Are you an aspiring real estate salesperson in Georgia and do not know how to go about getting a license? Go through this post to get in-depth knowledge about getting a license with a special focus on the critical component of going through the real estate course in Georgia.
You must have a real estate license if you want to sell, buy, rent, or lease properties in the state on behalf of clients and charge them a commission for the service rendered. This is mandated by the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC), the controlling body for the real estate sector in the state that sets pre-licensing course curriculums and issues real estate licenses.
Click here to learn more about the real estate course in Georgia.
There are several eligibility criteria to fulfill to get a real estate agent license in Georgia with the most important component being completing the real estate course in Georgia. We will now go through the process step-by-step.
Meeting the basic requirements
To apply for a real estate license in Georgia, you must be at least 18 years old and a citizen of the USA. Legally-admitted migrants are also eligible provided they have been granted rights to work in the country.
Completing the pre-licensing educational requirements
There are three options to meet the educational requirements to appear for the licensing exam.
The first is completing at least 6 semester hours or 10 quarter hours of coursework that qualifies you for a real estate major from an accredited Canadian or U.S. university. The second is completing a course in contracts, real estate properties, or agencies from an accredited Canadian or U.S. university. The third, and this is the one that we will focus on, is completing 75 hours of pre-licensing real estate course in Georgia.
Once you go through one of the three, you must submit the necessary proof to PSI, the testing authority when you schedule your licensing exam.
75-hour real estate course in Georgia
The real estate course in Georgia imparts knowledge about the various facets of the real estate sector. It is spread over 75 hours and consists of the following subjects.
- Real estate math
- Georgia real estate license law
- Pricing real property
- Real estate contracts
- Closing and settlement cost
- Fair housing
- City and urban development
- Community association management
- Real estate finance
- Real estate instruments
However, before you select a course provider, keep a couple of points in mind.
First, the provider must be approved by the GREC to be counted as completing the educational requirement to appear for the state licensing exam. To be on the safe side and to avoid spending time and money on an unauthorized course, visit the GREC portal to check the list of approved course providers.
Second, select either an online real estate course in Georgia or a classroom-based one per your learning preference. However, online courses are more convenient and flexible as study materials can be downloaded onto any Internet-enabled device and studied from anywhere and at any time without upsetting your daily routine. Further, you are not tied down to fixed classroom timings.
Moreover, online courses are cheaper too. At the base point, you get a GREC-approved online real estate course in Georgia starting at $125 only without compromising on the quality of the course content. On the other hand, physical classroom courses start at around $500. This substantially raises the total cost of getting a real estate license in GA.
Other requirements to get a real estate license in Georgia
Background check
After completing the 75-hour pre-licensing real estate course in Georgia, complete a background check for verification of any past criminal activities or convictions. The criminal history report or Georgia Crime Information Report must be submitted along with the application for a license later.
A convicted felon can apply for a real estate license in Georgia, fully disclosing their criminal past and enclosing good character certificates. Applicants must wait at least two years after satisfying all sentence conditions for a single conviction or five years for multiple convictions. It is the discretion of the GREC to approve or disapprove a real estate license application from a convicted felon.
Schedule and pass the State real estate licensing exam
Schedule your licensing exam either online on the PSI portal or via telephone or email with them. PSI is a GREC-approved testing body with testing centers at Duluth, Macon, Marietta, and Savannah. Even though the licensing exam is held online, you must physically appear at a test center of PSI.
The licensing exam consists of national and state-specific sections with 152 questions split into 100 and 52 questions respectively for the two parts. You must complete these multiple-choice questions in 4 hours and secure at least a 70% grade to pass the licensing exam.
Since the exam is held online, the result is announced soon after its conclusion. A Certification of Accuracy Statement is issued at the test center to all successful candidates that has to be submitted along with the application for a real estate license.
Apply for a real estate license in Georgia
Apply for a real estate license at one of the testing centers of PSI with documents that prove your U.S. citizenship such as a driver’s license or passport. You must also submit proof of completing the 75-hour real estate course in Georgia, background verification clearance, and the Certification of Accuracy Statement. You will now be issued an inactive real estate license to be activated after the next step.
Find a sponsoring broker
Get employed by a licensed broker in the state and inform the same to the license issuing authority to activate your license and launch your real estate career.