How to Become a REALTOR®

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New Member Orientation

Interested in becoming a REALTOR®? Here’s everything you need to know, from becoming a licensed agent, to becoming one of the most engaged and professional REALTORS® in the nation.

Cover the Basics: Become an Agent

Before you can be a REALTOR®, you've got to become a licensed Texas real estate agent. Licensee requirements vary from state to state, but all of the necessary steps are outlined below.

Before getting your license, make sure you meet the following qualifications:

  • U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Texas resident
  • Meet TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity

AceableAgent allows you to take your pre-licensing education online, on any device, and on your own schedule. You can also take your course exams online at no additional cost.

  • Complete 180 hours of approved pre-licensing education, consisting of six courses of 30 classroom hours each:
    • Principles of Real Estate I
    • Principles of Real Estate II
    • Law of Agency
    • Law of Contracts
    • Promulgated Contracts Forms
    • Real Estate Finance
  • Prepare for your exam with FREE practice tests.
  • Once TREC approves your application, schedule your licensing exam with PearsonVUE.
  • Pass the exam within three attempts to avoid additional education requirements.
  • Once you pass the test (congratulations!), TREC will issue you an inactive license. Now it’s time to find a broker!

Set Yourself Apart: Become a REALTOR®

It’s more than just a title. When you become a REALTOR®, you join a community of over 1.3 million real estate professionals who abide by our Code of Ethics and are creating the future of homeownership with honor and integrity.

To start working, you need to be sponsored by an active Texas-licensed broker. Don’t just select any broker—make a list of what you're looking for in a brokerage, do some research, and ask yourself a few questions during the selection process:

  • What is their reputation, locally and nationally?
  • What kind of agents are they looking for?
  • What type of brokerage is it?
  • What training and onboarding do they provide?
  • What commission and benefits do they have?

Your broker will direct you to join a local REALTOR® association and a multiple listing service (MLS). When you join the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR), you’ll also sign up for:

Congratulations—you did it! By becoming an Austin REALTOR®, you’ve taken the first step toward building a successful real estate career. Now that you’re an ABoR member, you’ll want to get started on the following:

  • Begin taking your required education, including attending a New Member Orientation within 120 days of joining ABoR.
  • Get to know the powerful suite of ABoR benefits included in your membership, which are designed around your professional and personal well-being and can save you thousands each year.
  • Consider finding a mentor or support network to help you along in your first year of business.

Go Beyond: Become an ABoR Member

When you join ABoR, you’re committing to becoming one of the best practitioners in the industry. We’re fostering the most engaged and professional REALTORS® in the nation, and we expect our members to take part in that vision. With free CE license renewal education, unparalleled MLS data, and a powerful suite of member benefits, we cover your bases so that you can go above and beyond the call of a REALTOR®. Being a member of ABoR shows up as:

BUILD: Passionately pursuing new skills, goals, and connections through professional development.

LEAD: Showing up, leading others up around you, and taking action for the change you want to see.

ADVOCATE: Making an impact in your community through grassroots advocacy and serving our neighbors who need us most.

CHANGE: Staying ahead of industry changes, meeting disruption head-on, and committing to continual growth.