Becoming a real estate agent can be a highly rewarding path. Many real estate brokers love the business of real estate and find that their career is highly fulfilling. Before becoming a licensed real estate broker in the state of Indiana, there are some requirements that interested individuals will need to meet including basic eligibility and education elements including the completion of the 90-hour, Indiana Real Estate Commission approved, pre-licensing course. That real estate course represents one of the most important components of your licensing journey.
Real estate education can be a truly transformative experience for students. A pre-licensing course will familiarize students with a broad range of topics that are crucial in real estate and help prepare them for a career in the sometimes complex world of real estate. As such, the importance of a pre-licensing program can hardly be overstated. To better understand what Indiana real estate pre-licensing courses are, and how important they can be, let’s explore in-depth.
What is a Pre-Licensing Program?
In Indiana, those interested in becoming a licensed real estate broker must meet certain state requirements. In addition to those requirements, it can be helpful for those learning about the world of real estate to take a program that’s designed to immerse them in important concepts. A pre-licensing program is important for both of these reasons as the courses walk students through the business of real estate and the legal components that are important to future clients.
Those who wish to become a licensed real estate broker in Indiana are required to complete 90 hours of pre-licensing education prior to being able to take the licensing exam and receive their license. Topics such as agency, contracts, and financing are taught to ensure students are prepared to handle transactions in a professional and capable manner.
Programs must be approved by the Indiana Real Estate Commission (IREC) to ensure that they are able to familiarize students with the topics that they will need to understand in order to succeed in the world of real estate, and aspiring real estate brokers must complete a pre-licensing course before taking their licensure exam.
What Purpose Does Pre-Licensing Education Serve?
The pre-licensing programs that aspiring real estate brokers in Indiana complete serve an important purpose beyond legal compliance. This is the bulk of their real estate education before attempting the licensure test and starting their journey as a licensed real estate broker. Because this is such a crucial educational opportunity, it is important to underscore some of the reasons why the course is so important.
Pre-licensing classes play such a vital role in the career of new real estate brokers and their experiences in the world of real estate because the courses are an opportunity for students to learn about the complexities of real estate, as well as the procedures they must follow as licensed real estate brokers in Indiana.
This program covers topics that relate to the law in Indiana, real estate and property issues, environmental topics, and much much more. The world of real estate can be as complex as it is exciting, which is why pre-licensing education covers such a broad range of topics and provides so much time to delve into each subject. Every student at Indiana Real Estate Institute learns information that will help them succeed in their real estate career.
What Will I Learn in a Pre-Licensing Program?
In a pre-licensing program, you’re going to be presented with a lot of information. Remember, this is a crucial step in your real estate journey, and comprises the vast bulk of what you will learn specifically about real estate before you take your licensing exam and acquire your license. Real estate is a complex field that involves understanding a number of important topics. Here are some examples of topics that pre-licensing programs will cover:
- License and Property Law,
- Real Estate Agency,
- Environmental Issues,
- Contracts,
- Fair Housing,
- Mortgages and financing, and
- Taxes.
Pre-licensing programs at the Indiana Real Estate Institute will aim to immerse you in topics relevant to real estate and equip you to navigate a career as a real estate broker in Indiana.
How to Find Pre-Licensing Programs?
Pre-licensing education must be IREC-approved. You might be wondering exactly how to find these approved programs
or how you can determine whether they are, in fact, IREC-approved. The good news is that there are resources available online to help you do just that. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency offers lists of approved programs, which are available online. Users can navigate to the link that says Pre-Licensing Providers and narrow their search to IREC-approved programs.
What to Look for in Pre-Licensing Programs?
Since the decision in real estate schools will form the basis for your successful career and licensing exam completion, it will be vital to find a pre-licensing program that is not only IREC-approved, but meets your unique needs and preferences, and provides content that engages with you to ensure you retain the information for the state exam and your future. Some of the factors you might consider include:
- Learning Formats Offered: Do you do better as an independent learner? You may particularly value opportunities for online education, which allows you to learn at your own pace from the comfort of your home. However, you may prefer the engaging interaction of in-person learning. In that case, it can be important to find an in-person program.
- Additional Resources: Does this program in question offer additional resources to help you succeed, such as reading materials or independent study materials? For some students, these resources may be an important factor. Indiana Real Estate Institute offers helpful resources from A-Ha! Real Estate Exam Prep.
- IREC-Approved: Importantly, students should ensure that any program they’re interested in for pre-licensing education is IREC-Approved. Unapproved education, while potentially informative, will not count toward the required 90 hours.
The Bottom Line
In Indiana, aspiring real estate brokers will need to complete 90 hours of IREC approved pre-licensing education. Pre-licensing programs don’t just fulfill a legal requirement for aspiring real estate brokers in Indiana, though. They can be a transformative experience, in which aspiring real estate brokers become trained and educated real estate brokers, ready to take on their licensure exam and enter the world of real estate. Students will learn a number of important topics that help prepare them for the sometimes complex world of real estate, and take a concrete step toward becoming a real estate broker. When you’re ready to take the next step, Indiana Real Estate Institute is ready to help you succeed!
