How Hard Is the Indiana Real Estate Exam and How to Pass It the First Time?

When taking the real estate exam in Indiana, you need the right combination of studying and pre-licensing coursework to be able to get great real estate exam results.

We’ve collected all the insights you need below, from what’s on the exam to the best study strategies. This is everything you need to know to approach test day with confidence.

Ready to dive in? Let’s start with how best to study for the real estate exam in the state.

How to Study for the Indiana Real Estate Exam

Studying for the real estate exam begins in the classroom. You’re required to take a 90-hour pre-licensing course as a prerequisite to obtain a real estate license in Indiana.

This single course contains all the information a prospective agent needs to prepare themselves for the real estate license exam.

You must take the course from a state-approved education provider and receive at least a 75 percent in the class to pass.

You can look for an accredited institution from our directory of the top-rated real estate schools in Indiana. Many of these providers give you the option between an in-person or virtual class.

It’s best to weigh the pros and cons of online real estate classes vs classroom courses to know which method will work for you best.

Taking in-person classes gives you direct access to experts and future colleagues in real estate. It also provides a consistent and reliable schedule to add to your busy life.

This option is often ideal for those who already have a lot of other commitments built into their lives. The predictability of the course schedule helps you get on a set track.

Going the virtual route, on the other hand, gives you a lot of flexibility. You can take the class when it’s best for you, and even possibly finish up in less time than expected.

You’re also able to pick where you learn. You can find the perfect, quiet spot to optimize your time instead of being in a classroom potentially full of distractions.

While the classwork will get you started studying, you’ll most likely need additional resources to round out your exam prep.

There are a variety of books out there to help, but you can also take practice tests to prepare. PSI, the company who proctors the exam, offers a variety of supplemental materials.

What to Study for the Indiana Real Estate Exam

As your studying begins, it’s important to know where to get an idea of what is on the real estate exam. You want to make sure you study the right topics after all.

The best place to find up-to-date testing details is in the Candidate Information Bulletin. It breaks down all the topics covered on the real estate license exam.

Since the exam is broken down into two parts — a national section and a state one — you’ll know what to study for each.

The primary topics to review for the national section of the Indiana real estate license exam include:

• Property ownership
• Land use controls and regulations
• Valuation and market analysis
• Financing
• General principles of agency
• Property disclosures
• Contracts
• Leasing and property management
• Transfer of title
• Practice of real estate
• Real estate calculations

For the state-specific section, key topics include:

• The Indiana Real Estate Commission
• Licensing (at the state level)
• Statutory and regulatory requirements
• Statutes and rules governing licensees
• Real estate office procedures

The bulletin also mentions what percentage of the exam will focus on each particular topic to help you prioritize which ones to study more thoroughly.

6 Tips for Passing the Indiana Real Estate Exam

After gathering the list of exam topics, and starting to attend your pre-licensing class, the next thing to do is prepare to study.

Don’t let real estate exam difficulty overwhelm you. Hitting the books, in addition to everything else, can positively impact your success rate.

Start with a good study plan. This entails studying more efficiently and making sure you remember everything you need to know.

As soon as that first set of class notes are done, it’s time to figure out the best way to study. These six tips can help you stay on the right track with your study plan.

1. Memorize What You Can

There are so many facts to know when it comes to real estate. Having to memorize so much can seem daunting, so set yourself up early with the right study aid — flashcards.

Creating a stack of flashcards to quiz yourself on regularly is one of the best ways to commit important information to memory.

Add to the stack as more information comes in, and quiz yourself as often as necessary to prepare for the real estate license exam.

2. Take Class Notes

Studying outside of class is all well and good, but the real information you need to know comes to you while in class.

Take strong notes to make reviewing easier later on. Having so much need-to-know material on hand will only make studying more efficient.

3. Make Topic Outlines

Another way to use your notes to study is to transform them into concise outlines of information. Pull out the extra bits you don’t need, and organize what’s important.

Outlines make it easier to review information, and creating them while the concepts are fresh means better study aids down the road.

4. Study with a Group

Maintaining that drive to study isn’t always easy when you’re working alone. Forming a study group can help you focus and keep you on a study schedule as well.

You’ll not only have a group to talk through concepts with, but it will be much easier to find a partner to quiz you on those flashcards.

5. Schedule Study Breaks

Stress and studying often go hand-in-hand, but you can’t study well if you’re all stressed out. Tossing some ‘me’ time into your study schedule will make a positive difference.

Set aside time to eat well and get plenty of rest as you get closer to test day. You don’t want all your studying to count for nothing because you’re not up to taking the test.

On test day, make sure to eat a hearty breakfast and bring along a snack for the drive to the testing site for an added boost of self-care.

6. Do Test Day Right

Studying isn’t the only preparation you need to do to succeed on the real estate license exam in Indiana. You also want to be smart about how you go through the test itself.

You’ll feel the pressure once you sit down, but stay calm and use these tips to have a better experience:

• Read through the whole test before answering anything and single out the easiest questions first.
• Mark the hardest questions, the ones you just don’t know, for last.
• At some point, you will have to guess but only pick an answer that you feel like you’ve seen before. Use a process of elimination to narrow down your choice.
• Never pick your final answer before reading through all the answer choices, no matter what you think you know.

Get more study tips from our article discussing how to pass the real estate exam the first time.

Although there’s a straightforward fee of $53 to take the real estate license exam in Indiana, the actual costs include a few more charges.

You can’t get to the exam without completing the pre-licensing course. This cost will vary based on the educational institution, but you should budget in a few hundred dollars.

Additional fees include the application fee of $60 and a business license fee between $25-$50.

For a more comprehensive breakdown of licensing fees, we cover this topic in our article on Indiana real estate license costs.

What Is the Indiana Real Estate Exam Pass Rate?

While there is no real estate salesperson exam in Indiana, you will have to sit for the exam to get a broker’s license. To register for the exam, create an online account or call 855-746-8172.

Is the Indiana real estate exam hard? Yes, and you’re right to worry about how many people pass the real estate exam the first time around. Over 50 percent fail the first time.

To improve your chances of passing, in addition to studying, you may want to look into pre-licensing course packages some companies offer.

These can guarantee a higher pass rate, if you participate in their program, and often offer additional study aids, too.

How Many Questions Are on the Indiana Real Estate Exam?

Taking the real estate exam in Indiana can be either an in-person or virtual experience. If you opt to study via traditional classroom, there are PSI testing sites in:

• Anderson
• Avon
• Columbus
• East Chicago
• Evansville
• Fishers
• Fort Wayne
• Goshen
• Indianapolis
• Kokomo
• Lafayette
• Lawrenceburg
• Madison
• Muncie
• Richmond
• South Bend
• Terre Haute
• Valparaiso
• Warsaw

The real estate license exam itself is a total of four hours. You’ll have 150 minutes to answer the 75 questions on the national portion of the exam.

The state-specific portion is shorter, with only 50 questions. You’ll have 90 minutes to complete this section.

How Many Math Questions Are on the Indiana Real Estate Exam?

Math questions pop up on the national portion of the real estate license exam. They consist of eight percent of the section, totaling six questions.

The three primary topics that include math are:

• Basic math concepts
• Calculations for transactions
• Calculations for valuation and rate of return

What Score Do You Need to Pass the Indiana Real Estate Exam?

The passing percentage for the real estate license exam in Indiana starts at a 75. That’s the lowest score you can receive to get your license.

When you pass both sections of the exam, you’ll see your score on the screen immediately after you’re done. A second copy gets emailed to you.

If you don’t pass both sections, the emailed score report will also include diagnostic information to help you assess your strengths and weaknesses for future preparation.

How Many Times Can You Fail and Retake the Indiana Real Estate Exam?

In Indiana, you have unlimited attempts at the real estate license exam within a specific period of time.

That time frame starts on the date listed on your course completion certificate for your pre-licensing coursework. It expires exactly a year later.

How Long Do You Have to Wait to Retake the Indiana Real Estate Exam?

While you can’t schedule a retake on the day of an exam, you can contact PSI the following day to make an appointment, should you need to take the exam again.

If you’re in a rush, you can get an appointment as soon as the very next day, pending availability.

For example, if you fail a portion of the exam on a Tuesday, you can contact PSI by Wednesday to schedule a retake, and potentially take the test as soon as Thursday.

If you want to know how much time you need to allot to complete all the other steps in the licensing process, read our post on how long does it take to get a real estate license in Indiana.

Do You Have to Pay to Retake the Indiana Real Estate Exam?

You’re required to pay a fee each time you retake the Indiana real estate license exam, whether you’re retaking one or both parts.

The fee for each retake is the same as the original test fee, which is $53.

Apart from completing the pre-licensing course and passing the exam, applicants who wish to become bonafide real estate agents in Indiana are required to find a sponsoring broker.

Picking the right broker to work for entails going through a real estate company’s credentials, success record, and how they go about onboarding new agents.

Once you know the broker qualities you’re looking for, you can choose one from our database of the top real estate brokerage firms in Indiana.

You will also be required to undergo a background check for an Indiana real estate license. This will determine if you are eligible to get licensed in the state.

While waiting for the approval of your license, you can use your time to research on how best you can establish a successful career in real estate.

Getting insight from industry experts on the pros and cons of being a real estate agent as a career can help you prepare for the work commitment involved as a new agent.

You should also ponder on your next steps after passing the real estate exam and find a real estate team to be a part of.

Joining a real estate team allows you to touch base with experienced realtors who can give you helpful tips on how to thrive in your chosen career.

To help you build and grow your real estate career quickly, we at Real Estate Bees created a directory for real estate professionals.

It’s designed to help you get more exposure for your business, including receiving leads. Create a free profile by signing up here.

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About the Author

Kristina Morales is both a licensed mortgage loan originator and real estate agent in the State of Ohio. Inspired by her years of working with buyers and sellers and seeing a need for more consumer education, Kristina created loanfully.com, an online educational resource for borrowers and industry professionals. In addition to real estate sales and mortgage lending, Kristina had an extensive corporate career in banking, treasury, and corporate finance. She ended her corporate career as an Assistant Treasurer at a publicly traded oil & gas company in Houston, TX. Kristina obtained her MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and her B.A in Business Management from Ursuline College.