What Do You Learn in Real Estate School?

One of the requirements to get your real estate license is to attend and complete an accredited real estate school.

That’s where you learn important concepts, terminology, and practices to help you become an ethical real estate agent.

But, what exactly do you learn in a real estate school or pre-licensing program?

There’s a lot to unravel! But, first, let’s explore what a real estate school or pre-licensing program really is.

What is Real Estate School or a Pre-Licensing Program?

An accredited real estate school is a Department of Real Estate approved pre-licensing program. In the pre-licensing program, students are taught a curriculum that will make them eligible to take the real estate exam.

Each real estate school has its own curriculum that has been accredited by the Department of Real Estate. This curriculum is given to students to help them learn the material that is covered on the Real Estate Exam.

By completing the real estate school’s pre-licensing program, students will receive certificates, also known as proof of completion. These certificates are needed to qualify for the Real Estate Exam.

In California, students must complete 3 courses to get their salesperson license and complete 5 more courses to get their broker’s license.  

What is Taught in Real Estate School?

So, now what should you expect to learn in a real estate school? In California, you can expect to take real estate practice, real estate principles, and one elective of your choice.

What Do You Learn in Real Estate Practice

Real estate practice teaches you how to build a successful real estate practice. This means you can learn topics from disclosures to marketing to taxation. Along with this is a comprehensive understanding of ethical practices and upholding your integrity as a real estate agent. The course content includes:

• Advertising
• Ethics, Fair Housing, Trust Funds, and Other Legal Issues
• Escrow and Title Insurance
• Offers and Closings
• Starting in Real Estate
• Listing Presentations and Contracts
• Mandatory Disclosures
• Obtaining the Purchase Offer
• Property Management and Leasing
• Prospecting and Business Development
• Real Estate Financing
• Servicing the Listing
• Taxation
• The Buyer and Property Showing

What Do You Learn in Real Estate Principles?

Real estate principles will dive into the nitty-gritty of how real estate works. You can expect a lot of terminology in this course because you will learn about property types, ownerships, and escrow and title companies. The course content includes:

• Appraising
• Contracts
• Encumbrances
• Escrow and Title Insurance
• Financing Real Estate
• Government-Sponsored and OTher Financing
• Land Use
• Landlord and Tenant
• Law of Agency
• Ownership
• Real Property
• Residential Design and Construction
• Taxation
• The Business of Real Estate
• Transferring Real Estate

Which Elective Should You Take?

When you enroll in an accredited real estate school, you will take an elective course. So, how do you decide which elective to pick? Each one will focus on one subject that will help you in your career. That’s why you should pick an elective that you think will come in handy later in your career.

If you’re unsure what will be helpful later on, we recommend real estate finance. Money is a common concern with homebuyers and sellers. Real estate is the biggest investment that anyone will make, so understanding the finance side of the business will let you speak your client’s language and help you communicate your points in ways that make sense.

Is Real Estate School Hard?

Lots of people ask whether or not real estate school is hard. The answer is: it depends. As long as you focus, take time out of your schedule to study and review, and attend class, you will find success in real estate school.

There are methods you can take to make real estate school easy. But, the most important part is to remember to take your time with studying. Some people want to breeze through the program, but that ends up hurting them more in the long run. Alternatively, some people won’t make time to review their notes, do the required reading, or focus in class. That, of course, will make it harder to learn the material.

The best course of action: when it’s time for real estate school, make sure you take time for it.

What is Covered on the Real Estate Exam?

The real estate exam will cover everything you learned in your pre-licensing program. Each question will be specific to an area of study, so understanding how the concepts work will help you more than memorizing the concepts.

The real estate exam in California covers:

• Property Ownership, Land Use Controls, and Regulations (15% of exam)
• Laws of Agency and Fiduciary Duties (17% of exam)
• Property Valuation and Financial Analysis (14% of exam)
• Financing (9% of exam)
• Transfer of Property (8% of exam)
• Practice of Real Estate and Disclosures (25% of exam)
• Contracts (12% of exam)
  

The majority of the concepts you will learn, if not all, will be in the two required courses. So, when you finish your pre-licensing program, make sure you review your notes to help yourself prepare!

Do You Need to Enroll in a Real Estate School?

Most people will have to enroll in an accredited real estate school to get their real estate license. But, you don’t have to enroll in a real estate school if you had an equivalent learning experience. Some college courses will satisfy the educational requirement.

So, if you believe your college courses have fulfilled your educational requirement, contact the Department of Real Estate to confirm. This could save you some time and money when you get your real estate license.

Final Thoughts on What You Learn in a Real Estate School

You will learn a lot when you enroll in a real estate school. There’s no way around it. It might seem intimidating at first, but when you take your time to learn how the concepts work, that’s when you succeed.

Most people will want to memorize terminology or concepts, but that will only get you so far. When you take the time to learn and understand, you can recall information much better and outsmart the real estate exam.

Also, remember that not every real estate school goes the distance that CA Realty Training does. They will teach you the required material only and stop there. CA Realty Training will not just give you the required material, but train you for a successful future as a real estate agent. We will show you how to synthesis what you learn by putting it into practice.

If you’re curious about our program, you can try it for free, from anywhere in the world. Attend a free intro training and see how it works yourself.