Broker Exam

The law requires that broker license applicants demonstrate in a written examination:

• Appropriate knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and spelling; and of arithmetical computations common to real estate and business opportunity practices.
• An understanding of the principles of real estate and business opportunity conveyancing; the general purposes and general legal effect of agency contracts, deposit receipts, deeds, deeds of trust, chattel mortgages, bills of sale, mortgages, land contracts of sale, and leases; and of the principles of business, land economics and appraisals.
• A general and fair understanding of the obligations between principal and agent; the principles of real estate and business opportunity transactions, and the code of business ethics pertaining thereto; as well as of the provisions of the law relating to real estate as administered by the Real Estate Commissioner.

When changes in the law occur or changes in the practice of real estate take place, new subject matter is added to one or more of the major categories. Thus, the categories are revised and brought up-to-date on a regular basis. There is no assurance that a specific test will cover all subject areas listed, because the test merely samples the broad field of real estate.
Because there are differences in the level and amount of knowledge required of salespersons and brokers, the exams differ in their emphasis and difficulty.
The following lists of examination topics are for informational purposes and should not be considered totally comprehensive:

• Property Ownership and Land Use Controls and Regulations
• Laws of Agency
• Valuation and Market Analysis
• Financing
• Transfer of Property
• Practice of Real Estate and Mandated Disclosures
• Contracts

NOTE: To pass the broker examination and become eligible for a license, examinees must correctly answer at least 75% of the questions on the test.

• Classes of Property
• Property Characteristics
• Encumbrances
• Types of Ownership
• Descriptions of Property
• Government Rights in Land
• Public Controls
• Environmental Hazards and Regulations
• Private Controls
• Water Rights
• Special Categories of Land

• Law, Definition and Nature of Agency Relationships, Types of Agencies, and Agents
• Creation of Agency and Agency Agreements
• Responsibilities of Agent to Seller/Buyer as Principal
• Disclosure of Agency
• Disclosure of Acting as Principal or Other Interest
• Termination of Agency
• Commission and Fees
• Responsibilities of Agent to Non-Client Third Parties

• Value
• Methods of Estimating Value
• Financial Analysis

• General Concepts
• Types of Loans
• Sources of Financing
• Government Programs
• Mortgages/Deeds of Trust/Notes
• Financing/Credit Laws
• Loan Brokerage
• Types of Loan Originators

• Title Insurance
• Deeds
• Escrow
• Tax Aspects
• Special Processes
• Transfer through Court Supervision
• Types of Vesting

• Trust Account Management
• Fair Housing Laws
• Truth in Advertising
• Record Keeping Requirements
• Agency Supervision
• Permitted Activities of Unlicensed Sales Assistants
• DRE Jurisdiction and Disciplinary Actions
• Licensing, and Continuing Education Requirements and Procedures
• California Real Estate Recovery Fund
• General Ethics
• Technology
• Property Management
• Commercial/Industrial/Income Properties
• Specialty Areas
• Transfer Disclosure Statement
• Natural Hazard Disclosure Statements
• Disclosure of Material Facts Affecting Property Value
• Need for Inspection and Obtaining/Verifying Information
• Reports
• Servicing Diverse Populations

• General
• Listing Agreements
• Buyer Broker Agreements
• Offers/Purchase Contracts
• Agreements
• Promissory Notes/Securities
• Purchase/Lease Options
• Advanced Fee