South Carolina Real Estate Exam: Everything You Need to Know

As with any professional certification exam, candidates must be well-informed, prepared, and confident in their abilities to pass the South Carolina real estate exam. In this article, we will provide you with everything you need to know about the South Carolina real estate exam and tips to help you pass. This article will cover the following:

• How to schedule the South Carolina real estate licensing exam
• What is on the South Carolina real estate exam
• The difficulty level of the South Carolina real estate exam
• And most importantly, how to pass the South Carolina Real Estate Exam

How to Schedule the South Carolina Real Estate Licensing Exam

To schedule the South Carolina real estate exam, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years of age
• You must have a high school diploma or an equivalent degree
• You must have completed 60 clock hours of pre-licensing education at an accredited real estate school in South Carolina, with proof. Before applying for a license, you must complete an additional 30 hours of advanced coursework. 

If you meet the requirements above, the next thing to do is confirm your exam eligibility status from the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC). You can do this by filling and submitting a South Carolina Exam Application for Real Estate Form (REC 231) and your certificate of course completion to the commission. After submitting this form, the SCREC  will send you a link to carry out your fingerprinting and background check. This background check involves the following agencies: 

• The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for a state check 
• The Federal Bureau of Information (FBI) for a national check 
• The SR&I for an SSN-based check 

If you are found eligible by the SCREC after providing the information above, you’ll be sent an examination eligibility letter. Once you are granted eligibility – valid only for a year – you may then go ahead to schedule your exam by visiting the PSI website or calling 1-800-733-9267. 

PSI is a leading third-party administrator of state licensing exams nationwide. In South Carolina, PSI partners with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (SCLLR) as the examination provider for licensing exams in the state. 

How Much Does the Real Estate Exam Cost?

Scheduling the exam will cost you $88. This includes an application fee of $25 and an exam fee of $63. In addition to this, you will have to pay a $50 licensing fee to get your real estate license.

Where Do You Take the South Carolina Real Estate License Exam?

Candidates for the South Carolina real estate licensing exam are to take their exams at any designated testing centers around the state. These locations are:

• Greenville
• Columbia
• North Charleston
• Beaufort
• Myrtle Beach
• Charlotte

Can You Take the Exam Online?

Due to restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the SCREC has made it possible for candidates to take their real estate exams online, using online proctoring. However, note that this arrangement is only temporary and will not be available after June 30th, 2023. 

To take the exam online, you’ll be required to log into your PSI account 15 minutes before the scheduled time and begin the check-in process, where you will be required to: 

• Verify your identity by taking a photograph and showing a photo ID 
• Verify that you are alone by moving your webcam around the room 

Ensure that your system meets the basic PSI system requirements and run a system compatibility check before scheduling your proctored exam.  

What to Bring on the Day of Your Exam

Candidates are expected to bring the following items along on the day of their South Carolina real estate exams:

• Two government-issued, non-expired forms of identification with matching names and a valid signature. One of these two must bear your photograph. Examples include a driver’s license, passport, green card, social security card, and a debit or credit card
• A silent, non-scientific, non-alphabetic calculator

What is on the South Carolina Real Estate Exam?

The South Carolina real estate licensing exam questions are divided into two sections: 

• The national real estate section, which covers general real estate principles and practices relevant across the United States
• The state real estate section which focuses on South Carolina real estate laws and regulations

Here are the topics you will come across in the various sections of the South Carolina real estate exam:

National Portion Topics

• Practice of Real Estate
• Property Ownership 
• Contracts
• General Principles of Agency 
• Land Use Controls and Regulations
• Real Estate Calculations
• Financing 
• Property Disclosures
• Transfer of Title 
• Valuation and Market Analysis 
• Leasing and Property Management 
• Commercial, Industrial, and Income Properties

State Portion Topics 

• South Carolina Real Estate Commission and Licensing Requirements 
• South Carolina Agency and Non-Agency Relationships and Issues
• Statutes Governing the Activities of Licensees and Non-Licensees 
• Additional South Carolina Statutes and Topics 
• Closing Details 

Will There Be Math on the Exam?

Yes, the South Carolina real estate licensing exam will have between 10 and 13 math questions. These questions will typically be related to real estate concepts such as:

• Credits and debits
• Property taxes
• Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios
• Property valuation measurements
• Market sales price
• Return On Investments (ROI)

Keep in mind that these math questions may be tricky and time-consuming. Therefore, leaving the difficult math questions for later is good practice, so you have enough time to answer the other questions.

Is the South Carolina Real Estate Exam Hard?

While the South Carolina real estate licensing exam is not considered to be easy, it is still very possible for candidates to pass. The best way to do this is to prepare adequately for the exam. This involves having an in-depth understanding of the various national and state real estate topics and studying thoroughly.

How Many Questions Are on the South Carolina Real Estate Exam?

The South Carolina real estate salesperson exam has 120 questions, 80 of which fall under the national portion, with the remaining 40 under the state portion. These questions come in a multiple-choice format, with each question having 4 options to pick from. 

Candidates have 200 minutes to finish the tests, with 120 minutes (2 hours) for the national section and 80 minutes (1 hour, 20 minutes) for the state section. 

What is the Passing Rate for the Real Estate Exam in South Carolina?

South Carolina’s real estate sees 72% of candidates pass on the first try. This means that although the exam may be difficult, there is a good chance that candidates will pass if they have undergone the necessary preparations.

How Many Times Can You Take the Real Estate Exam?

Candidates who fail the South Carolina real estate exam can retake it an unlimited number of times, provided it falls within a year of their first attempt. Your result will be displayed on the computer screen immediately after you submit your test. 

If you fail, not only will you be notified, but you’ll also be given a review of your answers, showing your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you prepare better for your next attempt. If you pass only one section, you can retake only the section that you failed. However, note that every retake comes with an exam fee of $63. 

How to Pass the South Carolina Real Estate Exam

Candidates looking to take the South Carolina real estate salesperson license exam must have detailed and in-depth knowledge of the real estate market. So, how do you gain this knowledge? Here are some tips you can implement today to help you study and prepare for the SC real estate exam.

Create a Study Schedule

The best thing you can do when preparing for your SC real estate licensing exam is to create a schedule that helps you divide your time between studying and carrying out your other daily activities. A healthy study schedule helps you balance your time and energy to produce maximum results. 

When creating a study schedule, here are some things to keep in mind: 

• Develop a regular study routine that you can be consistent with. Ensure that your study times fall into the periods of the day when you are least stressed out and undistracted. We recommend studying for a little bit every night or at least every other night.
• Prioritize the real estate topics you need to cover by ranking them according to their level of importance and difficulty. Allocate more time to the topics that rank high on the list to ensure you distribute your time reasonably across all the topics.
• Implement breaks into your schedule to help prevent fatigue and keep you focused. Also, ensure that you get enough sleep. 

Use Acronyms and Mnemonic Devices

Acronyms and mnemonic devices are memory aids that make it easier for the human brain to assimilate complex concepts. This makes them great tools to employ while preparing for the  South Carolina real estate licensing exam.

To create an acronym, combine the first letters of a phrase or list of items to form a word. For example, you could take ROI for Return on Investment or HELOC for Home Equity Line Of Credit. 

On the other hand, mnemonic devices are used to connect pieces of information to relatable things. A good mnemonic device for common metrics used in real estate would be “Cup Runs Over Next”:

• Cup for Capitalization Rate
• Runs for Return on Investment 
• Over for Operating Expense Ratio
• Next, for Net Operating Income 

Join a Study Group

Joining a study group is an effective strategy that you can utilize when preparing for your South Carolina real estate licensing exam. Here are a few benefits of joining a study group:

• Increases your ability to retain information as you are actively discussing and exchanging ideas/resources with fellow group members
• Helps you gain different perspectives on various topics, thus promoting a well-rounded understanding of these topics
• Boosts your motivation and sense of accountability.

Get Guided Help

There is no denying that preparing for the South Carolina real estate exam is not exactly a walk in the park, which is why getting guided help is one of the best steps you can take to ensure your success. 

Our SC real estate crash course and exam prep package guides you through your studies with the following resources:

• Over 1,500 South Carolina real estate exam practice questions
• Customizable practice state exams
• Vocabulary flashcards
• Video explanations
• An E-book study guide. 

You can add real estate crash course videos. It's 8+ hours of video content that teaches you the concepts, vocabulary, historical events, and more. Led by our head instructor, Robert Rico, our crash course videos teaches you everything you need to know to pass on your first try.

Final Thoughts on the Real Estate Exam in South Carolina

Remember to stay consistent with your studying and don’t give up. When in doubt, always seek extra help from professionals who know how to help you pass. That’s the only way you can guarantee a passing score on the exam!

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When you join, you get 8+ hours of video content designed to teach you the concepts, vocabulary, historical events, and laws you’ll see on the national real estate exam.

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