Educational Resources: Take South Carolina Real Estate Sample Tests, Application Steps and Tips

Once you have met the SC real estate agent education requirements, the next step is to get approval to go ahead with the final examination, which comes in the form of an eligibility letter, which is only valid for about a year. The test contains 120 questions, and there are 2 portions for the state and the national sections.

Real Estate Exam Snapshot

You get 120 minutes to complete the 80 questions needed in the national test portion and 80 minutes for the 40 state-based questions.¹

Since this may be your very first time taking the test, you need to know which are the most commonly tested areas. These will help you get excellent results and should go a long way to help with your exam prep.²

• Property management: 3%
• Land Use Controls: 5%
• Property Disclosures: 6%
• Valuation and Market Analysis: 7%
• Transfer of title: 8%
• Property Ownership: 8%
• Calculations: 10%
• Financing: 10%
• Real Estate Practice: 13%
• General Principles of Agency: 13%
• Contracts: 17%

Five Key Steps to Your South Carolina Real Estate Commission License Application

Are you determined to venture into real estate, have your own license, and work part or full-time in your dream career? Then, you will appreciate the fact that there are only a few steps in between.

Here is how you can start working as a real estate agent in South Carolina.

Step 1: Complete 90 Hours of Pre-Licensing Education From an Approved Institution

Once you are sure that you have met all the conditions when it comes to age and the prerequisite high school education, you can go ahead and start the training process. You have to complete the 90 hours of courses that will later be part of the final test.

Do you have to take the course? Not if you have a Juris Doctor or degree/master’s in real estate.³

Step 2: Pass the Proctored Real Estate Final Exam

When you are done going through the courses, there is one important requirement that you are supposed to take the final exam. The only way to secure your license is if you are able to get a 70% and above score, but even if you don’t, you can always retake it.

After that, you will receive a certificate for the completed units, and you will use that to apply for licensure.

Step 3: Pass the SC Real Estate Exam

Here is where you are going to prove to the commission that you have the skills that the industry needs by answering the 120 questions: 80 from the national level and 40 from the state level.

Step 4: Complete Background Checks

You will then submit your fingerprints for background checks. These will indicate whether or not you have a felony or a criminal record, and the SCREC will use the results to determine if you are eligible for the license or not.

This has been in effect since the year 2020, and the commission expects clearance from both the SLED and the FBI.⁴

Step 5: Find a Sponsoring Broker

Passing the exam may not be enough to prove that you are ready to go into the field. You will need to have a guide when you are starting out, and the most effective solution is to find sponsoring brokers.

These professionals will give you all the necessary tools that you need to get started and will help fast-track your real estate career.

How Long Does the Real Estate Application Usually Take?

If you have real passion, we realize that you can’t wait to get your license and start doing the job you love, which leads you to wonder, how long do you really have to wait before your license is sent to you? There is really no specific time, but in general, from the first step to the last, it should take you 3-6 months before you become a real estate agent in South Carolina.

The timeframe greatly varies based on how fast you are done with fulfilling the requirements. The form of education that you take and whether you pass your exam on the first try influences how fast the process will actually take, so it is majorly up to you.

Tips For Becoming a Real Estate Agent in South Carolina

Do you think that you have what it takes to be a notable real estate agent in your area? Do you have all the skills necessary to make that happen?

Well, while you are on your way to becoming a licensed real estate agent, the following tips may help make you one of the best in the market.

Do Your Due Diligence

Real estate is all about having vast knowledge of the region that you are in, so you have to put in the work to make sure that you understand everything about your local area. Once you pick a region in South Carolina, make sure that you do your research, knowing all the ins and outs about the housing market, the property values, neighborhoods, and the market trends over the year; this makes you a better and well-informed agent.

Opting for National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Membership

Do you want to become a Realtor® instead? Isn’t that the same thing as being a real estate agent, you may ask?

Not at all. A Realtor® is a real estate agent who has been registered under the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

You can be a Realtor® later on by finding the closest organization around you, submitting your application, and paying the annual fees.

There are so many perks that come with the membership, from access to resources to networking opportunities.

Consider Professional Certifications

After becoming a Realtor®, you can go a step ahead and get your professional certifications in real estate, and there are so many of them. You can keep acquiring these certifications the more you advance in your career, and they will surely make you a more reputable Realtor® in the region.