Become a Real Estate Agent for ~$500

I look at a lot of houses…A LOT of houses on a weekly basis. Cartersville, Kingston, Dallas, even Aragon; I browse all over to find deals. So, I suppose it’s no wonder that lately I’ve been curious as to what exactly it would take to become a licensed Georgia real estate sales agent. Surprisingly (to me anyways), it’s highest investment cost is in the time it takes to go through the pre-license course(s).

In Georgia, to become a licensed real estate agent you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be a high school graduate or the holder of a certificate of equivalency.
• Successfully complete a 75-hour Salesperson’s Prelicense Course at an approved school.
• Pass a proctored exam with a 75% or better in order to be eligible to take the state exam.

If you go through the 75 hour online course provided by the GA MLS, the cost will be “as low as” $295. You can also attend one of the many schools through-out Georgia providing Continuing Education courses in Real Estate, such as Georgia Highlands, for about $550. In addition, the proctored exam to recieve your license will set you back about $170.

So, there you have it: becoming a licensed real estate agent for about $465 and 4-5 months time.

The Downside – Salary

According to Monster’s Salary Center, Atlanta real estate agents have a median salary of ~$34,000 as the check stubs show. Sure, it’s low, but the work (from my non-experienced point of view) seems relatively easy. Many websites mention that your earning potential is up to you…but I rather doubt half the real estate agents out there choose $34k or less.