules as follows:    

  • Principles of Real Estate 1 (30 hours)
  • Principles of Real Estate 2 (30 hours)
  • Law of Contracts (30 hours)
  • Promulgated Contract Forms (30 hours)
  • Law of Agency (30 hours)
  • Real Estate Finance (30 hours)

Since real estate professionals have to interact with buyers and sellers and offer guidance, they must understand the various legal complexities and market trends. The coursework is designed by providers to achieve this objective. 

Click here for a better understanding of Texas pre-licensing courses.  

Before selecting a course, ensure that it is approved by the Texas Real Estate Commission. Go through the TREC website for more information. 

You can choose either an online course or one taught in a classroom environment. However, online classes are preferable as they are convenient and can be studied from any place and at any time provided you have an Internet-enabled device with you. 

One of the top online providers for real estate pre-licensing courses is RealEstateU. These are created by experienced real estate professionals and offer great value for money. Moreover, they are the most affordable in this niche.  

Verification of Fingerprints

You must submit your fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety to verify whether you have any past record of felonies. TREC will award a real estate license in Texas only if you get a clearance certificate in this regard.  

Apply For A Real Estate License 

Fix a date for the licensing exam on the website of the TREC. Simultaneously, pay $185 and apply for a real estate license in Texas. Your application will be considered only if you submit your Fitness Clearance Certificate and proof that you have completed the 180 hours of pre-licensing education.  

Crack The Licensing Exam of Texas

The real estate licensing exam consists of a 150-minute national section and a 90-minute state section where you will be tested on real estate laws, regulations, and practices that are specific to Texas only. You will get multiple-choice questions and must answer 70% of them correctly to sail through the exam. At the end of the test, you will be informed of the result in a pass/fail format. 

Join A Brokerage Firm

The final stage is to find a broker who will sponsor you at the start of your career. At the brokerage firm, you will learn about the best practices to follow in the real estate profession, and how to network with other real estate agents to get client referrals. 

You will now be awarded an active real estate license in Texas to kickstart a very lucrative career in this field.