
A real estate agent is any licensed real estate professional representing a buyer or seller in a sales transaction for a commission. All brokers are agents, but not all agents are brokers. Take a look at some quick facts about brokers.
- In most states, the beginning real estate license is salesperson or sales agent. After a few years, you’re eligible to earn a broker license.
- To earn a real estate license, you complete a pre-license course, pass a state licensing exam, submit an application, and find an established real estate professional to sponsor you.
- To earn a broker, or managing broker license in Washington, you must be practicing agent for a few years and then complete the broker pre-license course and pass the exam.
- In Washington, broker license applicants complete 90 hours of real estate education, including:
- A 60-hour course in Real Estate Fundamentals
- A 30-hour course in Real Estate Practices
- 30 hours of brokerage management
- 30 hours of business management
- 30 hours of advanced real estate law
- For a designated broker's endorsement, you must have a:
- Managing broker license
- Controlling interest in each firm for which you're a designated broker
- Designated brokers can start their own brokerage firms and hire salespeople. They create a policy manual, supervise agents, lead meetings, and review forms and advertising.