In order to become a real estate agent and legally practice real estate, you must work under a supervising broker. Brokers are licensed by the state to oversee real estate transactions and ensure that real estate salespeople (that's you!) are adhering to the required legal and ethical standards.Think of it as a similar safeguard to how stockbrokers must work at a licensed firm to trade stocks, rather than just winging it on their own. Eventually, you could also apply for a license to become a real estate broker as well, but you will first want to get a few years as an agent under your belt.

A licensed real estate agent featured in a USA nationwide agent directory has the training and experience to answer (and deal with) all of that and more. Working with the best local real estate professionals makes the home buying and selling process not only faster and safer, but actually more lucrative for you! Also, real estate professionals specialized in commercial real estate know the ins and outs of the trade and can help any entrepreneur find the commercial space or the office building where his or her business will flourish.
There are variety of ways you can choose to complete your real estate prelicensing education requirements, from live classroom locations at local real estate schools, some realty firms, universities and technical schools offer real estate licensing programs, home-study, and online real estate education. This is an important decision in your journey. Make sure you enroll with a school that has a good reputation, offers quality content and instructors, and is focused on positive student outcomes. Your real estate licensing education will be difficult and comprehensive, but it will also be the springboard to a successful career as a real estate professional.
A real estate agent is a licensed professional who arranges real estate transactions, putting buyers and sellers together and acting as their representative in negotiations. Real estate agents usually are compensated completely by a commission—a percentage of the property’s purchase price—so their income depends on their ability to close a deal. In almost every state a real estate agent must work for or be affiliated with a real estate broker (an individual or a brokerage firm), who is more experienced and licensed to a higher degree.
The exact definitions of and distinctions between a real estate agent and a real estate broker vary among states. Generally, however, anyone who earns a basic real estate license (which involves taking a certain number of accredited courses and passing an exam) can be called a real estate agent. A real estate agent is essentially a salesperson, qualified to help consumers buy or sell a property.

Do you know how to calculate the fair market value of a house? What about the capitalization rate or real estate conversion? Do you know what is the right type of appraisal for the house? The situs definition, as well as the replacement cost or income approach, may seem foreign to you. Moreover, as a real estate investor, do you know how to convert a warehouse into a loft? Or what novation in real estate means? Real estate agents are like copilots - they help home buyers, sellers and renters navigate through all the real estate documents they need to sign explaining all the unfamiliar real estate terms. And business gets a lot more complex as we dive into commercial real estate.

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