Freedom Business School Articles

CA Home Sales hit Six Year High

California is performing well as it heads into the spring homebuying season, at least in terms of homes under offer.

According to the latest California Association of Realtors report, pending home sales in the state soared in February to record the first doubled-digit annual gain in nearly three-year and the third straight year-to-year increase. This should hopefully translate into improved market conditions and more closed transactions in the coming months. 

As a whole, California pending home sales increased in February, with the Pending Home Sales Index growing 24.8% from a revised 89.9 in January to 112.2, based on ...Read More

Real Estate Industry Outlook

Good weather and a drop in unemployment aren't having the positive affect on home sales that builders would like. According to the latest figures from HUD and the U.S. Commerce Department, the sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 7.1 percent for the month of March.

This decline followed stronger than expected sales the month prior. February saw the fastest pace of new home sales since the end of the homebuyer tax credit.

"Some new-home sales that would have happened this March were likely pulled forward as a result of exceedingly good weather conditions across much of the country ...Read More

Most Commonly Asked Questions About Getting a Real Estate License

California Department Of Real Estate (DRE) has recently changed some regulations and fees for the Real Estate License applicants . The following questions and answers reflect the most recent changes.

Q. Do I need prior experience in real estate to apply for a salesperson's license ?

A. No

Q. What qualifications must I meet in order to obtain a salesperson's license from the   State of California?

A. You must be 18 years old, successfully complete three License Qualifying courses: Real Estate Practice and a third real estate course of your choice, and pass ...Read More

Tips for Real Estate Exam Applicants

Real Estate exam applicants need to make sure they Do take care of the following items:

1. Complete the application form correctly and fully. Any misrepresentations or missing items may result in delays in obtaining an examination date or disqualification from the examination. Transcripts should accompany the initial application.

2. Check available exam dates on the DRE website to find out when and where the DRE is scheduling examinations; however, keep in mind that a particular exam may be filled by the time your exam application is submitted and processed.

3. wait the posted current processing time frame for notification of your examination ...Read More

California Real Estate Industry News

Approximately 200 Bay Area real estate professionals gathered at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View to assess the current real estate market in California. The third annual Bay Area Multi-Cultural Real Estate Summit, which took place Sept. 28, was organized by 15 real estate associations. The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors hosted the event. The summit featured industry officials as speakers, and panels of experts on legal, tax, financing alternatives, short sales and escrow issues.

California Association of Realtors treasurer Don Faught said the positive climate in the market today is largely due to ...Read More

DRE Licensing Fee Increase

The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) has recently announced that they will increase real estate license examination, original real estate license, and real estate license renewal fees effective July 1, 2009.

The fee increase applies to all examination and original license applications, requests for re-examination, and license renewals submitted on or after July 1, 2009. Current licensees renewing their licenses must pay the higher fees if their license renewal date is on or after July 1, 2009, even if they turn in their renewal early. 

Below, is the link to the DRE Fee Increase Notice (Temp-09-1), which lists the current fees, ...Read More

New Continuing Education Requirements for Real Estate Salespersons and Brokers

Salespersons Renewing for the First Time

Real estate salespersons who were licensed prior to 10/1/2007, and are renewing an original license for the first time, must complete five separate three-hour DRE-approved continuing education courses in Ethics, Agency, Trust Fund Handling, Fair Housing and Risk Management.

Those licensees who were licensed on or after 10/1/2007, and were required to have all three statutory/pre-licenses courses (RE Principles, RE Practice, and one additional course), must complete 45 clock hours of DRE-approved continuing education consisting of:

• Five separate three-hour courses in the following subjects: Ethics, Agency, Trust Fund Handling, Fair Housing, and ...Read More

New Requirements for Real Estate License Applicants

To obtain a real estate salesperson license, you must first qualify for and pass a written examination. Those who pass the examination are provided a license application which must be submitted to and approved by the DRE. Effective October 1, 2007, DRE has changed pre-licensing course Requirements for the Salesperson's License.

Successful completion of three college-level courses is required to qualify for a real estate salesperson examination:

1. Real Estate Principles, and
2. Real Estate Practice, and
3. One course from the following list:
   ...Read More