The real estate industry is the perfect profession for any industrious individual. Think of it like an open house – anyone can come and take a crack at it. If you’re interested in the steps necessary to become an agent, we’ve outlined them below. Let’s take a closer look.
Step 1 – Prerequisites
Before one can become a real estate agent, they must first fulfill a number of necessary conditions.
For starters, applicants are to be no younger than nineteen years of age. Having said that, if you are interested in the real estate industry and are younger than nineteen, you can complete the required courses a year before your nineteenth birthday.
Furthermore, applicants must possess one of the following employment criteria to be eligible to work in Canada.
– Canadian citizenship
– Permanent Resident status
– Hold a valid work permit/visa
– Landed Immigrant status
Lastly, applicants must meet a “good reputation” requirement to become licensed. What do we mean by good reputation? Well, you’ll be required to provide a criminal record check as well as answer any questions regarding your general business and personal reputation, including any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings.
Once you have satisfied all these conditions, you’ll be able to take the next steps towards becoming a licensed real estate agent in British Columbia.
Step 2 – Oral and Written Proficiency
In BC it has been determined that all real estate documents, education and communication must be relayed in English. As such, it is imperative that you can understand and communicate in this language. In fact, you’ll first need to satisfy the Language Proficiency Requirement if you intend to become an agent.
As soon as that’s submitted, you’ll be eligible to enroll in the classes required of all real estate agents in BC.
Step 3 – Education
Unless you’ve already completed your education (mentioned in Step 1), you’ll need to take two real estate courses.
Whether you want to become a residential or commercial real estate agent, you’ll need to enroll in the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course. Offered by the University of British Columbia, this course will introduce you to the real estate industry.
The second course is where you’ll specialize. It’s up to you whether you want to take the Residential or Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course. These four component courses will provide you with practical training in either one of the two areas.
Step 4 – Licensing
Once you’ve completed your education, you’ll have to find a brokerage who is interested in hiring you. This brokerage must be a member of the Real Estate Board in your area, and sign your application before licensing.
After your application has been signed, you (or if you join Pemberton Holmes, our admin staff) can send it off to the Real Estate Council of British Columbia. As soon as they have approved your application (5 – 10 business days after the completion of Components One and Two of the Applied Practice Course)…TA-DA: you are a licensed real estate agent!
Step 5 – Join a Real Estate Board
If you’re interested in becoming a fully fledged REALTOR®, you’ll need to join the Real Estate Board in your area within 30 days of obtaining your license.
You will now have access to a detailed database of property listings and other MLS® (Multiple Listing Service) technology tools.
When you become a member of the local Real Estate Board, you’ll also join the British Columbia Real Estate Association and the Canadian Real Estate Association. There are a number of benefits to being a member of these associations that you can find here.
By now you should understand what it will take to become a real estate agent. We encourage you to get started if you are truly interested. You can contact our office directly at 1-800-665-5303 if you have additional questions about the process.
For more information on becoming a licensed real estate agent, click here.
