How To Prepare for Your Maine Real Estate Exam

The real estate industry in the Pine Tree State is waxing strong with high demand and limited supply pushing home prices to new records. This is great for real estate agents who are paid on a commission basis based on the value of the property they represent.

Becoming a real estate agent within the Sunshine State involves taking the Maine Real Estate Commission (MREC) licensing 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 Maine real estate exams. Keep on reading!

How Difficult Is the Exam?

Well, to be eligible for the Maine real estate exam you are required to have a high school diploma, GED, or its equivalent. This implies that a certain level of intellectual ability must be expected from candidates.

However, that does not mean the exam is hard. With the right study tools, relevant information, and a reasonable amount of practice you can ace the exam on your first try.

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

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

You must be at least 18 years old
You must be a citizen of the United States or a legally qualified alien
You must have a high school diploma or its equivalent
Complete all 55 hours of Maine real estate pre-licensing classes
Pass the final exams of your real estate pre-licensing courses
Pass your Maine real estate exam
Find a sponsoring brokerage
Submit for fingerprinting and a national background check

How To Prepare for Your Maine Licensing Exam

Preparing for your real estate licensing exam just requires you to 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 55 Hours of Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course

The first step is to complete 55 hours of real estate pre-licensing courses which have been approved by the Maine Real Estate Commission (MREC). These courses involve most of the basic theories and practical concepts that you will need to know as a practicing real estate agent in the State of Maine.

The major topics covered in the course include:

Real property characteristics, legal descriptions, and property use
Forms of ownership, transfer, and recording of the title
Property value and appraisal
Real estate contracts and agency
Real estate practice
Property disclosures and environmental issues
Financing and settlement
Real estate math calculations
Maine real estate commission
Maine laws and rules governing activities or licensees
Law of agency/brokerage
Maine-specific principles and practices
Maine land-use law

These courses can be taken as physical classes supported by online resources, which usually last between 2-3 months. It can also be taken in the form of solely online classes depending on your preference. The duration of a solely online pre-licensing program depends on your schedule and how quickly you can grasp the material.

These classes will be anchored by experienced real estate professionals at MREC-approved centers. These courses may seem a bit confusing initially since you are learning an entirely new set of languages and 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: Maine Real Estate School

After completing the course you will be required to take a pre-licensing course final exam. The passing score is 75%. If you fail the course you are allowed to retake it.

Choose Valid Studying Materials

The licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE, a national testing service contracted by the MREC. They provide a candidate handbook and a course outline to help candidates prepare for the exam. You can access the Pearson VUE Maine real estate license exam handbook 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.

Helpful Real Estate Study Tool: Prep Agent

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 Exam with rote memorization, while some people would rather understand general concepts than go 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 goes 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

Pearson VUE allows you to take the examination online or at a Pearson VUE exam center. 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 Maine State salesperson exam is divided into two sections of multiple-choice questions, a national section, and a state section. The total number of questions is 120 questions (80 national-based questions and 40 state-based questions) which are to be answered in 4 hours. A passing score of 75% is required in both sections.

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 Maine Real Estate Commission.

You must pass both portions of the exam before moving on to the next steps with your license. If you passed one section of the exam and failed the other you can retake only the section you failed. However, you must pass the section you failed within three months or you’ll have to rewrite both sections of the exam.

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. You can retake that section as many times as you please before the expiration of your Course Completion Certificate. Failure to do this means you have to retake the pre-licensing course and retake both sections of the exam.

In Conclusion

Passing the Maine 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 on their second try.