Get Started on Real Estate

Steps To Licensure

Wondering how to get started in real estate in Delaware? Take the first step – get your license!

As the leading full-service real estate company in the region, Patterson-Schwartz is committed to assisting you achieve the highest level of success with your real estate career. We have a dedicated team of real estate professionals to successfully guide you through the Real Estate Salesperson licensing process.

To get started, you must meet the Delaware Real Estate Commission (DREC) Salesperson’s base requirements, which are as follows:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a state resident
• Be a high school graduate or the holder of an equivalency degree (GED)
• Must be sponsored by an Delaware Real Estate Broker - contact us
• Successfully complete a 99-hour pre-licensing course
• Pass a state licensing examination
• Not have been convicted of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude. Not have violated any civil rights laws regarding real estate within the past two years as determined by a Court of law or violated any rules of the Delaware Division of Real Estate.

Choosing a Pre-Licensing School

If you meet the above DREC base requirements, you are ready to choose a Delaware State Certified Real Estate Pre-Licensing School. Our pre-licensing school, the Delaware School of Real Estate can help you take the first steps by giving you a firm foundation on which to build your future success. We offer a twelve-week course with three components: real estate math, real estate law, and real estate practices. Classes are typically held three nights a week and accelerated day classes are also offered.

The pre-licensing course does not teach you how to sell real estate, but prepares you to take the licensing examination. Once you near completion of the pre-licensing course, you can register to take the state and national exam.

Salesperson Exam

Each of these two sections is graded separately. You need to pass both with a score of 70% or better and submit the Pass Report to the DREC in order to obtain your license. The licensing exam takes 2 to 3 hours to complete and you will know immediately if you have passed or failed. If you do not pass, you can take the exam again after 24 hours. You must pass the exam and apply for your license within one year of completing the pre-licensing course. Once you pass both sections of the exam, you are ready to be sponsored by a licensed Real Estate Broker, such as Patterson-Schwartz.

Our Career Development Director, Justin Kierstead, and Sales Managers look forward to meeting with you to see if a real estate career might be a good fit for you. They can assist you by recommending a nearby pre-licensing school with an excellent pass rate as well as other tips to help you through the process.