How to  increase your success on the real estate exam. The goal is and always will be for you to take the exam with confidence.

4 Real Estate Exam Tips for Studying

1. Practice Exams

Haven’t you ever heard the age-old saying, “practice makes perfect?’ Well, it’s true! The number one tip might seem obvious, but it’s definitely the best way to prepare yourself for the exam.

2. Study Your Real Estate Terms and Vocab

By far, the most significant chunk of the real estate license exam is the vocabulary. The key concepts and words you have to study are essential for obtaining your real estate license, so it’s crucial you learn and become familiarized with them.

3. Practice Your Real Estate Math

Regardless of what state you are taking your real estate exam in, there will be real estate math. It’s a fact; real estate math is on every single real estate exam.

4. Build Your Own Real Estate Cheat Sheet

Everyone is different; some people are good at vocab; others are not. One of the best study hacks is to create a list of your weaknesses.

While studying find these weaknesses and put them into cheat sheet form. So maybe its real estate laws, or perhaps it’s real estate math, either way, write it down. Bring your cheat sheet with you everywhere.

 

3  Tips for the Day of the Exam

1. Get Your Affairs in Order

Find out where the exam is and when it is, so you can arrive early. Have your car filled up with gas. Basically, get all the preparation you can do done beforehand. Make sure exam day is just exam day.

Don’t forget your real estate exam registration documents, a calculator if you need one, and of course, any proper I.D. For more on what you need to bring come exam day here is an article on real estate requirements by state.

2. Get a Good Night’s Sleep the Night Before

Being well rested is an easy yet simple step that can put you ahead. It’s true; scientists even link a good night’s sleep to higher test scores. So no late night partying, or late night movie marathons! Dedicate your last night to some last minute studying then a nice nights sleep. Make sure to get 8-9 hours of sleep before exam day for the best results.

3. Have a Nice Breakfast

Never take an exam on an empty stomach. Nothing is worse than feeling hungry, so don’t add that to the list of things already on your mind come exam day. If you don’t feel like cooking that’s fine, run through the drive-through and have something before. The important thing is you eat. Eating before the exam will give you energy and help you focus.

 

6 Tips for the Exam Itself

1. Answer the Questions That Are Easy First

First and foremost, go through the entire exam and answer the questions that are easy, and you are confident in. If you are good at math, start with math. If you are good at real estate law, start with that. This will boost your confidence and get your exam off on a great start.

2. Skip Questions You Don’t Know

There is no shame in skipping answers as long as you remember to come back to them. Don’t waste time on a question that seems overly complicated. If you are bad at math, skip the math questions until the very end.

Remember the exam is timed, so make sure to maximize your time and work efficiently. This strategy is great because often the answer to a question you skipped may be revealed later on.

3. Read the Questions and Answers Thoroughly

While going through the exam, look at the questions and specifically the answers first. Don’t react unless you are 100% sure you know an answer. Look for specific keywords and phrases you remember from studying. If you use a real estate practice exam to study, you’ll notice exactly what I am talking about.

4. Eliminate Wrong Answers

Sometimes you have to work backward, and that’s okay. If you see something you know for a fact is wrong, remove it from the playing field. This will increase your odds of getting it correct. If you are taking the exam on paper, do not be afraid to cross an answer off the page. If you can eliminate two answers, you then have a 50% chance of getting the question correct. I like those odds!

5. Stick With Your Gut Feeling

Once you’ve answered an exam question, don’t change your answer! Never go back and change any of the answers. Any question you are sure of stick with it. Stay confident and trust yourself.

6. If All Else Fails – Guess

There is no shame in guessing. Often you might surprise yourself and guess correctly. Here’s the deal, the exam is multiple choice. There are four answers, which means statistically, you have a 25% chance of getting your guess right. If you use the elimination method from earlier, you could even increase your odds significantly. Don’t be afraid to guess, remember there is no penalty for guessing.