Hello,

I am new here. I am taking the salesperson examination next week. I live in CA. I have been studying my course material but I am very curious about the exam itself. Does any one know how it is administered in CA—do you bubble in a Scantron form or is it on a computer? Are you allowed to use your own pencils, calculator, and scrap paper or do they supply that?

Thank you.

You'll find the answers to your questions at the following websites:

http://www.dre.ca.gov/exm_home.html
http://www.dre.ca.gov/pdf_docs/ref02.pdf

Good Luck!

Good luck!

I finish my pre-licensing class today and feel confident enough to try to schedule my NJ exam for tomorrow. I just have to wait until class finishes today before I can get the certification numbers to register for the exam.

Not sure about CA, but in NJ we can only bring in our ID and a simple calculator, no scientific ones. Everything else gets locked in a locker outside of the testing room. The test is administered by computer and I'll get my results as soon as I finish.

I've heard that in California, they may station an armed guard at each table, so as to discourage cheating. I haven't been able to verify it yet, so don't let this make you nervous.

In Minnesota it was on computer. You could have paper and they provided a calculator.

Ask your instructors, they should know more than any of us I'm sure.

Yeap, market is bad, but you have to try. Here in TX we can't use calculators, I don’t know how it is CA.

It is a multiple choice from a,b,c or d and yes you need to bubble it in the scantron.
The test seems easy but it is not easy. I'm not discourageing you. Make sure you study enough to get 70% in order to pass the test.

Good Luck!!!

Good luck!

In my market, we need a 75% to pass each half of the exam! If anything, I haven't gotten much discourgagement from anyone other than my parents, but even brokers and branch managers will at least tell you something to the effect that this is a "trying/questionable time to get started"...and of course you will get others telling you "Why...the market is bad" based on their limited knowledge simply because they watch the news...make a plan and go for it, CNN and MSNBC don't speak for me!

In NJ it's 70% on both sections to pass the test. General RE is 80 questions and NJ RE law is 35 questions. All done on computer, can bring a simple calculator in with you, but the computer does provide a calculator program.

I took my exam yesterday, passed on the first try. I have a meeting with my new broker tomorrow to sign my contract and get to work. I'm nervous about the market, but 3 houses in my neighborhood that have been for sale for ever have either sold or are now under contract, all since the beginning of the year. I don't know how the rest of the local market is faring, but I take what's happening in my neighborhood as a good sign!

Good luck to all who are in school or taking the test soon. Lets prove all the neigh-sayers wrong.

Good luck Rainbowtyedye!!!

[quote=Viktor]Yeap, market is bad, but you have to try. Here in TX we can't use calculators, I don’t know how it is CA. [/quote]

I just took the TX exam last week and we were allowed to bring a calculator.
The computer also has a calculator on it.

Actually, the exam was pretty straight forward.

I don't want to sound like a snob, but I actually got 80 out of 80 questions CORRECT on the Federal Exam. The Minnesota State Exam was a little tougher, having to deal with more legal issues than I was ready for. But I still passed just fine.

Don't let anyone tell you "you can't make it". Millionaires and Successful People aren't the ones that do everything that's easy. They are the ones who risk losing everything, but gain the most in the end. Even after failing several times, they find a way to succeed.

The SC test was on a computer and it was multiple choice. We could use a calculator and scratch sheet of paper. The most important thing is to do your best and if you don't pass the first time try again. Don't let anything discourage you from your dreams.

*does the not worthy bow*

THANK YOU!!! Even in this economy, it's all about creativity and determination...there is no reason why this cannot be a passion of ours and we can't be successful...LET'S DO TI!!!

hey, i just took the test 3 weeks ago the 2nd time around and passed. At first I studied from a software that my friend recommended and I failed because there's like 2000 questions to study from.

Then I decided to look for another guide to study and found this website with a test prep. The questions were almost exactly the ones on the california test. http://www.carealestateexams.com/ IMO well worth the 25 bucks. if you over the math problems from this test, it will really help you out on the exam because everything was so easy after studying from this guide. i studied for 3-4 days from this guide 4-5 hrs cause i didn't want to fail again. anyways good luck!

I have agreat company I can refer you to if you are interested.....PM me

This is a great blog post about how your DISC Personality Profile can help prepare a new agent for what their strengths and weaknesses might be as a real estate agent.


The Keller Center Research Report: What Does Your DISC Profile and Sales Confidence Have in Common?

I just completed my online pre-licensing course with Allied Schools and am waiting to take their final exam (different from the state licensing exam). I hope to have everything done and have my license within the next two weeks so I can start marketing myself and hopefully bringing in some business before the $8,000 tax credit goes away -- I'm hoping it gets extended though.

The state part is harder than the other part. It is a shorter test, but study more for it. This is true in VA anyway.
Tax credit is not a major deal, look more broadly if you can. Establish your sphere of infuence. Work your A$$ off for as long as you can. You'll make it.

Pretend you are a plane taking off. Don't cruise 'til 30000 ft.

You can find the answers here!

http://www.dre.ca.gov/exm_home.html

Good luck!

Finally have scheduled my exam; after last weeks major flood down in Georgia I had to reschedule. Any last minute tips on what to study for the Georgia licensing? I've read what it consists of on goamp.com but thought I'd ask to try and get more specific suggestions.

good luck!

Took It. Passed It. Got my license. Signed with a brokerage. Now sorta stuck on what to do next.

Congratulations!

Get sales..........

HOW? Talk to your broker!

They will give you the next step and if you do it you will be ahead of 80 percent of everyone else who cries it is too hard and I don't want to do that.

Did you pass the test? If not, here's a great school for ya:
www.retrainers.com they have a great weekend cram course.

C'mon now, Victor, calculators...

I know how the BG education system thought us back in the day...each one of us had an "ELKA" available ;)

In FL they have lockers at the door. You put your calculators, Cell Phones, Wallet (purses for those that carry them and anything else that you brought with you) into the locker prior to entering the test room. They provide a pencil and scratch paper that you must turn in at the end of the test. The test is on a computer and there are dividers between test takers.

[quote=nwrealtor]You'll find the answers to your questions at the following websites:

http://www.dre.ca.gov/exm_home.html
http://www.dre.ca.gov/pdf_docs/ref02.pdf

Good Luck!

[/quote]

Thanks for the info! I am also about to take the exam next month.

[quote=Steve Howe]Actually, the exam was pretty straight forward.

I don't want to sound like a snob, but I actually got 80 out of 80 questions CORRECT on the Federal Exam. The Minnesota State Exam was a little tougher, having to deal with more legal issues than I was ready for. But I still passed just fine.

Don't let anyone tell you "you can't make it". Millionaires and Successful People aren't the ones that do everything that's easy. They are the ones who risk losing everything, but gain the most in the end. Even after failing several times, they find a way to succeed. [/quote]


I just wanted to say thank you for what you have written here. The truth is I am browsing the site tonight anxiously looking for answers. I wanted to know that if the path I am about to embark on, is in fact the right one for me. Something feels right about it, yet I was having my doubts. But now I feel confident in my decision. You have just given me impetus to go through with what I want to do. I feel like my life is about to change drastically and for the better. Thank you so very much!

It’s hard to believe but today it’s been one year since I took and passed the state exam. Although I had to wait a few days to get my results I pretty much knew I had passed. My advice to anyone taking the exam is to prepare yourself until you are confident that you can pass. In CA we can pass with 70% (105 out of 150 questions) so I think that with good preparation it is very doable. If you don’t pass the first time you can always retake it but then you have to pay the fees again (and in L.A. the $14 parking fee!).

On the morning I took my exam there might have been about 50 of us taking it at the same time. I remember one of the examinees was still studying when we were lined up waiting for the elevator to go up to the exam room. Then she said something to the effect that she was still confused as to what a trust deed was. Once in the exam room we were explicitly told what items we could have on the desk and what items we could not. We were also told how and where to write our names, etc on the bubble-in form and amazingly there were people who just did not get it! The time allotted for us to finish the exam was 3 hours. The room was almost empty when there were still 45 minutes left. I was wondering if they aced it or simply gave up. I had to admit that I began feeling self-conscious as people were leaving and I still remained. But I could not leave without checking, double checking, and then checking again. In the last five minutes of the exam there were only two of us left.

This year I want to make the leap into the business. I will have to go part time because I am not financially ready to leave my job and go in full time. It is so hard to save $. I know there are mixed opinions out there on whether it is smart or not to go part time but in the end it is a personal decision and I am eager to begin. I’ll keep you guys posted. Thanks for the advice!

Dewdrops, half of that year is now up. How is it going for you?

wow, thank you MovingCareers for those great site.

Once I pass the exam, KW is the company I will be working with.

Monica
Baton Rouge, La

in Texas they are done on a computer...i just took it about a month ago so things are still fresh. Let me know if you have any other questions.

good luck on the exam!

I would get this Real estat trainers cd program...and also take a crash course the weekend before :) GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for sharing your experience! For those just now happening upon this thread, you can watch this video to know what to expect on test day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjlJbm_BQuo&feature=related

They should give you a few things, but I would take the essentials with you just to be on the safe side. On another note, these tests are not very straightforward; make sure to read over the questions to make sure you understand.

The exam is just an exam and as long you as you studied you should have done well. Good luck in real estate - the exam is only one of many hurdles!

why not try enrolling to California real estate exam preps to better prepare for your examination.

Most of the questions on this exam preps mimic the same questions found on the actual state exams. I already tried using such services and it help me pass my exam on the first try

I know you didn't ask this question, but I've gotten my real estate License twice. Both times I took the Real Estate Exam Prep course, and both times I aced the test. I highly recommend you take the course..

Good luck! :)

This are the tips that I follow whenever I take an exam, it always help me with my exam and hopefully it can also help others who will be taking any kind of exam :

1.Read carefully. Don’t miss out on words like not, except, always, never, least, and most. These words change everything!

2.Read the answer choices carefully. The first obvious answer may be correct, but may not get you a point.

3.Some answer choices may contain an element of truth, but may not get you a point. Some questions call for the best answer.

4. Do not spend too much time on a question if you do not know the answer, skip that question and move on to the next question, just come back to the question when you have answered all other questions.

Take your time with the test. Both in the agent and broker test i was the last to leave. Not that I was unsure of my answers but i blazed trough most questions and the ones I was unsure of I made a note to go back and re-read to make sure I answered correctly. Peolple asked if I tought I passed the first time around on both licenses, and both times I was confident in saying yes, which I did. Good Luck

You can use a basic calculator in CA. They will usually have 2 administrators there, watching you, making sure that you do not cheat. Different parts of CA use different systems. Northern CA is using the instant scoring system, but Southern CA is still waiting on that and you currently have to fill in the bubbles and wait 5 days or so, to find out if you passed. By the way, I am a broker looking for agents in CA. You can work from home and I can mentor you over the phone. I offer higher splits than most. 85% and broker paid E&O or you can pay $3995 up front and keep the rest of the commission on every transaction for the next 12 months. I pay 75% commission on the first 3 deals for new agents because of the training time, but most companies only pay 60% and also charge you a franchise fee and make you pay your own E&O insurance. Would love to have you join my team!

Michelle Edmunds
Home Connections Real Estate
951-704-9091 cell

By scientific you mean financial calculator right? How is it that you calculate well anthing without it ? That's ruff.

Good luck! They always make the exams sound MUCH harder than they are if you know your stuff.

Hi,
I'm taking my Oregon exam soon and I would like to take one of these exam prep courses but don't know which one is worth the money. Any ideas?? :confused:
Thanks!!!

the market will continue to be tough for a while, but for organized and diligent people, real estate sales can be a very lucrative and rewarding career. try not to get hung up on the ups & downs of the business...easier once you have enough activity to "keep you a float"

As Yoda would say, "There is no 'try', only 'do' or 'not do'."

Good luck.

Hello all! I am finishing up the classes for Ohio at a local college this week and will be taking the exam after I get the stuff from the school. Is there anyone who took it in Ohio recently that could help me find a good study guide? I found a state of Ohio hondros guide on amazon from 2005 for $3.99. Is that worth it? I know I could look over all my notes but I am just looking for something to help me focus on the main sections. Thanks!

Hi Jake,

Is that guide you found the main documentation for the test? If so it wouldn't hurt to get it, but in my opinion there are a lot more resources out there that will help you pass the test - which is what you're looking for. You've got to study, pass the test and only then you will really begin to learn the real estate industry....But if you are looking for the main sections of the test then I may recommended a more test specific guide (will also be a bit more expensive than 4 bucks...maybe 50-120 or something)...this is what I did and the guide was pretty darn close to the test which made it easy...check online for some accredited online stuff (some offer refunds if you don't pass etc)

Honestly this website www.carealestateexams.com is what made me blow through the california test in about an hr last week.I passed easily.When I went in I was very nervous and didnt think I would pass. I was SO overwhelmed by all the course material...over 1500 pages of material. And I had heard that the dre keeps a "bank" of 3500 questions to ask, how you cant cheat by looking at a neighbors test cuz everyone has a different test etc... while searching for study guides to help me I stumbled on this website.For $25 you can download 450 questions.I downloaded, printed them all out and studied them 2 days before the test. When I took the test it seemed like all the answers on the 450 exam prep were on the test! That was the best $25 I ever spent.When you study for the exam this is all you need! Oh, by the way I was very surprised that out of the 150 questions on the exam, there were only 2 math questions. There was NOTHING on townships, figuring out the sq ft in a section etc....

Wow ,I took the test in SD and you feel like a criminal! ALL belongings go on one common table, even water bottles.THEY provide scrappaper, oencils and calculators. We were warned about cheating and how we could be fined up to 10,000.Only one person at a time was allowed to go to the bathroom.Your license had to be on your desk at all time;all scrap aper had to be turned in with your name on it; they had 3 people constantly walking around in circles.....no gum chewing was allowed either(I was glad about that rule!),although I did notice one person who kept chewing gum anyway......I am surprised we were allowed to wear jackets,I thought they might ask us to strip down to our birthday suits and put all clothes on the common table.

Ya, I hated going into the smelly government building in downtown San Diego to deal with it and the licensing stuff. Do they still have the tests there or do they finally use a third party company?

It was pretty much the same way in Arizona. All you could take in the room was your drivers license and a calculator everything else had to go in a locker. They made you turn your pockets inside out. When you sit at the desk they ask if you are right or left handed. If you are right handed they tell you to leave your license on the desk at all times on the left side.If you have a question or need to go to the bath room you have to raise your hand and wait until someone comes in the room to get you.

Took the test with a woman who wasn't aloud to bring her bag into the office, not even the waiting room. She had been dropped off didn't have a car to stash her pocketbook. Not quite sure what she ended up doing.

yes its still in the gross smelly government building :rockon:

I took it recently and passed it first time (i was finished in less than 60 minutes). If you study and actually UNDERSTAND the material, you will fly through this exam like no other. I actually found it to be one of the easiest exams i've taken to date but maybe it is because I prepared for it. I didn't study HARD, I studied SMART.

The thing I struggle with on exams now is that I have been licensed in GA, FL and CA.

I always get messed up on the stupid things like what has to be on a brokers sign outside his shop since its different from state to state. but I have found that the definitions and law pretty much 99% carries over from state to state. And the math really never changes. You know they are gonna ask you a question about capilization rate, something about measurements, and try to trick you into confusing Effective Gross Income with NOI.

I'm taking the FL exam friday. I passed the course exam easily but the teacher taught to the test. My study partner and I are finding a lot of material that wasn't covered in our course so though I don't feel I know it all - Like tenant law and how to figure out millage for example...

I feel it's worth the $32 to find out if i know enough to pass...

My broker I will be working with says the course exam is Designed for you to pass and. The state exam is designed for you to fail.

Thoughts?

the Florida exam is difficult and the failure rate is high. many people take the exam multiple times before passing it. the questions are quite simple to the sample questions in many of the course manuals.
I would say read every question twice as they often use double negatives or provide information not really needed to determine the answer, just mean to confuse.
no harm if you dont pass the exam the first time, just keep at it till you pass.
good luck!

I took the Florida Salesperson exam in 1996 and the broker exam in 2002. The best advice I can give is to purchase one of those (1500 questions) books and study with someone. Have them ask you the questions out loud and review, review, review.

One other note, when you take the actual exam, some of the answers will pop out right away. Answer those first. Then on some others it will be clear that only 2 of the 4 choices will work. Do them next. Then work on the "puzzlers" last. And don't sweat the so called "math". It's only 10% of the test but is usually half of the stress.

Although I have not taken a Florida exam, I agree that on the exam I took, some questions are designed that when you first read them, the answer seems clear, but, one, tiny, itty-bitty little thing is different on the question but unless you're thinking about it, you don't really notice it. Designed to catch 'ya.