How To Prepare for Your Louisiana Real Estate Exam

A lot of people love real estate because of the flexible work hours, unlimited pay cap, and great upward mobility associated with the profession. Louisiana State is a hidden real estate hub within the country. Home sales were up 33.8% year-over-year in October 2021, and the median home sale price had increased by 6.4%. Not only that, 17.4% of homes sold above listing price within that same period.

This probably explains why so many people are interested in becoming real estate agents within the state. However, just like any profession, there are criteria to be fulfilled and steps to be taken before you can become a realtor within the state of Louisiana. You need a license to work as a real estate agent within the state. To obtain a license you need to pass your Louisiana real estate exam.

Passing the licensing exam is not a difficult task if you’re armed with the right information. So I’ll take you through what you’re required to do before writing the exam, how the exam is structured and the best way to prepare for your Louisiana real estate exams. Keep on reading!

How Difficult Is the Exam?

You are required to have a high school diploma or GED before applying for the exam. Therefore a certain level of intellectual ability must be expected from candidates. However, that does not mean the exam is difficult. With the right educational tools, information, and practice you can ace the exam on your first try.

Check out this real estate exam study tool: Prep Agent

Things You Need to Do Before Writing Your Louisiana Real Estate Exam

There are several steps you have to take before you are eligible to take the licensing exam and become a real estate agent in the state of Louisiana. These criteria were put in place by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC) and they include:

You must be at least 18 years old
You must have a high school degree or GED
Complete and pass the national criminal background check
Complete all 90 hours of your real estate pre-licensing classes
Pass the final exams in real estate courses with a score of 70% or higher
Fill out Salesperson License Application Part A
Schedule your exam

How To Prepare for Your Louisiana Licensing Exam

Preparing for your real estate licensing exam isn’t hard if you follow all the right steps. Here are a few tips on how to most effectively prepare for the exam and increase your chances of success significantly.

Complete 90 Hours of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course

The first step is to complete the 90 hours of LREC-approved real estate pre-licensing courses, also known as Real Estate 101. The course covers the basic theories and practical concepts that you will need to know as a practicing real estate agent in Louisiana.

The topics covered in the course include:

Property Ownership
Land Use Controls and Regulations
Valuation and Market Analysis
Financing
Laws of Agency
Mandated Disclosures
Contracts
Transfer of Property
Practice of Real Estate
Louisiana Laws
Rules and Regulations
Louisiana Civil Law System
Louisiana Law of Agency.

These classes can be a combination of physical classes and online resources and coursework or solely online classes depending on your preferences. These classes will be held by state approved real estate schools. The course must be completed within 6 months of the start date.

These courses may seem a bit confusing initially since you are learning new concepts. However, with time and dedication, you’ll easily adapt and find yourself gaining a deeper understanding of the real estate industry.

Sign up for real estate pre-license classes here: Louisiana Real Estate Classes

Choose Valid Studying Materials

The licensing exam is administered by PSI, a national testing service contracted by the LREC. They provide a candidate handbook and a course outline to help candidates prepare for the exam. You can access the PSI Louisiana real estate license bulletin here for information concerning the course outline, the registration procedure, examination centers near you, and much more.

There are also dozens of study material and updated preparatory questions that candidates can easily download or purchase from various sources online. These study tools as well which include interactive quizzes and short video content covering key areas which usually appear in the exam. Using prep tools can help give you a huge boost in confidence when taking the real estate exam.

Check out our complete guide how to become a real estate agent in Louisiana here.

Develop a Unique Studying Technique

Everybody has their own unique studying technique. Some people are visual learners, while others prefer text material. Others are more comfortable with rote memorization, while some people would rather understand general concepts than going too deeply into specifics.

Another good piece of advice is to form study groups with other candidates. Not only does this help you cover the material more quickly, by discussing the topics helps you internalize the information better as well. Cue cards, timed prep quizzes and constant revision go a long way.

The truth is that the best studying techniques typically involve multiple approaches. No matter which group you belong to, ensure you find what works for you and stick to it. The aim is to master the course material. Nobody is particularly interested in how you managed to achieve that.

What to Do on the Day of the Exam

A good piece of advice is to ensure that you get to the exam venue at least 30 minutes before the designated time. Not only does this give you some freedom in the event of any unforeseen circumstances, but it also helps you stay calm by not having to rush and allows you ample time for registration.

You are expected to present to the examination venue with certain items and identification materials. The identification materials are usually two forms of identification, a picture ID and an additional signature verification ID such as a driver’s license and social security card. Your picture will then be taken for the exam score report and you’ll be required to sign the Candidate Rules Agreement form. You are also allowed to bring along a basic (non-scientific) calculator.

Remember, stay calm. Start with the easy questions before attempting the harder ones. Avoid any form of cheating or suspicious activity. The computer offers a tutorial using sample questions so take out the time to familiarize yourself with the format.

Start the examination whenever you are ready. Most candidates finish well before the allotted time expires so don’t worry too much about time. So if you have been studying with practice questions you’ll have no problem at all. The results of the exam are released immediately, so there’s no prolonged waiting period.

How Is the Exam Structured

The Louisiana state salesperson exam is divided into two sections, a national section which has 80 questions and a state section with 55 questions. This gives a total of 135 questions worth 135 points.

The exam includes multiple-choice questions. The time allowed in the national section is 105 minutes, while 75 minutes are allowed in the state section. A passing score of 56 and 40 respectively is required.

Your score will be displayed immediately after completion of the exams and an official score report with your score and any other diagnostic information will be provided to you. The exam report will also be reported to the Louisiana Real Estate Commission. You must pass both portions of the exam before moving on to the next steps with your license.

General Tips for Answering Confusing Questions

Answers that contain words like ‘only,’ ‘never’ and ‘always’ usually indicate wrong answers
Answers that contain words like ‘generally,’ ‘often’ or ‘may’ usually indicate correct answers
Longer answers are usually more likely to be correct than shorter answers
Use the True/False method. This means trying to attach True/False to each answer

What Happens If You Fail the Exam

If you passed one section of the exam and failed the other you can retake only the section you failed. There is no limit on the number of times you may retest during this one year. However, you must obtain new examination eligibility from the LREC. To do this you must apply for new examination eligibility from the Louisiana Real Estate Commission and pay a $15.00 re-eligibility fee before you can reschedule your examination.

In Conclusion

Passing the Louisiana real estate exam is easy if you follow the right steps. Choose the right studying materials, revise your coursework and practice using prep agents and practice questions. Even if they don’t make it on the first attempt, most candidates pass by their second try.