What Courses are Required for an Indiana Real Estate License?
Indiana real estate courses are offered all across the state. But how do you know which ones are required and which are optional? Are there some classes that you have to take before receiving your license and some afterward?
In short, the courses you will need to complete to both earn and maintain your Indiana real estate license can be broken up into four categories: pre-licensing courses, post-licensing courses, continuing education courses, and managing broker courses. Read on to learn more about which courses belong in which categories and when you should be taking them.
Pre-Licensing Courses
Pre-licensing courses are those that must be completed before you can earn your Indiana real estate license. These are typically offered as a pre-licensing bundle rather than separate courses for enrollment. Be sure to choose a bundle that has been approved as an official pre-licensing course and offers at least 90 hours of class time.
Pre-licensing Indiana real estate classes are made to prepare you for the real estate licensing exams. Examples of topics that these courses cover may include any of the following:
- Real estate finance.
- Contract law.
- Indiana state law.
- Environmental issues.
- Investments and taxes.
- Fair Housing.
- Property law.
- Agency.
- Closings.
Once you have completed 90 hours of class time, you will be free to take the national and state tests to officially earn your real estate license. If you pass both exams, you can apply for your license by submitting your application to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency along with your application fee. And after your application has been approved, you can finally begin your real estate career in Indiana.
Post-Licensing Courses
Post-licensing courses are those that you are required to take after receiving your real estate license. Once again, these classes are often offered as a post-licensing bundle, so be sure to choose one that has been officially approved. You will have to complete your post-licensing course bundle within two years of earning your license by taking this 30-hour class.
Post-licensing courses are designed to help you build your business and the skills needed to effectively practice real estate. Examples of topics included in these course bundles may include the following:
- Real estate transactions.
- Cultural diversity.
- Financing.
- Construction types.
- Business planning.
- Sales and marketing.
It’s important to note that these post-licensing courses will count toward your continuing education requirements for your first two years of licensure. Other continuing education classes cannot take the place of your post-licensing course.
Continuing Your Education
The state of Indiana requires all practicing real estate agents to complete 12 hours of approved continuing education courses before June 30 each year. Though you can sign up for individual courses to fulfill this requirement, there are also 12-hour bundles available that allow you to enroll in a curated selection of courses guaranteed to fulfill your annual requirements.
The goal of continuing education courses is to keep practicing agents up to date on best practices in the real estate industry. Examples of continuing education classes may include any of the following topics:
- Writing CMAs.
- Running a brokerage.
- Thinking like an appraiser.
- Agent safety.
- Title cases.
Choosing the right continuing education courses can help you gain and maintain a competitive edge in the real estate world. Some classes may provide you with specialist knowledge about specific topics that allow you to pull in a new niche group of clients. Others may teach you a new skill that helps you run your business better. Try to pick out a bundle that will push you towards achieving your unique long-term and short-term career goals.
Managing Broker Courses
If you wish to open a brokerage firm of your own, you will first need to complete a managing broker course. This 24-hour course must be approved by the state of Indiana and is only available to agents who have had their real estate licenses for at least two years.
The managing broker course is designed to teach licensed real estate agents the responsibilities of a managing broker in regard to both legal and taxation issues. Topics covered in this course may include any of the following:
- How to choose a legal organization (sole proprietor, partnership, LLC or corporation).
- Licensing issues.
- Planning and logistics.
- Agency.
- Client representation.
- Indiana law requirements.
For any agents looking to take a new and rewarding step in their career, training to become a managing broker can be an excellent opportunity for advancement.
Enroll at Indiana Real Estate Institute
With a selection of over 40 different courses, Indiana Real Estate Institute is the one-stop shop for all potential and practicing real estate agents in the state of Indiana. No matter whether you’re still in the pre-licensing stage or looking to advance your career via continuing education or managing broker courses, we’ve got you covered with state-approved course bundles at various affordable prices.
All of our course bundles are available online, virtually, and in-person (though in-person sessions are somewhat limited) to accommodate your unique learning and scheduling needs. Even if you can’t make it to in-person sessions, we guarantee that your online or virtual experience will be equally as entertaining, engaging, and educational.
For those just starting out on their journeys into the wide world of real estate, we have job placement services that help our students find their perfect fit in the industry. We also offer a variety of workshops that are great both for practicing real estate agents and for anyone simply looking to expand their general knowledge base. Some of our current workshops include:
- Creating & Running Your Business.
- How to Write An Effective CMA.
- Investments.
- How to Measure a Property.
We have had the honor of training more than 10,000 students over our 32 years in business, and we would love for you to join our growing family. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you no matter where you’re at in your current career journey.