Interested in becoming a licensed real estate agent in Arizona? You'll have to meet some educational requirements.
First, you'll need to take a 90-hour pre-licensing education course. This course covers the principles and practices of real estate. It includes real estate laws and regulations that all agents should be familiar with.
In addition, the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) requires you to take a six-hour contract writing course. The six-hour class is divided into three hours of contract law and three hours of legal issues in real estate. Only ADRE-approved providers can administer this course.
Here are some of our most frequently asked questions about the Arizona six-hour contract writing course.
Why Do New Licensees Have to Take the Six-Hour Contract Writing Course?
Every state requires real estate license applicants to take some amount of pre-licensing education. But Arizona is unique in its contract-writing course requirement. Not only are you required to take the course, but you have to submit a certificate of completion with your license application.
Why is that?
The first reason is that as a real estate agent, you need to understand a lot of forms, documents, and contracts to do your job. Think about how difficult it would be to take a listing or negotiate a sale if you didn't know how to write a contract.
The second reason is that it prepares you for the exam. To get your Arizona real estate salesperson license, you have to pass a state exam. It includes 10 questions on contracts. Here are some contract topics you might find in exam questions:
Contract Essentials
Statute of Frauds
Purchase Contracts
Options & First Right of Refusal
Contractual Concepts
What Does the Course Cover?
The Arizona six-hour contract writing course includes three hours of contract law and three hours of real estate legal issues. It should also include some real-life examples from your instructor's real estate experience. You can expect to learn about the following topics during the course:
Purchase contracts and lease agreements: A purchase contract is a legal document that outlines the details of a home sale transaction and binds the buyer and seller to those details. A lease agreement is used for a rental. It outlines the rights and obligations of the landlord and the tenant.
Risk management: These are concepts to help you manage legal risks to you and your clients.
Financing options: Contracts should stipulate how the buyer plans to pay for the property.
Title and escrow: You'll learn how to do a title search and what you need to know about escrow accounts.
Disclosures and warranties: Disclosures are legally binding documents in which the seller lists any known defects in their home.
Due diligence: The time between going under contract and closing is known as the "due diligence period." This is when the buyer does a home inspection and investigates any problems with the property.
Negotiating the purchase contract: You'll learn various negotiating tips to help you get the best deal possible for your clients.
How Do I Take the Arizona Contract Writing Course?
The six-hour contract writing course is often offered as a standalone class. It must be taught by an ADRE-approved provider, and it can be either in-person or online. With Aceable, it’s included with the 90-hour pre-licensing course bundle.
Ready to take the next step in your Arizona real estate career? Register for our ADRE-approved 90-hour pre-licensing course and 6-hour contract writing course today!