How to become a realtor in Alabama
Living in sunny Alabama provides you with an exceptional opportunity to develop your skills and gain success in the realty business. Although Alabama is not such a popular destination as Florida, it’s still quite an attractive state for relocation and thus, property buying and selling deals are flourishing there. Would you like to become a part of the local real estate community to earn top dollar for your services? If yes is your answer, the information about how to become a real estate agent in Alabama may be helpful for you. That’s what we collected in our guide to provide our readers with relevant and curious information about Alabama’s real estate license, its requirements, prep tips and routines, real estate schools, and authorities you should apply to get it.
Let’s start right now so as not to miss anything valuable.
6 Steps to getting a real estate license in Alabama
The whole path to your real estate agent license in Alabama is divided into six steps. That’s how you can easily prepare and pass all these steps. Just keep on going from one to another and you’ll become a skilled and licensed real estate agent in the end with multiple benefits and a reliable broker as your employer.
1. State of Alabama real estate license requirements
Let’s begin with the basic requirements set by the Alabama government for candidates for the position of a real estate salesperson. They are not too difficult to meet, yet, it is better to learn about them in advance so as not to be disappointed with denial.
What are these requirements? Let’s check them.
Thus, it’s the list based on which you can claim your rights to obtain a real estate license in AL.
2. Complete 60 hours of required pre-licensing education
The next step how to get a real estate license in Alabama is your professional pre-license education. This requirement is a must, so it’s impossible to skip it. The required portion of real estate education is a 60-hour pre-license course. Thus, you have to choose a RE school which offers a 60-hour pre-license course of VE for real estate agents.
There are numerous state-wide education centers and local AL pre-license schools, so your choice can be difficult. Yet, we advise you to rely on the following features when selecting a training facility.
- Evaluate your budget as pre-license courses can cost you from $200 to $500
- Check the reviews of other students who completed pre-license courses before you.
- Decide on the type of coursework. There are three basic options for a candidate to choose from.
In-person courses
That’s the best idea if you have enough time to learn at the training center. You can schedule your course to fit your lifestyle, and besides, an in-premise course helps to faster learn a huge amount of information. You can speak to your mentor to ask some questions instantly and you can acquire useful contacts of other students who further can become your colleague or a partner.
Livestream classes
The hybrid form of courses is livestream learning. You study using your PC or another device while the lessons are held online in real time. If there are no appropriate real estate schools in your neighbourhood, it’s quite a good option for you.
Self-paced online classes
For people who prefer to study at their own pace, online courses with learning materials available on the education platform to read, learn, and download are also great. They are usually cheaper than in-person courses and they allow you to spend as much time as you can without mandatory visiting lessons.
As for the content you’ll learn during your real estate course, it consists of information on the topics of history, state and national laws related to the real estate industry, real estate principles, ethics, and contracts, marketing and management, finances, and lots of other disciplines which will be useful in your real estate career. Besides, real estate schools offer practice hours to their attendants.
In some schools, your completion of courses is finished with an examination. It’s your prep opportunity as the school exam helps to get ready for the state examination which is the next step you might take.
3. Passing the Alabama real estate examination
So, you managed to complete your education course and it’s time to show your knowledge in a final exam. It is provided by the Pearson Vue provider in Alabama. You can schedule your exam on the service’s website or by phone hotline 888-926-9488. Do not forget that you have to apply for the final exam six months after you complete your real estate course.
You hold the exam in one of Pearson Vue centers and you need to pay an exam fee before you enter the testing facility. Get more necessary information about how the examination process is held and where is the nearest center’s address in the approved candidate’s handbook.
How hard is the Alabama real estate exam?
In general, the exam for a real estate license is not too hard. Yet, it requires thorough prep and concentration to pass it successfully. As stats say, typically, 76% of applicants take their exam on the first attempt. So, you shouldn’t worry too much about passing it.
How many questions are on the Alabama real estate permit test?
The real exam in Alabama consists of 120 questions with 80 of them in the National section and 40 questions related to the State section. You are allowed to take the first part of the exam in 150 minutes and the second one in 60 minutes.
What score do you need to pass the AL real estate exam?
The passing score for exams is 70% so it’s not too complex and you’ll manage with it brilliantly if you want to start your real estate career.
What happens if you fail the real estate exam in Alabama?
Just retake it in 6 months after your first try. You even do not have additional authorization to be reserved.
4. Find a brokerage firm or a sponsoring broker
The next step on your way is finding a broker to sponsor you. It can be either an independent real estate broker working in Alabama or a real estate brokerage company (local or state-wide network).
When you decide on which broker to choose, please, consider in advance which property types the broker deals with, which commission they pay to agents, and which opportunities in the field of continuing education, support, advertising, and post-license activities they offer to their affiliate salesperson.
The top 3 real estate broker companies in Alabama are as follows:
- MarMac Real Estate
- Keller Williams Realty Anniston
- RE/Max Tri-State.
5. Complete license application
With all this way behind you, you are already at the finishing line. Now you need to complete your license application on the website of AREC. Please, thoroughly fill in the blanks of the application to avoid even the smallest error. Then you have to attach your exam certificate of completion, your federal criminal history report and fingerprints, and the proof of your fees paid.
The application should be sent 90 days after your exam is passed.
If everything is OK, you will receive a temporary license which will be transformed into a permanent one in 6 months after approval.
6. Complete 30-hour post-license course in Alabama
The last thing you must do is pass a 30-hour post-license education. It’s a mandatory requirement for newly approved real estate associates. Thus, use your AREC registration and apply for post-licensing courses 6 months after getting your license. After you complete post-license education you get a permanent license.
License renewal in Alabama: how to maintain it active to work legally
If you think that’s all, you are quite wrong. You have to renew your real estate agent’s license every two years. It is highly recommended to renew a real estate license timely so as not to pay late penalties. The cost of renewal for a real estate salesperson is $185 (if you are late, an additional penalty of $150 is required).
Besides paying the fee to renew your license, you have to complete a 15-hour course of CE with hours devoted to risk management, fair housing, real estate professional ethics, and tax-deferred exchanges.
You can renew your real estate license online on the AREC site and attach your fees paid and continuing education certificate to your application. Be sure that you passed continuing education at least 10 days before the renewal application.
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Alabama?
Cost item | Pricing |
---|---|
Real estate course | $200-$500 |
Real estate exam fee | $77 |
Criminal record fee | $40 |
License application commission | $150 |
Research and education fee | $30 |
So, in total, you have to reserve at least $500 from your budget to make all the necessary licensing payments.
Alabama real estate license reciprocity
If you want to change your life and move to Alabama saving your real estate career, we have good news for you. Alabama offers unique reciprocity conditions to most states around the country. This means, that all real estate agents from Kentucky, New York, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia, South Carolina, and other states have only to complete the following requirements:
- pass a 6-hour CE course;
- take a state exam;
- maintain a good reputation in the Real Estate Commission.
Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC ): the main information for real estate agents
To push your real estate career, you have to register on the Alabama Real Estate Commission’s site. It’s the main federal body which regulates the RE industry and all the licensing or customer protection issues are processed by it.
You can contact AREC using the following methods:
- by phone number +1 334-242-5544
- in person at 1201 Carmichael Way, Montgomery, AL 36106
Below we collected the most frequently asked questions about becoming a real estate agent in Alabama.
Becoming a real estate agent AL: FAQs
Can I get my Alabama real estate license online?
Yes, except for your exam. You take it in person with a proctor in one of Pearson Vue’s centers.
How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Alabama?
The whole process takes 4 months, yet it can be longer or faster depending on the type of your studies, and how successfully you pass the final exam.
How much money can I make as an Alabama real estate agent?
According to Indeed resources, the average salary for a real estate agent in Alabama is $84,459 per year. Yet, it can vary depending on the agent’s experience, home types they sell, professional skills, and overall career achievements.
Can a felony be a real estate agent in Alabama?
No, the state policy rejects felonies from becoming real estate agents.
Resources:
- Pearson VUE. “Examination scheduling information”, https://home.pearsonvue.com/al/realestate
- Pearson VUE. Alabama Real Estate Candidate Handbook, https://home.pearsonvue.com/getattachment/e7c202f3-fcaa-4fe5-96cd-9d44d45bd8b4/Alabama%20Real%20Estate%20Candidate%20Handbook.aspx
- Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC ). “Web site to fill out your license application”, https://arec.alabama.gov
- Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC ). “Licensing process for obtaining an Alabama Real Estate License”, https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/BlueprintAndDeadlinesForObtainingAnAlabamaRealEstateLicense.pdf