Ann Enos, director of professional development for the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, spoke to the Providence Business News recently about the education process for incoming Realtors. Through June 1, 1,444 students have enrolled in the association’s pre-license classes. Altogether, the association reports 4,674 licensed Realtors in its membership this year. The largest increase in recent years in pre-licensing registrations came in 2016, when 30 percent more people enrolled.
PBN: Are we having an increase in interest in people becoming Realtors?
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ENOS: Yes, we were seeing an appreciation in our registrations over the past five years. Last year, it was in the proximity of 1,000 registrations. Last year was significant.
PBN: What is attracting these individuals to the profession?
ENOS: When there is an uptick in the marketplace, obviously our industry becomes more attractive. What we’re also finding is the demographic of our student population is changing. People are looking at alternatives for employment, becoming an entrepreneur or a business owner. In general terms, they are independent contractors.
PBN: What does someone have to do to become a Realtor?
ENOS: The requirements are set by the state. They have to complete 45 hours of classroom training in what we call pre-licensing for sales associates. Once they complete those 45 hours, then typically what they start to do is look around for brokers that they want to affiliate with once they have their license.
PBN: Are the candidates generally chosen by a broker before they begin this process or do they look around afterward?
ENOS: It’s a mix. A lot of our students come in and they know they want to join this profession, but the rest of the process is kind of foreign to them. Some of the students, we have brokers we know are interested.
PBN: What do students learn in these classes and how long does it take?
ENOS: Typically, we offer 15 units of three-hour periods, because the information sometimes is overwhelming. We also have weekend classes. We have three-times-a-week meetings. We have twice-a-week mornings. We are trying to accommodate people.
Mary MacDonald is a PBN staff writer.
