Are you interested in helping your fellow community members find their dream homes or properties? If so, you might be seeking information on becoming a realtor. Let’s discuss the time frame potential Idaho realtors might expect for achieving their career goal.
A realtor is another name for a real estate agent, or person who helps others in the purchase and sale of real estate. If you choose this career path, you will take the same fundamental steps regardless of where you live: pre-licensure learning, licensing exam, and license activation. However, there are some specific details to know based on your state.
Requirements for Idaho Realtors
As a realtor, you will only be able to perform your duties in the state licensing you. Therefore, each state creates its own specific requirements for licensure. The amount of time it takes to get your license depends on the state that grants the license. Following are the guidelines people seeking licensure in Idaho must follow.
Pre-Licensing Courses
These courses will be your preparatory education for your new career. They teach you basic practices, terms, and legalities associated with real estate. While you may take the classes online or in person, you must sign up with an accredited institution. In Idaho, potential realtors can pursue a salesperson license or a broker license.
The former requires 90 course hours, while the latter necessitates the 90 hours of the salesperson license in addition to at least 90 more hours covering topics like real estate law and brokerage management. You must complete the coursework in no more than three years before you apply for your license. The timeframe for completion will depend on how much time you devote to the courses.
Licensing Exam
After you have completed the coursework, you can sign up for the Idaho Real Estate Licensing Exam. Idaho has testing sites in cities statewide, and the exam is administered by Pearson VUE. The organization offers practice tests, so you may want to spend some time studying up before you jump right into the exam.
Once you have found a test site and a scheduled date via Pearson, you will make a reservation at least 24 hours before the test. On test day, you will have four hours to finish the exam. Once you are done, you will get an immediate pass/fail result. If you fail either of the two exam parts, you must reschedule and retake the exam.
License Application
After passing your exam, you can apply for your official license. In Idaho, you must submit your application within a year of your exam date. The Idaho Real Estate Commission will grant approval after you have paid necessary fees. This process should not take more than a few days unless delays occur.
Post-Licensing
Once licensed, you can seek other memberships important for your career development, such as your local multiple listing service, the National Association of Realtors, and a brokerage firm like Prime. Each of these commitments can add days or weeks to your journey. You will also take periodic continuing education courses to stay apprised of recent developments.
The work you will put into becoming a realtor in Idaho (with education, testing, application-filling, etc.) averages to about 100 hours. While the commitment may see daunting, new realtors must set their own timetable for achieving success in this challenging yet rewarding field.
If you’re seeking a real estate license in the beautiful state of Idaho, contact Prime Real Estate to explore career opportunities or see how our well-respected brokerage can work for you.