How to Pass the Real Estate Exam with These Test Taking Tips
by Kacie Goff on 10/22/2020
The road to getting your real estate license might feel like a long one. But all told, it's a fairly straightforward path. There is one notable exception, though: the real estate exam.
This is your major hurdle, and probably the part of the process that you're dreading most. But don't worry. We rounded up all of the best real estate exam test-taking tips.
Employ these suggestions to skate through your upcoming test. Without further ado, here are our five best real estate exam test-taking tips, plus some state-specific suggestions.
#1: Take a bunch of practice tests
Practice exams are your friend. The more practice real estate exams you can take, the more you'll be comfortable with both the subject matter and the exam format.
Also, practice tests can help you figure out which subject areas you're strong in and where you might need more attention. This can help to guide your studying so you're focusing on the areas where you need it most.
Practice tests are probably available from whichever organization moderates the exam in your state (PSI, Pearson Vue, etc.). Poke around their website to find test exams that will be very similar to the actual test you'll take.
#2: Keep the most challenging info in front of you
As you study for your exam and take practice tests, you'll probably get a sense that some topics are harder for you than others. Start a note that summarizes those topics and the key points you need to know.
Then, figure out what you look at regularly and keep that note there. Whether it's a note in your phone or a post-it on your bathroom mirror, find a place to keep a list of the exam details that you're having the hardest time learning.
Seeing this info on a regular basis helps you get comfortable with it. That way, when you sit down to take your exam, you won't get that deer-in-the-headlights feeling when those topics come up.
It can be helpful to set aside a small amount of time each day (even five minutes can help) to quickly go over the exam material you're having trouble learning, too.
#3: Set yourself up for success
These are general test suggestions as much as they're real estate exam test-taking tips, but they're still worth mentioning. Before your exam, make sure you get a good night's sleep. And eat a hearty meal before your test so you're fueled up and ready to go.
Also, make sure you know your exam details well the day before the test. There's no sense adding extra stress to your test day. Double-check that you know where to go for your exam (not just the address, but the specific room), the time you need to be there, and anything you need to bring, like forms of identification.
#4: Pay attention during your pre-license education hours
If you live in a state that only requires a workweek's worth of pre-license education hours, consider yourself lucky. Texas sales agents have to take a whopping 180 hours, for example.
No matter how many pre-license hours your state requires, it's tempting to want to rush through them. But remember that everything you learn during those courses can help you ace your exam.
As you take your pre-license education hours, take notes. Stay focused. Spend some time thinking about what you learned before you jump into the next hour of material. The more you can learn during your real estate pre-license education hours, the less you'll need to study to pass your exam. As far as real estate exam test-taking tips go, focusing during your pre-license hours is a huge one because it can seriously lessen your load as you get ready for your exam.
#5: Remember that it's a marathon, not a sprint
Many state real estate exams are three hours or longer. Get comfy in your test chair — you're going to be there a while.
This gives you plenty of time to finish the exam, so don't feel like you need to rush through it. Take your time. Take some deep breaths before you get started and remember you can always take a breather if you start to feel overwhelmed.
Because you should have ample time, it can also help to skip around. Go through and answer the questions you're sure about first. Then, you can slowly work through the questions that might require more thought.
State-specific real estate exam tips
Real estate exams vary from state to state, so we'd be remiss to present you with real estate exam test-taking tips without giving you some specific details based on where you live. Here's some helpful info for each state where we offer real estate pre-license education:
- Alabama: PSI administers your exam, which lasts three and a half hours. Check out their candidate handbook (which includes tons of great info, including practice questions) and practice exam options. Also, it can be helpful to know that you only need to score 70 out of 100 points to pass.
- Florida: Pearson Vue is your exam administrator for the three-and-a-half-hour exam. Their resource page tells you what to expect, and their fact sheet has some helpful details, too. They don't have a candidate bulletin for you, but the DBPR does. You'll need just 75 out of 100 points to pass.
- Michigan: Your exam gets proctored by PSI, whether you're a broker or a sales agent. The broker exam is three and a half hours, while the agent exam is three hours long. Here's the candidate bulletin for brokers and sales agents and practice tests for both license types. Brokers, you'll need to earn 90 out of 120 points to pass. Agents, you'll need 80 out of 115.
- Oregon: PSI handles your exam, too, and offers a practice test for you. Their candidate bulletin has some practice questions, as well. The exam is three hours and fifteen minutes long and you'll need a 75% to pass.
- Texas: Pearson Vue administers your four-hour exam and offers practice tests for it. They also provide a candidate bulletin with sample test questions, plus exam content outlines and a study guide sheet. As a sales agent, you'll need to get 56 of 85 questions right in the national exam portion and 21 of 40 right in the state portion to pass.
Ultimately, you don't need to ace your test to pass. In most states, a C grade will cut it. Use these real estate exam test-taking tips, take some deep breaths, and you'll have no trouble scoring a passing grade.