Good FL Sales Associate School and Pros/Cons as a Investor

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Good FL Sales Associate School and Pros/Cons as a Investor

Parth Patel
Investor · Lakeland, FL · Member since 2016 · 13 posts · 0 votes

Hello BiggerPockets,

    I've decided to pursue getting my Real Estate License (Sales Associate) and was wondering where you as investors/realtors have decided to go for your pre-license requirements and what brought you to that decision. This might be a dumb question, but is there a ranking to schools as far as brokers are concerned? I am looking for online classes as I am a full time student and also interning with a RE company in my local area. 

     I feel like it is great way to get my foot in the door and would be beneficial in the short and long run. I have already sent out direct mail pieces and realized that the only way for me to monetize the majority of these deals is to either refer these leads to realtors or become a realtor myself. (There are numerous other benefits but am trying to keep this as short as possible, please feel free to mention some if you have the time.)

    The only con I have come across through reading is it that I would have to disclose every move I make if I am trying to wholesale the deal or have a "investor" stake in it (buy for myself, flip, sub 2). This whole sentence could be wrong, it's just what I have come across through research. 

    I have a ton more questions about the ins and outs of being a realtor and an investor but I am sure the majority of them will be either answered through your answers or starting the pre-license course. (I understand i'll be learning mostly regulations and such through the licensing course, nothing really beneficial as far as investment strategies go).

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season! 

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Luke McCann
Real Estate Agent · St. Augustine, FL - Florida · Member since 2016 · 88 posts · 27 votes
8y

Parth,

I got my license in January of this year, and I did the week long in classroom course with Gold Coast Schools in Boca Raton.

I chose this because I wanted to knock everything out as soon as possible, versus taking the 6-8 week long course. I felt that I would absorb the information better, and I was proved right as I passed both the Gold Coast and State Exams on my first try. 

The 63hr in classroom course is brutal, but it is the quickest and most efficient way to get licensed. I would recommend completely clearing your schedule of anything if you choose to go this route. It is 9hrs in the classroom from Mon-Sun, and when your not in the classroom you are studying. I spent about 2-3 hours each night making notecards and getting down the information we went over the previous day. 

All in all, it was one of the most mentally challenging things I've ever done, but it was well worth it.

Hope this helps!

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  • Lydia Ford
    Realtor/Investor · Ft. Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2014 · 74 posts · 21 votes
    8y

    Hi 

    @Parth Patel there's no ranking. This is literally the reverse of what they teach you in school.  There are good and bad schools, essentially you want to get the schooling from an institution that will actually help you pass the class and state exam.  You interview brokers. Not the other way around; they get paid off of your work so you want to make sure they provide you with the value and support you need to succeed.

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  • Parth Patel
    OP
    Investor · Lakeland, FL · Member since 2016 · 13 posts · 0 votes
    8y

    @Lydia Ford

    Thanks for the reply! So just do some research and pick the school I believe will help me prepare best for the exam is what you're saying. Do you have any recommendations as far brokerages and schools that I should look into? 

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  • Luke McCann
    Real Estate Agent · St. Augustine, FL - Florida · Member since 2016 · 88 posts · 27 votes
    8y

    Parth,

    I got my license in January of this year, and I did the week long in classroom course with Gold Coast Schools in Boca Raton.

    I chose this because I wanted to knock everything out as soon as possible, versus taking the 6-8 week long course. I felt that I would absorb the information better, and I was proved right as I passed both the Gold Coast and State Exams on my first try. 

    The 63hr in classroom course is brutal, but it is the quickest and most efficient way to get licensed. I would recommend completely clearing your schedule of anything if you choose to go this route. It is 9hrs in the classroom from Mon-Sun, and when your not in the classroom you are studying. I spent about 2-3 hours each night making notecards and getting down the information we went over the previous day. 

    All in all, it was one of the most mentally challenging things I've ever done, but it was well worth it.

    Hope this helps!

    1Reply
  • Lydia Ford
    Realtor/Investor · Ft. Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2014 · 74 posts · 21 votes
    8y

    Hi Parth I got my license at Gold Coast as well. And it thoroughly prepared me. I also did the cram course, and every extra help class they offered. They set the expectation that one should not go into the state test lightly. So I barricaded myself in my office for 2 weeks and studied hard to pass the state exam. It worked! As far as Brokers I went to the Career fair at Gold Coast. And also the next step class which really helped me to have reasonable expectations 

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  • Cody Winter
    Orlando, FL · Member since 2017 · 14 posts · 14 votes
    8y
    You may have already chosen a course but I wanted to add that Tony Mesa has an amazing cram video package with outline. 99 dollars or free if you take the whole course online. I wish I would have just taken his course. I take the exam on the 18th so I will let you know how it goes. I have been crushing all practice tests after his cram course though. oh btw you keep it until you get licensed so it doesn't expire like at a lot of other places.
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  • Doug SmithPro Member
    Lender · Tampa, FL · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    8y

    I did mine through The Bob Hogue School out of Pinellas County. I did it all on line. Google their web site and you can download the courses from there. Be sure to buy the 400 question on-line package for somewhere around $45. I had 20 years in Banking when I got mine, so I had to relearn a few things to take the exam. After taking the course, I did the questions in the 400 question on line bank over and over until I had basically memorized them all. When I went in for the actual exam, the questions were very similar to the 400 question bank and I blew threw it. It was a big time investment, but it was worth it. I hope that helps. Good luck!

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  • John Thedford
    Real Estate Broker · Naples, FL · Member since 2013 · 9k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    8y

    I highly recommend Larsen education. They are extremely thorough and also have the cram courses before you take your state exam. They claim that their students have a much higher pass rate than the state average.

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  • Russ Logan
    Cape Coral, FL · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes
    8y
    Larson in Ft Myers has an excellent program. I highly recommend you check them out.
    0Reply
  • Susan K.
    Real Estate Agent · Palm Beach Gardens, FL · Member since 2017 · 205 posts · 124 votes
    8y

    I took my class on-line and it was great.  Can't remember the school, but I had on-line practice exams that you take until you consistently score 90% or higher, then you are ready to sit for the exam.  It was good to be able to take the class in the comfort of my own home with no distractions.

    I have taken continuing ed with Bob Hogue school and they are good as well.

    I believe you can go on the State of FL DBPR site and pull a list of approved RE schools.  I would start there.

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