Questions about real estate

In the state I grew up in you had to be 21 to get a Realtors license. You do not have to go to college. You just need to take a class. After you take the class you have to pass a test and pay for your license and any dues that the city you are living in charges to be a Realtor.

Here in Alberta you have to take classes but I am not sure where, for about 6 to 8 weeks and then write a government exam to get your license. I think every province is different in their requirements but it is basically the same. Then once you have your license you usually sign on with a real estate company that you pay a monthly fee to, to be a member with them, to sell under their company name and to get access to the houses they have listed if you have a buyer. Mind you, you also have access to other companies houses too, but you have to sell under some one or you have to become a broker if you want to sell independently. So then you need to go back to school and take some other courses and pass another exam. When you get a listing of your own you then have to pay a fee with the multipul listings which is pretty costly but you have to do it. It is the law here and I am sure in other provinces too. So all of this money comes out of your pocket even before you sell the house unless the company that you are selling under pays them and makes a deal with you on how much you pay them back, whatever your arrangements are, each month or when the sale is made. Also after the sale you have to pay the company your working for, a percentage of your profits. So it isn't as easy as it seems, or as glamourous. It can cost a lot of money so if you don't make any sales or it is a slow time, you might not make much money at times and it could cost you a lot of money upfront. How I know all of this, I know a lot of realators and my uncle was one of the most successful ones in Winnipeg in his day, and I inquired a lot about it because I was thinking of going into it myself about 2 years ago. I decided not to.