How to get your El Paso real estate license

El,Paso,,Texas,,Usa,Downtown,City,Skyline,At,Dusk,With

Any real estate agent worth their salt in the state of Texas is either actively operating in El Paso or is actively looking to operate there. The figures speak for themselves. This is an understated market that is constantly growing. According to Redfin, the value of the average home in El Paso increased by 4.8%  between October 2020 and October 2021. The median price of a family home in the city is $197K. The average El Paso house spends between 22 to 30 days on the market.

All of these stats make for a lucrative market for any real estate agent. El Paso has strong job growth, affordability, and low vacancy rates. The county is home to almost a million people and it has a good mix of people with a Hispanic heritage.  If you like spending time outdoors, you will love El Paso. The city borders Rio Grande and that means you have access to whitewater rafting, canoeing, and fishing. There are two state parks nearby. There is also Franklin Mountains State Park and Hueco Tanks State Park that give El Paso residents ample hiking and rock climbing opportunities.

To be clear, there is no real estate regulatory agency or organization specifically for El Paso. Instead, there is a regulatory body for Texas. And so, this article is about real estate in Texas with a strong bias towards El Paso. So, let’s jump straight into getting yourself started in El Paso.

 

El Paso Real Estate License Requirements

El,Paso,,Tx,SkylineTo get a real estate license in El Paso, you will have to meet the following requirements:

  • Nationality: You must be a legal citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien
  • Age: You must be 18 years or older
  • You must meet TREC’s (Texas Real Estate Commission) standards for trustworthiness, integrity, and honesty. This also means that all documents you submit and forms you fill must be original and must carry the correct and up-to-date information.

After meeting the above-listed criteria, you can now apply for a license via the following steps:

  • Start the Process: Apply for your license online through the TREC website or via mail and pay the applicable fee.
  • Background Check: Get your fingerprints and background check taken. You must pass the background check to become a realtor.
  • Take 180 Hours of Real estate education Courses: Submit your qualifying education. Realtors must take a course for 180 hours of real estate education. The last part of this course is an advanced college-level course that teaches you the fundamentals of real estate practices in the state of Texas and the country at large. Once the course is completed, applicants will have to submit proof that they took and passed the course.
  • Take And Pass the Exam. You will then have to take and pass the state real estate exam.
  • Find a Sponsor Broker: upon completing your education, and passing your exam, you will get an inactive license. For you to activate your license and be able to practice real estate, you need a sponsor. The sponsor will help you submit a request to activate your license. You also can make sponsorship requests via the TREC website. Once someone accepts your request, your license will become active.
  • Take Post-licensing Education and Renew Your License: After you get your license, you will still need to constantly renew your license every two years. You also will need to take more advanced courses as required by the TREC. Sine of the courses are 90 hours of the Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) coursework and 8 hours of the Texas Real Estate Commission Legal Updates.

What To For When Choosing a Real Estate School

North,Franklin,Mountain,In,El,PasoYou simply need to consider a few things first:

  • You need to make sure that the school is certified by TREC.
  • They have a high success rate. If a school is good, it will be reflected in the number of students who successfully pass the real estate exam.
  • The learning style works for you. Is the school close to your home? Do they have online classes? Is it affordable? These questions are important to consider before deciding on a school.

What are the Best Real Estate License Schools in El Paso?

A real estate school is important for several reasons. The most obvious one is that they teach you what you need to know. Other reasons include the fact that they are usually your first means of networking with other people in the real estate industry. Here are some of the best real estate schools in El Paso and Texas.

The CE Shopce-shop-logo

This is one of the most famous real estate schools around. This is because despite being an online-only school, they boast of a student pass rate of 70.64%. Their interactive courses have several three levels ranging from $400 on the basic course, to $700 on the top classes. They also have several payment plans that can help you pay in easy instalments. In the courses, you will get videos, text materials, flashcards, digital flashcards, tests, and more.

Real Estate Expressreal estate express logo

Another massive online real estate school that had a strong reputation in Texas and thirty-eight other states. Real estate express has a pass rate of 59.03%.  In addition to the online courses, they have personalized teaching programs. This school has been going strong for twenty-five years. They have four coursework packages. The packages cost $557 for the lowest and $847 for the highest. They are accredited by TREC, ARELLO, and IDECC.

 

Kaplankaplan logo

An oldie but a goodie, Kaplan is in the business of teaching the business and practices of real estate to professionals in Texas for more than 80 years. Staying for this long means they have all the accreditations they need and thousands of students have gone through their system. They have several systems of teaching that include online and in-person classes. We should mention that they have a pass rate of 70.61%. Kaplan supplies their students with all sorts of educational and support materials like courses, textbooks, videos, flashcards, practice tests, and other study materials. Their service covers other real estate-affiliated industries. Kaplan offers three pre-licensing packages. Including:

  • Home study that offers access to text-based lessons, a PDF textbook, and online learning activities and caprice tests. The home study package costs between $389 $589.
  • The second class package is On-demand Solution that gives you access to instructional videos, PDF textbooks, online learning activities, quizzes, and instructor office hours. This costs between $449 and $649.
  • The final package is a Live/Online one that gives you access to all of the above-listed resources, and live and online classes, and materials at a rate between $889 and $1,089.

 

Top Real Estate Brokerages in El Paso

You already know that you need to be affiliated with a real estate broker to be able to practice in El Paso. brokerages give you a quicker start to your career. They help get you connections, they teach you the norms and traditions of the industry and they help support you by educating you.

When trying to select a brokerage, you have to look for one that gives you a high commission split, a lot of training, high incentives, low desk fees, and marketing and support.

Several El Paso companies are great to work for. Here are a few that are recommended.

Brian Burds Home Selling Teambrian burds logo

Address: 134 W Castellano Dr unit c, El Paso, TX 79912

The Brian Burds team is comprised of energetic and knowledgeable real estate brokers familiar with the local market, valuation trends, the El Paso County and its people. Selling your home is an important and often emotional decision. That’s why we want to make the process for you as smooth and stress-free as possible.

BB uses their expertise to tap into a bigger pool of homebuyers. Their team has an annual marketing budget 25 times higher than the average real estate agent’s annual income. What does this mean for you? It means agents don’t have to worry about spreading the word about the properties they are representing. Which means you can close deals even faster.

 

exp realty logo

eXp Realty

eXp Realty is one of the fastest-growing residential and commercial real estate companies in the country. eXp Realty is a pioneer in cloud-based real estate brokerage. This cloud-based status allows them to be able to operate from everywhere in the world. As a result, you can work with them from anywhere in the state of Texas or the country. eXp was listed as #1 in Independent Broker Firms for 2018 and 2019. Within that time, their transactions increased by a 77.8% boost. agents are given a competitive 80/20 commission split.

In addition to the flexibility working with eXp comes with, they offer great training opportunities, rewards, and benefits packages. As a part of their mission, they encourage collaboration with other members of the team. eXp Realty gives agents a revenue-sharing scheme and opportunities for agents to invest in company stock.

Other companies we recommend are:

  • CBRE
  • FPI Management
  • GreyStar
  • WinnCompanies

What Local Associations are Best for El Paso Agents?

As a real estate professional, you might want to join an organization of other professionals that will keep you in the know, lobby with the government to get you great deals, make market research, and offer you more benefits.

Here are some associations available to El Paso agents that you may want to consider.

Greater El Paso Association of Realtors (GEPAR)gepar-logo

Address: 6400 Gateway Blvd E, El Paso, TX 79905

The Greater El Paso Association of REALTORS is the premier organization of realtors in El Paso. They offer professional services, education, and training for Realtors in El Paso. They adhere to the principles of the National Association of REALTORS, actively work to better their communities and advocate for private property rights at local, state, and national levels. On the political front, they lobby for the protection of property rights and the facilitation of professionalism and ethics among their members. Their members are pushed to be foremost members of the communities by engaging in community outreach and services.

For Further Help or Information

If you need more specific advice about your journey in getting into the El Paso real estate industry, we can help you. We help professionals and budding professionals like you with business advice, empowerment, and support. Let’s set you up on your journey to becoming a Real Estate Agent in El Paso.

Chris Heller Headshot

About the Author

Chris Heller brings 27 years of experience in real estate. Chris serves on the AgentAdvice Editorial Board and is the Chief Real Estate Officer at OJO Labs. Chris brings deep expertise having held influential industry positions including CEO of mellohome and former CEO of Keller Williams Realty International.

Last Updated: 5/1/2023