The first step to becoming a real estate agent is passing a series of tests and earning your real estate license. Every state is different when it comes to pre-license education, so you must meet those requirements first. When it is time to start studying for your real estate license exam, there are a few things you can do to retain the information, stay organized, and pass your test. Here are some of our best real estate exam study tips for online students:
Use an Exam Prep Tool
Here at Mbition, we offer state and national real estate exam prep practice tests and tools for students. You can add this on to your course, or simply purchase one of our study packages in your state, many of which include exam prep. Using exam prep tools geared towards the actual exam content can increase your chances of passing by a lot!
Create a Schedule and Stick to it
The top real estate agents in the country credit a lot of their success to being organized, not only with their documents and their technology but also with their time. Creating a study schedule is great practice for time management and goal setting. Look at your current schedule and decide where you will implement your study time. Mbition exam prep includes a test scheduler, so you can see your timeline whenever you login.
Limit distractions (like phone calls as social media) and focus solely on your test prep for the allotted time. Most good study sessions last between one and two hours. This time block allows you to digest a lot of the information without feeling burnt out.
Use Different Materials
Another way to maximize your study efforts is by diversifying your study materials. Along with required reading materials, you can also:
- Listen to real estate podcasts as your drive or workout
- Read real estate blogs (like ours!)
- Watch real estate videos on Youtube
- Talk with real estate agents that you trust
Along with diversifying the mediums you use to study, it’s important to know what is on your state real estate exam and study those particular categories as well. Some examples of what you may see on your test (and the subjects you need to study) include:
- Property Ownership and Land Use Controls and Regulations
- Laws of Agency and Fiduciary Duties
- Property Valuation and Financial Analysis
- Property disclosures
- Contracts
- Public Land Use Laws
- Environmental Laws
Knowing what to study and the different ways to study will help you confidently prepare for your exam. Mbition’s exam prep includes questions and answer support taken directly from state and national exams–you’ll be practicing with questions from past actual exams.
Work With Others
If you know a few other people who are studying for the same exam in the same state, consider getting together for study sessions. Have someone in a group test you on subjects such as contracts or fair housing laws. Hearing questions differently will help you feel confident that you actually know the information, you’re not just memorizing answers from a study guide.
Study groups can also help with accountability. If you know people are waiting on you or expecting you to contribute, you’re more likely to show up and get the work done. In a world where almost everything has gone virtual, you can participate in online study sessions, share notes online, and record online study groups to go back and watch later.
Use Mental Tricks
There’s a lot of information to remember for the real estate exam, and finding tricks to help your brain retain it can help you keep it all organized. When learning how to define real property, for example, it may help you to remember the acronym M.A.R.I.A which stands for “method adaptability, relationship, intention, and agreement.” When you see questions about defining personal property, you can remember “Maria” and work from there to list the five characteristics.
Of course, having too many mental tricks may get confusing, so you must study in a way that helps you understand the information in a practical way, not just memorize definitions.
Take an Online Prep Course
As your exam date approaches, it’s a smart idea to take a more formal online prep course to give yourself a clear idea of how much you know and the areas in which you need more help. Mbition offers one of the industry’s best exam prep courses, offering 1,600 practice questions, eight practice exams, and a personalized study plan. This online prep course is great practice for the real thing and will give you a feel for what the real exam will feel like.
Don’t Overdo It
Studying for your exam should take a significant amount of time, and should be a priority for the days and weeks leading up to the exam. But it should not overwhelm or exhaust you. Pulling all-nighters and studying for hours at a time will not help you retain the information the right way. Plan accordingly so you have the time to study in small chunks consistently, rather than trying to cram it all into a week or two.
Take breaks, walk away, hang out with your friends, watch your favorite show, or go grab a coffee. You will learn more and enjoy the process more if you break your studying into smaller, more manageable blocks.
Final Thoughts
You are 100% capable of taking this test and passing it. It just requires time and a commitment to putting in the work. One of the best ways to prepare yourself for your real estate exam is by investing in continued education and exam prep. When you pair these online courses and classes with the study tips mentioned above, you drastically improve your chances of passing on the first time and taking the next step into building your real estate career.