How to Become a Real Estate Agent in New Hampshire
To become a real estate agent in New Hampshire, you must first be licensed by the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission. You must first complete the required education at an approved real estate school.
Here's what you need to know to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire:
1) Licensing Requirements
2) License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
3) What is a REALTOR®?
4) Income Potential
5) Real Estate Schools
How to Become a Real Estate Agent in New Hampshire
1) Real Estate Agent Licensing Requirements in New Hampshire
You MUST be licensed by the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission in order to be a real estate agent in New Hampshire.
To obtain your New Hampshire real estate agent's license so that you can practice as a real estate agent in New Hampshire, you must:
i) Satisfy the minimum requirements requirements to apply to sit for the real estate exam:
- be 18 years or older.
- successfully completed 40 hours of required education
ii) Submit a completed New Hampshire Real Estate Examination Registration Form along with:
- Exam Fee of $100
- School Certifications for required real estate courses
iii) Upon receiving notification of your eligibility, Register, Take and pass the New Hampshire salesperson exam. The exam is 3.5 hours long with 100 questions for the national portion and 40 questions on the state portion. To pass, you'll need to answer at least 70% correctly on both portions.
iv) Complete and submit application for real estate license to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission along with:
- completed New Hampshire Real Estate Salesperson License Application.
- original exam score report
- license fee of $70
The New Hampshire real estate salesperson license is valid for 2 years. To continue practicing as a real estate agent in New Hampshire, you must complete the required continuing education and pay the appropriate license renewal fees.
The continuing education requirement is 3 hours of core course and 6 hours of electives. There is a renewal fee of $70.
3) What is a REALTOR®?
A real estate agent is a REALTOR® when he or she pays an annual fee to be a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its Code of Ethics.
The agent generally join through the local board or association.
For example, in Bedford, NH once you have obtain your real estate license, you may pay a fee to join the GREATER MANCHESTER/NASHUA BOARD OF REALTORS®.
Joining the local board makes you a member of the NEW HAMPSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®.
All REALTORS® are real estate agents but not all real estate agents are REALTORS®.
4) Income Potential
Real estate agents are generally paid based on a percentage of the sales price. The seller may pay 4 to 7% of the sales price as the fee and that will usually be split 50/50 between the seller and buyer's broker.
In Portsmouth, NH, the 2004 median home price is approximately $387,000. Assume that the fee is 6%, the buyer's and seller's broker is each paid 3% or $11610.
This fee is then split further between the broker and agent. Generally, for starting agents, the split is 50/50. So in this case, the agent will end up receiving $5805 for the transaction.
There is no limit as to how much an agent can make in a year - the sky's the limit.Based on Portsmouth's median home price and the above example, a real estate agent in New Hampshire can make about $58,050/year by selling 10 houses a year. By selling one house per week, the real estate agent in New Hampshire will have a salary of $301,860.
5) Real Estate Schools
The first step to becoming a real estate agent in New Hampshire is to take the required classes at an approved real estate school. School status may change so it is best to call the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission at 603.271.2701 prior to signing up for a class.
Below are some real estate schools in cities like Bedford, Portsmouth, Rochester, Manchester, Hanover in New Hampshire that are currently approved by the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission.
Real Estate Schools in New Hampshire:
| COURSE PROVIDER | CLASS LOCATIONS | TELEPHONE NUMBERS |
| ARTEMIS BOWEN, INC. | PLAISTOW | TEL: 603-382-4090 |
| BARRY SCHOOL OF REAL ESTATE | STATEWIDE | TEL: 603-753-0070 |
| CARLSON GMAC LICENSE SCHOOL | BEDFORD | TEL: 800-892-9444 |
| CENTRAL NH SCHOOL OF REAL ESTATE | LACONIA | TEL: 603-286-4114 |
| CHARLINE MASON SEMINARS UNLIMITED | PORTSMOUTH, HAMPSTEAD, ROCHESTER, LACONIA | TEL: 603-772-1400 |
| CORE KNOWLEDGE REAL ESTATE SCHOOL | CONCORD, STRATHAM, BEDFORD | TEL: 603-225-7654 |
| ELENZ KATZ REAL ESTATE SCHOOL | CHESTER | TEL: 603-382-5103 |
| J. DAVID CARMODY | SALEM | TEL: 603-329-6439 |
| KATHY ROOSA SCHOOL OF REAL ESTATE APPROVAL | MANCHESTER & NO. LONDONDERRY | TEL: 603-595-0418 |
| KENNETH A. DESCHUITENEER | MANCHESTER | TEL: 603-668-6900 |
| LEVINS & ASSOCIATES | CONCORD & MANCHESTER | TEL: 603-629-0056 |
| NEAL BARRETT | NASHUA | TEL: 603-930-9671 |
| NH COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - BERLIN | BERLIN | TEL: 603-752-1113 |
| NH COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - CLAREMONT APPROVAL #P026 | CLAREMONT | TEL: 603-542-7744 |
| NH COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - MANCHESTER | MANCHESTER, DERR | TEL: 603-668-6706 EXT. 302 |
| NH TECHNICAL INSTITUTE - CONCORD | CONCORD | TEL: 603-271-7122 |
| PLAISTOW | TEL: 603-382-4545 | |
| TERRY O'DONNELL'S REAL ESTATE SCHOOL | KEENE | TEL: 603-357-2121 |
| THE REAL ESTATE CAREER CENTER | CONCORD & NASHUA | TEL: 603-320-5265 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE | DURHAM | TEL: 603-431-2515 |
| VT/NH REAL ESTATE EDUCATORS | WEST LEBANON, CLAREMONT, LITTLETON & BERLIN | TEL: 802-333-3683 |
| WINN ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE EDUCATION | LITTLETON | TEL: 603-444-7781 |
| WORKSHOPS FOR MODERN REAL ESTATE | KEENE, CLAREMONT, HANOVER, LEBANON | TEL: 603-352-7884 |
Also check out information on how to become a real estate appraiser in New Hampshire