• Complete licensing classes for your Texas Real Estate License
• Interview with the branch manager at the CBDFW office in your marketplace
• Submit an application for licensure to the Texas Real Estate Commission
• Complete sponsorship form with CBDFW
• Pass your state exam
• Complete FAST START training with CBDFW
• Develop your business plan

DFW Real Estate Academy is a TREC-approved online provider of Pre-license, SAE and MCE courses for real estate salespersons. For more information visit www.DFWRealEstateAcademy.com.

Because our classes are offered online, they are available to you “on-demand.” Whenever you’re ready to study, your coursework is available to you — picking up exactly where you left off. By saving you time and allowing you to work at your own pace, you progress as quickly or moderately as you need, ensuring that you grasp the material fully. No more having the class move on before you’re ready, or lingering once you’ve mastered the concept.

Because we are committed to your success, our courses utilize a learning method proven to provide retention of course material. Mastery and fluency requires you to complete two separate passes through the content in each lesson. Review lessons are also provided to aid in retention. Successfully completing these steps lets you know that you are actually learning — and retaining — the concepts and material, making you confident and prepared to take the course — and state — exam!

DFW Real Estate Academy is owned by NRT LLC, the largest residential real estate brokerage company in the nation, and the twelfth largest corporate-owned commercial brokerage. With the backing and knowledge of NRT behind us, we are able to provide our students with exceptional support and service.

If you have any questions about whether real estate sales would be a good career choice for you, interview with a Coldwell Banker branch manager prior to selecting a real estate school. This helps you understand what it takes to succeed in real estate sales.

You can also make a commitment to join Coldwell Banker upon receipt of your license, simply by speaking with a Coldwell Banker branch manager. This offers a great business advantage, knowing that once you receive your license, you can begin work the next day with the number one real estate company in America.

In Texas, in order to obtain a real estate sales license, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• It is not required that you have your high school diploma or equivalency, however, one must complete* the following classes:
• Principles of Real Estate core real estate course - 60 class hours
• Law of Agency core real estate course - 30 class hours
• Law of Contracts core real estate course - 30 class hours
• An additional core real estate course - 30 class hours
• Another four semester (60 class hours) in core courses or in related courses acceptable to the Commission
*Course is considered complete by submission of transcript or course certificate from course provider.
• Pass the state licensing examination.
• Complete application and pay licensure fee.
• Submit to fingerprinting and background check.
• Obtain broker sponsorship.

Once you have received your real estate license, if you have not yet made a decision to affiliate yourself with a local real estate company, call a local Coldwell Banker branch manager to learn about the advantages of building a career with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

In Texas, in order to become a broker, a sales agent must, on average, have one to three years of agency or other real estate experience. The applicant must also:

• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Have held an active Real Estate Sales Person license for at least three years. (note, a sales associate may take the 60-hours of education prior to the three years of active licensure. This allows them to activate their broker/associate broker license on the third year anniversary if they wish. This can be accomplished because a sales associate has 12 months to actually activate a broker's license from the date of their exam.)
• Complete and pass with a score of at least 75%, a 60-hour approved course or present proof of equivalent education (example GRI designation)
• Be of good moral character
• Pass the state licensing exam with at least 75%
• Pay the licensing fee

Yes, which means you have the opportunity to earn unlimited income. This also means that the company you choose to work for will be of great importance. Make sure the office and company you join provides you with a comprehensive training program for jump-starting your career, beginning day one. As an example, Coldwell Banker University training is available to all new agents who affiliate with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

As with any business, there are costs that you will incur to begin a career in real estate. Expenses will vary depending on your location. The largest single cost, beside the expense for obtaining your real estate license, will be to join the local Association of Realtors. In order to obtain an estimate of your start-up costs, contact a local Coldwell Banker branch manager.

Ask questions that are in line with your goals, expectations and concerns. Questions you could ask might include, “Are you a non-competing manager?” In other words, does he or she only manage, or do they also sell — sometimes in competition with you! “What are the specifics of the basic training program, and upon completion, what ongoing training can I expect?” “What are the company technology initiatives?” “What is your office market share in the area where I wish to work?”

At Coldwell Banker, we offer our sales associates continuing education, presented in the training room, in-office and online via WebEx. To be successful in real estate, it is imperative that sales associates keep appraised of market conditions and how things are trending. An exciting and challenging aspect of a real estate career is the constantly changing environment.

A career in real estate can be incredibly rewarding. The opportunity to build your own business and have an unlimited earning potential is a strong incentive for motivated, self-starter personalities. If you enjoy interacting with a wide variety of customers and are willing to work hard to develop long-term customer relationships, then this may be the career for you.

As part of NRT, the nation’s largest real estate brokerage company, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage provides training, tools, systems and support that are unparalleled in the real estate industry. You owe it to yourself to check it out. Contact one of our 16 offices and schedule an informational meeting with the office manager. You won’t be disappointed.