The information given here is only a synopsis of the official requirements. Please refer to the latest edition of the Massachusetts Real Estate Candidate Handbook for the latest, complete requirements. This Handbook will be given to you at the completion of your studies at an accredited Massachusetts real estate school like Annex Real Estate Estate School. Properly completed, it will become your 'ticket' to the Massachusetts real estate licensing examination. Specific questions should be directed to your Real Estate School's Director, Instructor and/ or to the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons.
The calls and
emails that we receive
at Annex Real Estate School are generally from people like yourself who
would
like to start a new career by selling real estate. They say
"I would like to become a real estate
broker"
or... "I would like to become a Realtor®". Most people don't realize
that each
of these words has a specific meaning. What is
the difference between
a salesperson,
a broker
and a Realtor®?
In
Massachusetts, the first
step in your
real estate sales career is
to become a
licensed Real Estate
Salesperson, a
licensee.
( unless you are a Massachusetts
attorney* )
As a
Real Estate Salesperson, you cannot go into business or work on your
own. As a Real Estate Salesperson, you must work for and under the
supercision of a Massachusetts
licensed Broker.
A Realtor ®, is a licensed person, a licensee, a Salesperson or Broker, who has joined the professional trade group called the National Association of Realtors. As a member of that Association, you will be entitled to use the Realtor designation "Realtor ®". Please understand that all you need to sell real estate is your license and a real estate office where you will work. If you go to work in a Realtor® office, then that office has pledged that all of the sales associates in that office will join the Realtor® association.
In
addition to your personal
qualifications, you start by taking the first step
by completing
state mandated hours of classroom instruction at a
Massachusetts Approved Real Estate School, like Annex Real Estate School These classroom hours increase to
forty
(40) on June 1, 2011, when S121, the bill, approved by the Massachusetts
legislature
and signed by the Governor becomes effective.) Every real
estate school must follow
the curriculum
that is approved by the Mass Board of Registration, and have an
approved Real Estate Instructor in the live classroom.
Do
not be
scammed. Online
instruction does not qualify you to take the
Massachusetts real estate licensing examination.
If you are currently licensed, Massachusetts has
recently
allowed online instruction only to meet the
requirement of twelve (12) Continuing Education
hours necessary to
keep your existing Massahusetts real estate salesperson or broker
license
active. Be sure you are taking your online Continuing Education from a
Massachusetts authorized Real Estate School. You can read the
offical requirements for Massachusetts online Continuing Education at
the site of the Mass
Board of Registration.
After
completing your required pre-licensing salesperon education at a state
approved
school, your next step is to take
the state examination. The examination is given for the state
by
a testing service, Pearson Vue (formerly Promissor). Your
class instructor will explain to you the steps to apply for that state
examination.
Once
you have passed the
examination, "Congratulations!" You are now a
Massachusetts licensed Real Estate Salesperson and can go to
work in a
Massachusetts real estate firm under the supervision of a Real Estate
Broker. Upon obtaining your Massachusetts Real Estate
License,
you may apply for an interview at Century21
Annex Realty.
What are some of the
personal qualifications
you need to meet prior to taking the examination?
a) You must be at least 18 years old and
have a
valid Social Security number.
b) You must be have three acquaintances, Massachusetts residents,
who are not in your class
and not members of your immediate family, vouch for you.
In
doing so, they will sign in your Candidate Handbook that they
know you, and that you are a person of "good moral
character".
c) Also, the Board does not
license applicants who are currently on probation or who are
on parole.
As you might expect, there are
some exceptions
to the procedure rules..Massachusetts attorneys, law students in an
accredited Massachusetts law school, and non-residents.
If
you are a Massachusetts Attorney, you may apply for a Massachusetts
Real Estate Brokers
License without the pre-licensing class and
examination.
The
second exception applies
to law students who have successfully completed a course in Real
Property at a Massachusetts, accredited law school. You may
substitute that
course for
the mandatory pre-licensing course, and apply to take the
Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson examination.
The third
exception applies to residents of another state, who are
licensed in another state and wish to become licensed in
Massachusetts . There are various rules of
reciprocity
that apply. (Non-residents can also follow all of the steps
and
meet the same requirements as a Massachusetts resident, and get their
Massachusetts license).
You should read
about these special circumstances on the pages of the Massachusetts
Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons,
and find the page on Reciprocal
Licensure, Attorney Licensure, and Waivers. (This
last
link is a PDF).
At Annex Real
Estate School, your
Instructor will go over all of the requirements with you and
fully explain the licensing process.
Click to visit the site of Annex Real Estate School
After reading the Home page, click on the link to Catalog. There you will find a synopsis of the different Courses offered by Annex Real Estate School
Applications for the current Classes in the HIGHLIGHTS column on the left. For your convenience, links to the Applications are provided on all of the major pages. Sometime, postings about classes, including advanced notices, may be found on Craig's List Boston. They would be under Services>Real Estate Services or Services>Lessons and Tutoring.
Annex Real Estate School is conveniently located in the Wollaston section of Quincy, Massachusetts, and is near the Wollaston T stop on the Red Line.
*
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will
allow Massachusetts licensed attorneys to become licensed as Real
Estate Brokers, upon application. You should visit
the
site of the Massachusetts
Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
to to
read about that.
This information is being presented
by Annex
Real Estate School as a service to those interested in obtaining a
Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson License. Final
decisions
on the Rules and Regulations is with the Massachusetts Board of
Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen.
Annex
Real Estate
School
49 Beale Street
Quincy, MA 02170
617-773-ALSO
(2576)