Am I suited to become a real estate agent?
Real estate agents wear many hats. They develop skills in prospecting, pricing, merchandising, marketing, negotiating, finance and human relations. Real estate agents are also Independent Contractors with the freedom to control their own schedule, be their own boss, and choose any desired income level. Thus, good agents possess drive, ambition, self-discipline and organizational skills.
As in any career, interpersonal skills are essential in a real estate business. As a real estate associate, your ability to empathize with people and to form professional relationships is one of the most important attributes you can possess. The bottom line is selling real estate is about people helping people.
What does the State of Utah require in order for me to become a licensed real estate agent?
The state of Utah requires a candidate for licensure to have completed a 120-hour state-certified pre-licensing course, taken through an online distance learning course or through live classes or in any combination of the two learning methods, provided the entire 120 hours is taken from the same provider. Students in this course may not be given credit for more than eight hours per day towards that 120-hour course. Candidates for licensure must also pass a state-licensing exam; our course specifically prepares you for that exam and for a successful real estate career. Candidates for licensure must also pass a background check and be of good moral character.
Previously a 90-hour course, the requirements for pre-licensing courses increased to 120 hours on January 1, 2010.
What does the course cost?
Our online course is very competitively-priced at $539, which includes all online curriculum, any live classes taken, and two textbooks. Our live class course is $749, still requires that 76 of the hours be completed online, and also includes two textbooks.
Why should I enroll in Utah Real Estate School, TLG instead of any other school?
Because of the student-centered policies that offer you a positive experience tailored to your own needs. Utah Real Estate School, TLG is one of the oldest, continuously operating real estate schools in the state of Utah. We have a proven track record of success. Our school opened in 1994, although it has benefitted from several ownerships through the years. Originally owned by Wardley Corporation, Better Homes and Gardens, it graduated many students from Wardley Real Estate School who have gone on to very successful real estate careers. In 2001, the school was acquired by NRT, National Real Estate Trust, the largest real estate company in the country. Under NRT’s ownership, the school operated as “The Real Estate School” and then “Utah Real Estate School, NRT.” From 2004 – 2008, the school operated under the direction of Tammy Lund, who was employed by NRT. Tammy has been licensed in Utah as a real estate agent since 1983. Tammy won many top awards as an agent, but her real pride came as a branch broker when she helped develop six Rookie of the Year finalists for the Salt Lake Board of Realtors. Tammy’s husband, Byron, also has education running through his veins as a retired Social Studies teacher, having taught Sociology, Advanced Placement Government, and U. S. History for the Granite School District for 34.5 years. In 2008, Tammy and Byron Lund formed The Lund Group, Inc. to purchase the school from NRT. Their commitment is unwavering to offering the best education available and to preparing students for real-life successful roles in the real estate profession. Whether you want to work full time and earn a high income in the real estate business, or you’d like to work part-time while pursuing other personal or business ventures, or perhaps you’d just like to make personal real estate investment purchases, you’ll find Utah Real Estate School, TLG to offer the most flexible, student-centered environment for real estate education.
Is your course accredited by any other agencies?
In addition to the course and the school being certified by the Utah Division of Real Estate, the school is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
How do I register for the course?
Just click on the appropriate link from our website for the Real Estate Pre-licensing Course and enroll. It’s that easy. Just use your credit or debit card and you’ll be able to start right away.
What are your locations and office hours?
Our main branch is located at 75 E. 7200 South, Suite C, in the American Executive Office Suites, Midvale, Utah 84047. We do have satellite branches in Ogden and Orem and work through many different real estate companies throughout the state. Our receptionist is at our main branch from 8:30 am – 5 pm Monday – Friday for books and graduation packet pick up. Enrollment and courses can be done online any time. To get answers to questions you may have before enrolling or as you are taking your course, simply email student@utahrealestateschool.com to receive a prompt reply. The wonderful advantage of the Internet is that it allows you access to us 24/7 and allows us to be available when you need us.
What is open enrollment?
Open enrollment means the student can start the program any time. Live classes do not have to be taken in any particular order and are each independently taught.
Can I watch video classes?
The Utah Division of Real Estate abolished passive education such as video/DVD viewing in August of 2007. All classes must either be taken live or online.
Are all of the classes taught by the same instructor?
No, you’ll have the opportunity to meet a variety of excellent, state-certified instructors, who have received top ratings from our former and existing students. You’ll benefit from their diverse personalities and gain from each of their experiences in the real estate business – our faculty combines over 300 years of real estate experience. You’ll enjoy laughing, participating in, and having real-life real estate experiences outlined in each of our classes. We believe classes should not only be informative, but entertaining, as a way of helping our students learn and apply the information they learn at our school.
Can I take a class again?
Yes, any class may be repeated as many times as the student likes at no additional charge for a period of one year from date of enrollment.
Do I have to take the course online or can I take the entire course live?
Because of the popularity of the online courses, most real estate schools are now cancelling their live class programs entirely or requiring a student who was told they could take their classes live to take online classes during extended periods of time when these other schools unexpectedly suspended live classes for lack of interest. Our school continues to offer some of its classes live as well as offering a full online program. However, because the online course is indeed so popular, we let our live class students know up front that it will likely take much longer to complete the course if they wish to take all classes live and they may have to take some classes online if there is an insufficient number of students attending a particular live class. But we will continue to schedule live classes, which can be viewed on the live class schedule available on our website under “licensing courses,” and provided we have a minimum number of students registered for those classes, we will hold the live classes as scheduled. Worst case, a live class enrollee will be able to take some of their classes live and may have to take some of them online.
If I’m taking live classes, how do I get to your school?
To drive to our main branch in Midvale, from I-15, take the Midvale exit located in the center of the Salt Lake valley, just south of the I-215 belt route. Go east to State Street. Stay in the southern of the two northbound (left-hand) turn lanes, as you will make an immediate right into our parking lot as soon as you’ve turned left onto State Street. Look for the flag above the sign American Executive Office Suites and enter Suite C. Make certain you arrive on time for live classes. The State of Utah will not allow a school to give credit for any student who does not attend at least 90% of the class.
Are the books included?
Yes, with our course, all needed textbooks as well as the school’s final exams are included in your tuition. There are additional test-prep classes and material available free or at reduced costs for our students.
Are these books local or nationally written?
The student receives two textbooks, a nationally-written and a locally-written book. The Modern Real Estate Practice, published by Dearborn Publishing, is a well-acclaimed textbook used by real estate schools throughout the country. This book outlines the ways in which real estate is the same from state to state. Its chapters exactly correspond with the various sections of our online course and with our live class topics as well. Each section begins with learning objectives for that chapter and gives a list of new glossary words to learn. Each chapter contains illustrations and photos to help you understand the lessons. Quizzes at the end of each chapter allow you to test yourself and make sure you understood the material in that section. The book also gives sample final exams and answers to all the quiz and final exams are found at the end of the book. The book includes a full glossary of definitions of real estate words you’ll need to know for the state-licensing exam. Our local text, Utah Real Estate Law, was written by our Director, Tammy Lund, and is regularly updated as Utah real estate law often changes to accommodate the changing market conditions. This text covers the ways in which real estate is unique in Utah, including all the statutes and administrative rules that apply to real estate licensees in the state of Utah. Sample exams and a glossary are found in this text as well. Everything you need for a successful real estate career and to pass your state-licensing exam can be found in these books, which you will use to supplement your course and as study guides for your state-licensing exam, but also as a great resource and reference for you as you proceed with your real estate career.
Do you have someone available to answer questions about the online classes?
Our staff and certified instructors are available either at our school or by phone or email every day of the week during the hours of 8 am – 10 pm. We also offer periodic final reviews and state test prep sessions for help with course material and/or technical support.
What are the system requirements for my computer if I want to take the online classes?
As long as you have access to the Internet, you’ll be able to take our courses, although Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 make it even easier. With some slight adjustment, we can also offer our course to Mac users. The courses work best when your javascript and session cookies are enabled. The courses work effectively with a variety of browsers, including Internet Explorer 7, 8, Firefox 3+, Google Chrome (all versions), and Safari 3+.
Do I have to log in at a certain time every day?
No, these classes are all online, pre-written and pre-loaded, to be taken at any time the student wishes to enter the course. Each student takes the course individually, although in some of the modules, the student can interact with other students who have taken the course in the past or are currently enrolled in that module through our discussion boards. Not all modules feature a discussion board, but in those that do, the student can learn from questions posed by other students or comments made about actual situations our other students have faced in their own real estate purchases and sales. These discussion boards include comments from existing real estate agents and can really add to a student’s understanding and enjoyment of the course.
What are your courses like, are they audio or visual?
Because the majority of the population are visual learners, our courses include reading, graphics, illustrations and other visual experiences. There are some video clips, but this is not a course you can turn on and listen to while doing other tasks. The state of Utah requires you to be engaged in the learning experience. Our course features a great deal of interesting interaction between the student and the course. Our course helps you understand how you’ll use the material you learn in the real world of real estate, which greatly enhances your ability to remember what you’ve learned. You’ll encounter comprehension questions, module reviews, exams, discussion boards and even easy, fun games throughout the courses. In our courses, you may start and end classes at any time, anywhere in the unit, and resume where they left off when you can return to the course later in the day or on an entirely different day. If you get distracted, you do not have to complete any specific module or unit before ending and can stop right in the middle to return at a later time. You’ll still get credit for the minutes of the course you were able to complete. And while in the course, you can advance at your own pace. Some schools courses are timed on each page, and will not allow you to advance the page until the required amount of time has elapsed. You can spend as much or as little time on each page within our course as you’d like, so long as you spend the required total number of minutes in each unit within the course. This allows you to focus your attention on the material that is of the most interest or in areas of the course where you need to gain a greater understanding.
What if I don’t pass the school’s final exams?
Utah Real Estate School, TLG has three agent final exams, a National, Utah Law and Math exam. (Broker students take two additional exams, the pre-test and the broker final exam.) You can repeat different versions of the exams until you achieve an 80% or higher in order to pass and receive credit towards completion of your course. You can continue repeating them even after you pass them in order to prepare for your state-licensing exam at no additional charge.
Can I take the state licensing exam at your school?
No, the licensing exam is administered by the State of Utah at several convenient locations throughout the state and in neighboring states. A student should not register for the licensing exam until all class work is completed, school tests are passed, and a school certificate is issued. Our graduation packet contains all the information needed to register for the state-licensing exam. State exam locations include: Midvale, Ogden, Orem, and St. George as well as Las Vegas, Nevada, Boise, Idaho and Grand Junction, Colorado.
How long does the course take?
Our online course can be completed in as little as 15 days, depending on when the student enrolls in the course, and provided the student takes the maximum allowable hours of eight hours per day. Most students complete a few hours per day 4 – 5 day per week and complete the course in a few months. Our live class program can be completed in four – six months if the student attends each live class as it is offered on our schedule. Both the live and online courses allow the student up to one year to complete the course, so the student can pace themselves to accommodate their own schedule.
Can I take the entire sales course online?
Yes, the state of Utah allows for the pre-licensing course as well as continuing education courses to be taken entirely online, entirely live, or in any combination. We offer various programs, so choose the program that will work best for your learning style. If you realize, after enrolling, that you’d learn better in another format, simply contact the school to make arrangements to change to another course. In most cases, your tuition can be applied to the new course.
Is there financial assistance available for my tuition?
We offer several types of financial assistance and scholarship programs. Our least expensive option is to pay for the course with your credit or debit card as you enroll. Contact the school directly for information on the currently available tuition payment assistance programs by emailing us at student@utahrealestateschool.com – be sure to reference your interest in the financial assistance programs.
What is your refund policy?
Unfortunately, we cannot offer refunds. However, we work with our students to find good solutions to any challenges. For example, if the student needs more time, we can arrange extensions on some of the course material free or at minimal costs. If the student is moving from Utah or has any other situation that prevents them from completing the course, we will allow the student to find someone else interested in taking the course and transfer their course to that person (who will obviously have to complete the entire 120 hours themselves and cannot use any material previously completed by the former student.)
Where and when can I attend classes?
Our live class schedules are available on our website under Licensing Courses down the left side of the screen for the upcoming months. Because of the popularity of the online format, many students are no longer attending classes live, so please RSVP to verify that the class will be held as scheduled. Email student@utahrealestateschool.com at least 24 hours before the scheduled class time to let us know you plan to attend. We’ll verify your RSVP. On the rare occasion the class must be changed, we’ll let you know when it has been rescheduled, so you don’t come to the school needlessly. We offer classes at various locations throughout the state. Currently, the majority of our classes are being offered at our main branch on the northeast corner of 7200 South and State Street, but when student enrollment numbers justify the need for classes in other locations, we have classrooms available in a variety of locations throughout the state and can make arrangements to teach in your area.
How do I schedule to take my state-licensing exam?
First make sure you have received your Candidate Handbook from the school. Regardless of the school you attend, you cannot take the state-licensing exam without that Candidate Handbook, which will contain an authorized school signature and stamp. With the school code and graduation date contained in that handbook, contact Pearson Vue at 1-800-274-7292 or go to www.pearsonvue.com. They are usually about a week out for scheduling and offer the Utah licensing exam in Ogden, Orem, Midvale, St. George, Las Vegas, NV, Boise, ID, and Grand Junction, CO. Have your debit card ready or read their instructions for other alternatives for payment of your state-licensing exam, which is $66, payable to the testing company.
Once I have a school certificate, how long do I have to take the state exam?
The state exam must be taken and passed and you must apply for your license within one-year of the date on the school certificate.
If I graduate from your school, am I required to work for your company?
No, you have no obligation to work for any specific broker when you attend Utah Real Estate School, TLG. We are an independently-owned real estate school. We have great relationships with many area real estate brokers and offer free placement assistance when you graduate from any of our programs, but there is no obligation to work for any particular broker when attending our school.
If I have a real estate or broker’s license in another state, do I need to re-take all these classes?
Contact the Utah Division of Real Estate by calling 801-530-6747 or going to their website, www.realestate.utah.gov and printing off the reciprocity waiver letter request form found under their Licensing FAQ’s. Fill that form out and send it into the Division. The education department at the Division will determine how the education from your former licensing state compares to Utah requirements and may waive all or part of the education you will be required to take for a Utah real estate license. A waiver form will be mailed to you, which will indicate to us which portions of our course you must take. Real estate schools in Utah are forbidden to enroll you in anything other than the full pre-licensing course unless you have your waiver letter in hand. Once we have a copy of your waiver letter, we can quote you a price for the portion of the course you will be taking through our school.
What start up costs are there to becoming a real estate agent?
Entering the real estate profession is like opening your own business. There are business expenses. You should work with a competent tax advisor, as many of these start-up costs are tax-deductible.
In most cases, you will work as an independent contractor and work the hours you prefer, working as many or as few hours as you desire. Therefore, you must discipline yourself to get to work and accomplish the things you need to do to be successful, even if you’re working from a home office.
You can expect to minimally incur the following expenses:
School tuition, $539
State licensing exam, $59
First two-year’s licensing fees, $151 (includes fingerprinting and background checks)
Most real estate agents will want access to the Multiple Listing Service, which has an initial application fee and monthly fees which can be paid by credit card. Monthly fees can be as low as $30 per month, but can be much higher, depending on which Multiple Listing Service or Services you are joining.
In order to have access to the MLS service, agents must join a firm that is a member of a local Board or Association of Realtors. Payment of Board or Association dues includes memberships in the Utah Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors as well. Depending on which Board you join in the state, usually the one within the area you live, those fees can range from $200 – over $1,200 per year and most have a first-time application fee. Those fees are not paid until you’ve completed our course, passed your state-licensing exam, and received your real estate license from the state of Utah.
In addition, you will incur costs to take continuing education classes throughout your real estate career, usually at a rate of about $10 per hour . Currently there are 18 hours required within a two-year period, so an agent could expect to pay $150 – $180 or more for ongoing education, although some firms and Boards offer free or reduced-cost continuing education to their agents.
And then there are the costs of signs, business cards, etc.
Some brokers offset some of these costs outlined here, but a student should be prepared to spend $1,000 – $3,000 or more over the course of their first two years in the real estate business. Luckily, that doesn’t all have to be paid in one lump sum. And the good news is: the average real estate commission check exceeds $3,000, so one sale could cover your start-up expenses. There are very few business ownership opportunities that offer such low start-up expenses and such a high rate of return on money invested, but a candidate for licensure should make certain they have the financial ability and/or backing to ensure a smooth transition into the real estate business.
What if I don’t pass the state-licensing exam after graduating from your school?
Our school offers a GUARANTEE. If you don’t pass your state-licensing exam first try, you can return to the school to sit in on as many live classes and test prep classes as you’d like within the twelve months following your enrollment. Our online students will continue to have access to their courses as well during that twelve month period. Continue taking the school’s final exams until you feel confident with the material, so you can re-take and successfully pass your state exam. The state exam requires a 70% grade in order to pass. Since you were required to pass our school’s final exams with an 80%, it is likely you’ll pass the state’s exams first try.
