Most Difficult States To Obtain Your Real Estate License
Texas is largely considered the most difficult state to obtain your real estate license. Many factors go into this, primarily due to the sheer size of the state and the availability of deals throughout the country. Texas is also the prime destination for immigration internationally and domestically alike. You must be 18 years of age or above even to start thinking about getting your license. Suppose you are also an American citizen or legal alien, as well as a legal resident of Texas. In that case, you can apply to meet TREC's qualifications of honesty, integrity, and being trustworthy. This last part is why obtaining a license is so tricky, as the esoteric nature of this intangible requirement makes it difficult to ascertain what exactly you need to do to qualify as an upstanding citizen.
Once you have met these requirements, you must be able to pass certain knowledge and background checks. Texas requires 180 hours of pre-licensing education and a clean record. After being vetted, you must pass the real estate exam and obtain sponsorship from a reputable brokerage.
More Lenient States
There are many states that offer a real estate license without being to stringent on the rules. Some of these states include Alaska, Massachusetts, and Mississippi. Generally speaking, as long as you are able to pass a course, are 18 years of age, and have no prior convictions, you can qualify to become a real estate agent. North Carolina, for example, is one of the easiest states to obtain your license. North Carolina does not even require its agents to be residents of the state, only if you are a US citizen or a legal alien. Most other states also require a GED or high school comp[letion, but North Carolina does not need such educational requirements.
While it may seem like the cutoff is very low, those who are accepted must conduct 75 hours of examination and submit applications to the real estate commission. After the exam is passed and is sponsored by brokers, another licensing course must be taken afterward. There is no mention of a criminal record as well, meaning that background checks do take that into consideration, but may not restrict prior convicted felons from obtaining their license if they are indeed trying to fix their life in good faith.
Becoming a Real Estate Agent in the US
Internationally speaking, real estate agents generally have a governing body that they adhere to. With most countries smaller than the United States, it is much easier to regulate and govern the activities that are related to housing and purchasing land, buildings, and all associated items. With the sheer size of the states, every single jurisdiction will have different laws and rules that govern them, including both the acceptance and ongoing conduct of the agents and realty themselves. It is always best to check with your local and state real estate commission on the practices and guidelines for becoming licensed.