Do any of you fellow hubbers know what I realized just the other day as I was talking to an old friend? Well do you? Yeah, that's okay, I kinda figured you wouldn't be able to guess, so I will tell you.

So, I found myself on the phone with an old friend of mine the other day, and you know we were laughing and having our girl chat, just catching up on times past, when she mentioned to me that she had been giving some thought to getting started selling real estate, that's right, she wants to become a real estate agent.

Now, I know that this may not seem like a revelation that will throw the earth out of rotation, but what struck me with intrigue is that I can't think of a single friend, family member or even acquaintance that hasn't contemplated selling real estate at one point or another. Its almost as if it were like a kid wanting to be a fireman, at what point did we begin to place real estate agents on a pedestal for all to bow their heads before? Have real estate agents become an iconic symbol in American culture?

Ah well, regardless of the answers to my philosophical questions above, I wanted to help out three-quarters of the developed world by giving you my tips and tid-bits for becoming an icon, I mean agent!

Many people at some point or another consider becoming a real estate agent as a good career choice. They think it will be easy to become a real estate agent, since in most states all they will need to do is take the necessary licensing classes and pass the real estate exam. However, there is a lot more to becoming a real estate agent that many people do not realize until they've already become a real estate agent.

Becoming an Agent Will Cost You Money: I know, I know, I am a horrible person for saying such a mean and nasty thing, but its true. No matter how hard you try, how many websites you visit or how many people you know, you will still have to shell out some smackers if you want to get your real estate license during this lifetime. Now before you start to hyperventilate and pass out on me here, I will say that the amount most people is spend is relatively affordable when compared to the costs associated with starting some other career types.

Depending on the state that you live in and the school that you choose, you can usually expect to pay anywhere from $200 all the way up to $1200 for the required pre-licensing courses. You can also expect a $50 to $75 application/licensing fee and of course any Realtor dues that may be required at the time of licensing. Hmmm, am I leaving anything out?

Please Plan on Being Patient: This is really hard but oh so important to point out. Becoming a real estate agent is nothing like getting hired at your local meat packing plant, and by that I mean that paychecks will not be regular, and for a while, they probably won't come at all. Agents are payed on commission of the sales that they make, which means quite simply, if you don't sell - you don't get payed.

Due to this, most new agents will plan for at least 4 to 6 months without an income, and even this may be cutting it short. This period of time allows for you to get comfortable with the environment and of course build up some clients and get some listings. I usually recommend that new agents plan for a year without income just to be safe, but that will be up to you.

During this time, you should realize that not everything can happen overnight. Successful real estate agents spend years building their business and clientele to get to the level that they are at, it will take just as much time and hard work to do the same, but you can make a living in the midst of success.

Becoming an Agent is Not as Hard as it Seems: Seriously, this is your light at the end of the tunnel I am sharing here. I know that a lot of people or "Internet Sources" make becoming a Realtor seem like an enormous undertaking, but its really quite simple and shouldn't take you long at all to complete.

Some pre-licensing courses can be done within as little as a weekend and all that's left is testing and waiting for approval. Some states require a little more before giving you a license which may take longer, but again it depends on the state that you are in. Stop worrying, you can do it!

This is the section about work, requirements and obligations so if you are afraid of commitment just skip over to the comments section and tell me how great I am.

However, if you are ready to get your real estate career on track then keep on reading and I am going to cover the requirements and items needed to get your license, as best as I can anyway. Are you ready?

Alright, so here in the U.S., every state requires a person to have a real estate license before they can make money selling any form of real estate, large or small. There is no way around this, it is a law and there are stiff penalties for selling real estate without a license so please don't try it. You should also know that the requirements for getting said license are not cut and dry as you may think, every state has different requirements which means that its very important you verify your states requirements before getting started.

Typically, the state licensing requirements will include around 45 classroom hours of pre-license, real estate training in a state accredited school. You can usually find links to these schools on your states Real Estate Commission website or visit some of the online real estate schools I have listed in this article.

You should also expect to be at least 18 years of age, some states require you to be 21, you should not have had any felony convictions within the last 10 years and you should have a highschool diploma or GED before getting started. These are all pretty general requirements and are required in the majority of states.

You will need to schedule a testing date through the state to take your real estate license exam, though some schools may arrange or handle this process for you while attending. There will also be a licensing fee that needs to be payed to the state before your license will be issued.

Make note that most if not all states require that you have a real estate broker sponsor you before getting licensed. Basically, this ensures that someone will be looking over your actions and the broker may be held responsible for any wrong doing you may do. It sounds a little challenging to find a broker, but its really quite easy. Most large real estate firms are actively pursuing new agents and even advertise their interest in newspapers and on their websites, so it should be really easy to find a sponsor.

Finally, the majority of states have some sort of post-licensing requirements that will need to be met after receiving your real estate license. Now they usually allow up to 1 year after licensing to meet these requirements, usually more training hours, and will likely require this each and every year you hold your license. It just keeps you up to date on real estate laws and training.

That's it guys and gals, so what are you waiting for, go out there and get your license because it won't come to you.