How To Become a Real Estate Agent in Mississippi

As a real estate agent, you are a property sales expert. You are responsible for guiding clients through real estate property buying and selling.

As such, most states require you to be certified to allow you to perform your duties. Mississippi is not any different.

You must first acquire a Mississippi-regulated license to become a real estate agent in this state. Only US residents who have attained the legal age of 18 years can apply for this license.

Before acquiring your license, you must complete a few steps as follows:

• Undertake the Mississippi real estate pre-licensing course
• Apply for the license
• Undertake the state’s licensing exam
• Find a sponsoring broker
• Wait for the review process

Mississippi Professional Real Estate Agent Requirements

Is it hard to be a real estate agent in Mississippi? Not really.

To become a professional real estate agent in Mississippi, you must meet these requirements:

• You must be an adult, 18 years old and above
• Reside in Mississippi
• Acquire the real estate agent’s license in Mississippi
• Pay associated fees

Your age and residency status must be verified before you start your license application process. If you satisfy the two prerequisites, you can begin your application process.

Normal Charges for Real Estate School Pre-Licensing

How much will it cost you for a real estate pre-licensing course in Mississippi? Applying for your pre-license education costs around $199-$465.

On the other hand, the cost of applying for the sales agent exam is now $120. In other words, the total cost of attaining a real estate agent license in Mississippi can fall anywhere between $400 and $665.¹

If you are looking for the best schools for real estate license courses in Mississippi, the state has a list. You can choose your preferred school for a pre-license or post-license course.²

Needed Pre-License Course Duration

Usually, you require at least 60 hours to complete a pre-license real estate course. After the coursework, you can sit and pass a 4-hour exam.

The exam is normally divided into two sections, one for 2.5 hours and the other for 1.5 hours.

Minimum Age and Core Academic Requirements

Age is a core factor for anyone intending to become a real estate agent in Mississippi. You can never get your license application approved if you are below 18 years old.

Therefore, the first requirement is attaining the right age, 18 years.

The second step is dealing with the academic requirements. Before getting licensed, you must complete a 60-hour real estate course.

This includes a 4-hour exam, testing your understanding of the national and state property laws and regulations. After passing the Mississippi State Real Estate licensing exam, you receive your license from MREC.

However, this is still not the end. You must also undertake another course.

This second course is known as the post-licensing course. It consists of 30 hours of education that you must complete within the first year of licensing.

Therefore, apply for the post-licensing course as soon as possible after you receive your license. Mississippi also requires real estate agents to undertake continuing education.³

This includes at least 16 hours of real estate education every two years. Once you complete the course, you can renew your license.

The course is usually divided as follows:

• Contract Law: 2 hours
• Licensing Law: 2 hours
• Agency Law: 4 hours

These are the leading real estate agent education requirements in Mississippi.

The good thing is you do not need a real estate degree or a college diploma to apply for the license. A high school diploma is enough.

Prescribed Background Check for Real Estate Professionals

Do professional real estate agents need a background check? Yes.

Mississippi demands a credit and background report for real estate agents. The report is necessary for both new license renewals and non-resident license applications.

Usually, an applicant should undergo a mandatory fingerprint-based history check. This is done for two databases.

It will include the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Central Criminal databases.

Luckily, the MREC does not charge for criminal history report checks. The background checks are free.

However, there is still this one pressing question, “Can a felon sell real estate?”

Well, the answer is yes. Generally, the law does not prevent felons from selling or buying real estate.

However, some crimes may prevent you from getting the license, according to the Mississippi Real Estate Commission.

For example, if the crime involves money laundering, dishonesty, fraud, or breach of trust,⁴ you may not receive your license. The state requires real agents to be trustworthy, reliable, and people of integrity.

Pros and Cons of Being a Real Estate Agent

Here are the pros and cons of being a real estate agent:

Pros

You are certainly wondering what benefits you can get from being a real estate agent.

Well, there are many. These include:

• A Flexible schedule
• Unlimited income potential
• Growth potential
• Ability to help clients
• Career mobility

Cons

If you are a real estate agent, you also have to contend with some demerits. For instance;

• Long working hours
• Lack of repeat clients
• Long processes
• Too much work

When it comes to income and flexibility, the job is rewarding. However, the work you must put in might be too much.

How To Be a Successful Real Estate Agent

Every real estate agent wants to be successful, right? If this is you, apply these strategies:

• Acquire a real estate agent license
• Take your time to learn from the sponsoring broker
• Undertake post-licensing courses
• Be keen on continuing real estate courses to horn up your skills
• Develop necessary communication skills
• Be honest in your work

These qualifications ensure you have the right papers and skills to conduct your duties. Also, interpersonal skills are quite important to allow you to relate with clients.

What Disqualifies You From Being a Real Estate Agent?

Several things can disqualify you from getting a real estate agent license. Failing to achieve the required points in the licensing exam is one issue.

Age is another factor, as you must be over 18. Some might also ask, “Can you be a real estate agent with a felony?”

It all depends on the state laws and the nature of the felony. For example, dishonesty, money laundering, or fraud automatically disqualifies you in Mississippi.