Is the Virginia Real Estate Exam Hard and How to Pass It the First Time?
To improve your chances of passing the Virginia real estate salesperson exam, you must study the right topics and prepare in the most effective manner.
This post helps you accomplish both by sharing tips for focusing your studies, familiarizing you with the exam’s content and format, and covering exam-day strategies for a successful result.
Here’s what you need to know as you get ready for the test.
Best Way to Pass the Virginia Real Estate Exam
How to Study for the Virginia Real Estate Exam
Virginia’s required pre-licensing curriculum is designed to provide the specific knowledge you need to pass the exam and competently enter the real estate profession.
So, you should take a conscientious approach to complete the approved 60 hours of classwork. That means actively engaging with course materials, taking good notes, and reviewing regularly.
Several course access options are available, giving you a choice for how you study.
- Classroom courses, if you prefer a traditional way of learning
- Video-conference classes led by an instructor in real time
- Online lessons completed on your schedule without live instruction
- Self-study, where you do coursework independently with a textbook
You can also benefit from participating in a study group virtually or in person. It helps you clarify concepts and fill in learning gaps. You’re less likely as well to succumb to procrastination.
An exam prep course can also enhance your study efforts. You can take the course online, in the classroom, or virtually via Zoom.
Know which method suits your learning style by reading our A-to-Z guide comparing online vs in-person real estate classes.
Most are organized by topics and include tools like flashcards, question banks, and mock tests.
Those practice tests are excellent study aids that help you reinforce what you know. Plus, they give you a true feel for the types of questions on the exam and the timed test environment.
When studying, you also want to make the most headway in all your efforts. Take actions like those listed below to advance your progress.
- Develop a schedule and a plan with milestones.
- Space study sessions out for improved retention.
- Digest the information in multiple ways.
Survey of Experts
Did you take your pre-licensing real estate course online or in person?
Do you think taking a real estate pre-licensing course online can save students time compared to in-person courses?
What is the name of the school where you completed your pre-licensing course?
Expert Insight
Do you see any advantages of taking an online course over the in-person class?
I recommend taking the class in person. It’s more interactive, and you have accountability with the guaranteed time you’re spending on studying and learning the content.
Oftentimes, the instructor will know which areas to highlight and focus on because they know what kinds of questions are on the exam. This will help you spend more time on the important content.
With the online course, you can be more efficient and not have to dedicate specific times of day to the required classroom sessions.
If you have some real estate knowledge before going into the class, I think an online course can save time.
Yes. Online is typically easier and less time consuming.
What to Study for the Virginia Real Estate Exam
How hard is the Virginia real estate exam to prepare for?
It will undoubtedly be arduous if you don’t know what’s on the test and try to review all of your class materials equally.
However, your study efforts are significantly more manageable when you know what topics the exam covers and in what depth.
That requires knowing where to get an idea of what is on the real estate exam.
Here’s a suggestion for that: The Candidate Information Bulletin published by the test vendor PSI contains details about the current exam, including the prevalence of questions by topic.
According to this booklet, the exam tests you on ten content areas for the national portion. Four of these account for close to two-thirds of the questions on that section of the test:
- Real Estate Contracts (17)
- Real Estate Practice (13)
- General Agency Principles (13)
- Financing and Lending (10)
Here’s the question count by topic on the exam section covering Virginia real estate laws. As you can see, more than half of your score comes from two areas.
- Agency Relations (12)
- Disclosure Requirements (10)
- Licensing (8)
- Fair Housing (4)
- Specific Practice Acts (4)
You can use this information as a guide when doing a refresher on your pre-licensing coursework to avoid stretching yourself too thin and to be better prepared.
7 Tips for Passing the Virginia Real Estate Exam
You’ve studied hard and done mock tests. Now, it’s time to put some proven practices into play to ensure you have a successful test day.
Check out the following strategies for optimizing your performance even when the real estate exam difficulty level is high.
1. Dress to test well.
Wear a comfortable outfit since you’ll sit in place for hours. But avoid “layabout attire” that’s not conducive to focused thinking. Also, dress in layers so you can control how hot or cool you are.
2. Start strong.
Don’t waste precious time early on by struggling with answers you don’t know. Instead, skip to the next item and earn points for what you’re sure of, then return to the difficult questions.
3. Closely read each question more than once.
You risk missing an essential word or clue if you skim a question or read it once. That can lead you to jump to the wrong conclusion when answering.
4. Read all the answers.
Steer clear of the temptation to pick the first answer choice that looks right. Instead, you must choose the best answer for what’s being asked.
5. Don’t leave anything blank.
If you’re stuck, guess. There’s no penalty for doing so, and you may guess correctly. To increase the chances of that, use the process of elimination to rule out incorrect choices.
6. Take the questions at face value.
It’s easy to make assumptions and read more into a question than is there. Consciously resist that tendency and answer only based on the information presented.
7. Trust yourself.
Be willing to change an answer if you’re confident it’s wrong. Otherwise, avoid second-guessing answers where you went with your first impression.
For additional tips, refer to my article discussing how to study for the real estate exam.
Expert Insight
Tips to help future agents pass the real estate exam.
In addition to being an active Realtor, I am also an instructor. One of the things I tell my students is that every night, some of the information comes out of your ears as you sleep.
What I am really saying is that you need to study daily — review information, terms, take quizzes, etc. — because it’s hard to retain all of the information you need to pass the exam.
Take the exam immediately after your course is over. Book the exam for the day or so after the course finishes, so the material is fresh in your mind!
Learn the math portion inside and out. Understanding the math portion is also a very valuable skill for the real world questions buyers and sellers will have.
Just use your common sense and don’t second-guess yourself.
What Is the Cost of Taking the Virginia Real Estate Exam?
As an initial applicant, you must satisfy the pre-licensing education requirement to be eligible for the test. Therefore, the Virginia real estate exam will cost you more than a registration fee.
The price for enrolling in the 60-hour preparatory course ranges from $150 to $600. Factors that impact that price include the school and delivery format you choose.
Look to pay up to the $600 mark to attend Virginia real estate classes in a traditional setting or participate in a virtual classroom. Online courses are the more budget-friendly option.
The exam fee is $60, which you pay directly to PSI to register. The quickest way to do that is online, where you pick from a list of Virginia real estate exam locations and choose a test slot.
We have an in-depth guide tackling how much a real estate license in Virginia is.
How Hard Is It to Pass the Virginia Real Estate Exam?
What Is the Virginia Real Estate Exam Pass Rate?
According to pre-licensing education providers, the pass rate for first-time takers of the Virginia real estate exam averages as follows:
- 53 percent on the national portion
- 49 percent on the state section
Here’s another way to think about it: Approximately half of the test takers have to repeat both portions of the exam at least once to get a passing score.
Those numbers indicate that the state’s real estate salesperson exam is tough to pass the first time around.
A summary of recent pass rates for first-time and repeat examinees confirm the challenging nature of the test, whether it’s a first or subsequent attempt.
That report shows an average of 46 percent of candidates passing the state-specific part. That drops to 37 percent for the national portion.
While the exam is difficult, the data shows that passing isn’t impossible. So, preparation clearly also factors into how many people pass the real estate exam on the first try.
How Many Questions Are on the Real Estate Exam in Virginia?
The salesperson licensing exam is a 120-question timed test divided into two parts: state and national. All questions are multiple choice with four answer options.
How many questions are on the VA real estate exam section that focuses on state-specific content? That part consists of 40 items about the Commonwealth’s real estate laws.
The national section covers common principles across states and is the largest portion of the test. Its 80 questions cover the general knowledge you need to be a proficient agent.
PSI may also include 5-10 pretest questions that they refer to as “experimental.”
These may be new or revised questions to be vetted by exam candidates before PSI uses them for scoring. So, they don’t impact whether you pass or fail.
As for the allocated time, you have a 150-minute time limit when taking the real estate exam. Forty-five minutes applies to the state portion and 105 minutes to the national section.
How Many Math Questions Are on the Virginia Real Estate Exam?
Math plays a vital role in real estate transactions. So, the exam’s national portion includes a section covering this content.
Specifically, there are eight questions on the test where you’ll have to apply your knowledge of real estate math concepts and calculations, such as the following:
- Evaluating loan-to-value ratios
- Applying discount points and prorations
- Calculating property taxes and transfer fees
- Computing principal, interest, taxes, and insurance
- Determining down payment, equity, and commission
What Is the Virginia Real Estate Exam Passing Score?
Scores for the two parts of the exam are not cumulative. That being the case, applicants must pass each portion separately. Here are the minimum raw scores to test successfully.
- State section: 30 of 40 questions correct
- National portion: 56 of 80 questions correct
How will you know whether you passed or failed?
If you take the exam by computer and pass it, you’ll get a successful notification on the screen as soon as you complete the test.
If you fail, you’ll see an unsuccessful notification and a diagnostic report on your performance on each part of the exam.
PSI will mail your real estate exam results if you take the paper-and-pencil exam.
Survey of Experts
How difficult was it for you to study and pass the Virginia real estate license exam?
How many attempts did it take you to pass your real estate license exam?
Expert Insight
What would you recommend real estate students to invest extra in to ensure passing the exam on the first try?
I think that depends on the student. If you get it right away, I would say none. If you are struggling, I would recommend getting flashcards or tutoring to help you study/pass the exams.
Question banks. Books that have multiple practice questions.
What Happens if You Fail the Real Estate Exam in Virginia?
How Many Times Can You Fail and Retake the Virginia Real Estate Exam?
Virginia is one of the states where there isn’t a limit on the number of times incoming Virginia real estate agents can retest. So, you can keep trying until you pass both portions.
If that happens at the same time, you have one year from that date to apply for your license.
However, a caveat comes into play if you pass one part but fail the other.
Your passing score is valid for up to one year from that exam date. If you don’t successfully retake the other part by then and submit your application, you must repeat the expired portion.
In other words, the one-year countdown to the application deadline begins with the earlier date.
How Long Do You Have to Wait to Retake the Virginia Real Estate Exam?
PSI policies prohibit you from scheduling a new exam attempt on the same day you tested unsuccessfully. However, you can call or re-register online as soon as the following day.
How far out your reservation will be from then depends on your schedule and when nearby centers have their first available openings. If everything syncs, you could retest within two days.
However, having learned the answer to the question, “is the VA real estate exam hard to pass,” you may purposely push the retest out to do more studying and practice tests.
For an estimated timeline to complete all the other steps in the licensing process, read our article on how long it takes to get a real estate license in Virginia.
Do You Have to Pay to Retake the Virginia Real Estate Exam?
You must pay a registration fee for every attempt to pass the exam. The cost is the same for taking one portion or both, and for your initial try and all retakes: $60.
With the information in this guide, the real estate salesperson exam should feel less daunting. And, studying should be faster and easier to do.
You can also add to your knowledge about the licensing process in the Old Dominion with our post on how to get a real estate license in Virginia.
Take note that part of the licensing process is fulfilling a background check for a Virginia real estate license. This will let you know if a criminal violation may hinder you from getting licensed.
Another requirement is to be under the supervision of a licensed real estate broker. Pick one from our directory of the best real estate brokerage firms in Virginia.
Know what to look for in a real estate company by reviewing our guide on choosing a broker to work for as a new agent.
And as a practicing agent, you can help accelerate and sustain a successful career by reading the following resources:
- What happens after you pass your real estate exam
- Is being a real estate agent worth it?
- How to join a real estate team
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 a REALTOR® with over 20 years of professional experience. She actively practices real estate in Ohio but also has practiced real estate in California and Texas. Conducting her real estate business in three states has allowed her to gain unique experiences that make her a well-rounded realtor. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and her MBA with a concentration in Banking and Finance. Prior to real estate, Kristina had an extensive corporate career in banking and treasury. She ended her finance career as an Assistant Treasurer at a publicly traded oil & gas company in Houston, TX.