Do you want to be not just a realtor, but a man who cares?
Call 1-866-5DUNPHY.
Okay, that was a joke (we love silly jokes, memes and quotes).
In case you don’t know, that’s Phil Dunphy from the Modern Family series.
He was a real estate agent in the show, so pardon us for using him as a reference (though we’re not really sorry!).
But kidding aside, if you’re here to jumpstart your real estate career under Maine law, then welcome! We’ll discuss everything you need to know so you can easily get into real estate with ample knowledge.
Quick Overview: Licensing Requirements for A Real Estate License in Maine
Every state has its own requirements to complete, so if you’re looking to acquire one in a certain state, we suggest looking up the specific requirements to avoid discrepancies.
For Maine, you’d be glad to know that the general requirements of license application aren’t as complicated as you’d think.
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Possess a high school diploma (or an equivalent)
- Must have clear criminal records for background check
Once you tick off these criteria, you can proceed with the next steps. Think of this as educating yourself before you submit your license application:
- Real Estate Pre-Licensing: Complete a sales agent license pre-course
- Actual Real Estate Exam: Pass the Real Estate Exam (through Pearson Vue testing center)
After course completion, you’re now ready to submit an application that will be evaluated by the Maine Real Estate Commission. But be sure to spend a lot of time preparing, passing your real estate exam is not easy.
Let’s Discuss Deeper: Maine Real Estate License Requirements [What You Should Take Note Of]
As you’ve noticed, it’s a three-part process that should be easy to remember. Remember the acronym: P.E.A.:
- Personal requirements
- Educating yourself
- Application of license
Personal Requirements
Other states may have more complicated personal requirements, but for Maine, you only need to have a few things to consider.
Age: Must Be At Least 18 Years Old
You should be at least 18 years and above – or for short, you’re not a minor.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, since most legal matters require legal age.
Educational Attainment: High School Diploma or Equivalent
Yes, you don’t need a college degree or anything like that. All you need is a completed high school diploma or equivalent.
If you weren’t able to complete your high school education, you can take up and pass a course that’s equal to that of a high school diploma such as a GED. No worries!
Background Check: Clear or At Least No Serious Crimes
Expect the Maine Real Estate Commission to perform a background check on you.
Keep in mind there’s a fee for the criminal check yourself ($21) and the result will be submitted to the commission for review.
Having no serious crimes (or none at all) will be of great advantage.
But of course, a few minor violations, and imposed disciplinary action, or prior convictions won’t immediately disqualify you from being a licensed real estate agent.
They’ll take into account the duration, the crime committed, how long it has been since the conviction, etc.
There’s no knowing for sure what their specific criteria are, but the goal of the check is to ensure that a person will be an honest licensed real estate broker should you pass the Maine law examination.
Educating Yourself
Once your personal requirements are in check, it’s time to study, study, study and master those real estate terms.
There are courses to complete before you officially submit your application. Make sure you apply for real-estate courses that are approved and accredited by Maine.
Pre-License: Sales Agent Course
This is like a preparatory course to equip you for the actual exam. Its content is all about what a real estate sales agent should know upon entering the industry.
You need to complete a 55-hour course with a result of at least 75%. Here, you’ll learn Maine real estate law, how to legally and properly perform brokerage services, and how to be a good sales agent in general.
You can take online courses too!
Take into account the fee and added costs of enrolling in these courses, as you’ll be the one who will shoulder them.
Actual Real Estate Exam
Once you’ve completed your preparatory courses, you’re now ready to take the actual Maine law examination administered to aspiring real estate agents like you.
Like the real estate pre-licensing exam, you need to have a score of at least 75%. So if you took the pre-courses seriously, that’s a huge advantage for you.
The exam is administered in Pearson Vue testing centers, and you need to reserve online through the Pearson Vue website for the test. Don’t forget to bring your documents (i.e., certificates of completion) to the testing center as you need to show them as proof.
The exam will be taken digitally via computers, so you’ll more or less know the result immediately after the exam.
Again, there’s a fee to shoulder. So, heads up!
License Exam Format
The exam has a total of 120 questions, and you’ll have 240 minutes (or 4 hours) to answer them.
It’s divided into two parts:
National Section
- Overall: 80 questions
- Passing score: 60/80
- Time allotment: 150 minutes (2.5 hours)
State Section
- Overall: 40 questions
- Passing score: 30/40
- Time allotment: 90 minutes (1.5 hours)
Validity of Pre-License Pass
Take note your pre-course completion will only be valid for a year.
That means, you must take your license exams within the year – or else you might be required to complete a pre-course again before taking the licensing exam (practice for free here).
Application of License
So now that you’ve passed the exam, you can now submit everything to the Maine Real Estate Commission.
They will review all of your documents (from your personal requirements to real estate education) and decide if you can be granted a broker license under Maine real estate laws.
There will be a licensing fee of $121 which you will also shoulder.
After everything is approved, congratulations! You now have a Maine real estate license.
So, What’s Next?
Okay, now that you have a real estate license, does it end there?
Of course not! Here are the next steps to officially start your real estate career.
Working With A Licensed Real Estate Agency
Once you’re approved, you’ll be granted an active real estate license. Hooray!
Source: wsj.com
But wait, you can’t just start selling real estate just because you have a broker license. As a newbie real estate agent, you’ll have to work with a licensed real estate agency or a licensed real estate agent.
Still, in reference to Modern Family, think of the time when Gloria was being mentored by Phil.
Source: imbd.com
This is a good time for you to learn about the ins and outs of the real estate industry: how to do fair dealing, how to furnish verification, how exchanging real estate happens, how to deal with professional and financial regulation, how listing real estate works, and such.
Soon enough, you’ll find yourself performing specific services and being the designated broker of your clients! It’s continuing education, really, and we suggest enjoying all the learning process.
Obtaining Your Associate Broker License
After 2 years, the validity of your real estate license in Maine will expire.
That means it’s time for you to become an associate broker.
Of course, this also comes with associate brokers’ license requirements which are as follows:
- Affiliated with a real estate agency for 2 years
- Must complete continuing education courses every 2 years
If your first attempt to apply for an associate broker license did not pass, you can ask for extensions.
Continuing Education Courses
This is now a more advanced continuing education requirement to ensure that your license in Maine is put to good use and you’re continually advancing in your real estate jobs.
The course totals 21 hours consisting of core courses (like real estate math) and electives. Some centers and services offer online courses for continuing education; they’re pretty easy to find!
Real Estate License in Maine Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs] [Q&A]
Now that we’ve coursed through the requirements for obtaining a real estate sales license in Maine, we’ll touch on some of the FAQs to help you further.
Who Is the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation? Are They Different From the Maine Real Estate Commission?
If you recall, we’ve mentioned the Maine Real Estate Commission above. They’re the committee in Maine that approves your real estate license application.
The commission is under the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Office of Licensing and Regulation (OLR). Other than the real estate commission, they also handle other equal license titles in Maine.
So don’t be confused if you hear a person using these department names interchangeably. They’re most likely on the same thing and are just confusing the terms with each other.
Is An Online Course Really Allowed in Maine?
Yes!
One of the good things about the license processing of Maine is they allow online transactions – from courses to services. Even the license application allows an online transaction.
Just make sure the online courses you’re engaging with are legitimate and approved by the Maine commission, of course.
What If I Fail My First Attempt In The License Exam?
We mentioned above the exam will have 2 parts and often people do fail the real estate exam.
After taking the exam, you’ll receive the results and see which section (national or state) you failed in. You can schedule a retake after 24 hours, taking only the portion you failed in.
Additional reminders to remember include the following:
- Each person can take the license exam up to 3 times within a year. More than 3 failed attempts would only mean you’ll be required to study more (specifically, an additional 30 hours).
- Failed marks don’t equate to disqualification forever – so try to not worry too much!
- Just remember that every retake corresponds to an exam fee. The approximate fee in Maine is around $85.
How Much Does A Realtor Make in Maine?
Your revenue will highly depend on your sales. The overall payment scheme is still dependent on the policy of your agency, but it’s more of commission work. So if you don’t sell houses, expect less income.
But to give you an estimate, a professional real estate agent can make an average of $46,500 a year, and some can even go as high as $75,000.
Summary of License Requirements [TL;DR]
We suggest reading up on the entire article for a clearer grasp of the requirements. But here’s a quick list for your reference:
- Personal requirements (age, education, background)
- Education (courses and pre-license)
- Application and taking the actual exam
- Work with a real estate agency
- Apply for an associate brokers license (pursue continuing education)
Conclusion
Obtaining a license isn’t as easy as it seems, huh?
But don’t worry, as long as you’re the type of person with grit to move forward and secure real estate jobs, it’s entirely possible.
It’s a worthy career, so just keep working hard. There’s no done in Dunphy!
Source: Pinterest.com
