How I Passed the Real Estate Exam at 19
So I recently had an old friend reach out to me about how I passed my real estate exam. I thought it was the perfect time to talk all things real estate and walk you through how I prepped for the exam.
For a little background: I’m a licensed realtor in Virginia and D.C. I’ve had my Virginia license for a few years now—I took the test back when I was 19—and here’s everything I wish I knew before taking it.
Before we get into the details, the basic thing you need to know is the structure of the exam. There are two parts: the national portion and your state portion. The national portion is a lengthy exam that predominantly tests you on general real estate concepts and vocabulary. The state exam is shorter and includes state-specific questions and important laws you need to know. I also recommend checking out the PSI bulletin, which gives you a comprehensive and detailed breakdown of each category covered on the exam.
If you don’t already have a background in real estate or understand basic concepts, you need to study your real estate vocabulary. I came from a real estate background—my dad is very prominent in investing and would always talk to me about real estate while I was growing up. That definitely helped.
This is not sponsored, but CompuCram was the most accurate resource I used for real estate test questions. Some of the questions on the exam can be tricky, mostly because of the wording. You can definitely tell they’re trying to trip you up on a few of them, which is why it’s so important to take practice tests consistently. Also, CompuCram offers a guarantee: if you use their program and don’t pass on your first try, they’ll refund you.
If you’re not in a rush, I would recommend giving yourself one solid month of studying. It’s so important to familiarize yourself with the material daily. If you are in a rush—maybe for work or other reasons—I recommend doing an intense week of studying and taking the exam as soon as possible. Personally, I didn’t pass the first time, but taking it helped me understand where my weak points were. If you don’t pass, the testing center will give you your results and a breakdown of the areas you need to improve on.
No matter if your goal is to become a real estate agent, a property manager, or if you’re just doing it for fun—I highly, highly, highly recommend getting your real estate license. It’s such a great thing to do, especially if you have some free time and want to exercise your brain. Even if you’re not interested in being an active agent, you can always hold your license and make money through referrals.
Please let me know if you guys have any questions! I absolutely love talking about real estate and would be more than happy to help however I can—whether you’re thinking about getting your license, already studying, or just curious about the process. Don’t hesitate to reach out!
Xx,
Madeleine
