Is Now the Right Time to Get Your Florida Real Estate License?

Spoiler: If you're asking, the answer is probably yes — and here's exactly how to plan it.

One of the most common questions we hear at the Tampa School of Real Estate is some version of: "Is now a good time to get into real estate?" People look at interest rates, market conditions, days on market — and use all of it as a reason to wait.

In this episode of State of Real Estate, instructor Jon Carissimo breaks down why waiting for external circumstances to create the perfect moment is the wrong approach — and what you should be doing instead.

Stop Waiting for the "Perfect Time"

Here's the hard truth: if you're waiting for the market to get hot again before you even start the licensing course, you're already too late.

Jon illustrates this with a powerful point from TSRE's own enrollment history: some of the school's biggest classes came during the frenzy of 2-3 days on market. Everyone rushed to get licensed right when the opportunity was already gone. The students who were positioned to win were the ones who started when the market was slow — so they were ready when things picked up.

"If you wait for the perfect time to quit your job and sign up for real estate classes, that perfect time usually never comes." — Jon Carissimo

Real estate is a river. Sometimes it's raging; sometimes it's slow. The time to build your boat is not when the rapids are peaking.

The Real Question: Full-Time or Part-Time?

Before you commit to quitting your job on day one, Jon's advice is clear: build a plan first.

The path to becoming a practicing real estate agent looks the same whether you go full-time or part-time — you just move at a different speed. Here's what that journey actually looks like:

Step 1 — Get Licensed (Pre-Licensing Course)

• 63 hours of required coursework
• Available in-person, live online, or on-demand video
• On-demand lets you go at your own pace — 2 hours/day finishes in about a month
• Full-time schedule? As fast as 5-7 days
• TSRE offers 12-month access — and students from 40+ countries have completed it online

Step 2 — Study and Pass the State Exam

• Add ~30 hours of exam prep (14-hour exam cram video, 5-hour audio review, 10+ hours in the question simulator)
• Your certificate of completion is valid for 2 years
• Jon's key insight: "It's not a test of how smart you are — it's a test of whether or not you know the information." The faster you complete the course and sit the exam, the fresher the material.

Step 3 — Post-Licensing (The Real-World Course)

• 45 hours of required coursework after you get your license
• This is where you learn how to actually make money — business planning, finding clients, pricing properties, presenting offers
• Don't skip this or delay it; this is the course that bridges law-based knowledge to real-world transactions

The Full Timeline

That's roughly 3.5 to 5 full-time work weeks standing between you and a practicing real estate career. Part-time, spread over a few months. Either way — it starts with a single enrollment.

What's the Earning Potential?

Here's some math worth sitting with. The average home price in the Tampa Bay area is around $420,000. At a 3% commission:

• Average Tampa Bay transaction → ~$12,600
• $4 million property (luxury, waterfront, commercial) → $120,000 in one transaction

Your Florida real estate license gives you the legal right to earn commissions on residential, commercial, luxury, and investment transactions. Without it, earning commission on any of those deals is a third-degree felony.

The barrier to entry is low. The upside is unlimited. What you do with it is up to you.

You Don't Have to Go All-In on Day One

Not ready to pay $1,000–$1,200 in MLS fees and Realtor board dues right out of the gate? There's a smarter starting point: the referral route.

As a referral-only agent, you:

• Activate your license with a low-cost referral broker
• Refer leads to full-service agents in your area (or other states)
• Collect a referral fee — typically 25%, sometimes as high as 50%
• Skip the MLS, board fees, lockboxes, and ongoing dues

Your license maintenance cost drops to essentially $50 every two years for the state renewal, plus a minimal referral broker fee. And you keep your options open to go full-service whenever you're ready.

For people who are well-connected — part of community organizations, professional networks, or simply have a wide circle — the referral model can generate real income while you're still building your full-service foundation.

The Momentum Factor

Jon makes a point that doesn't show up in any spreadsheet: momentum creates confidence, and confidence attracts clients.

When you're moving — studying, passing, activating, calling — people feel that energy. The agents who wait for everything to be perfect before they act are the ones still waiting a year later. The ones who got started imperfect and kept moving are the ones closing deals.

"The best time to take that first baby step is now."

What to Do Next

Whether you're exploring the idea or ready to enroll today, here's where to start:

• 📋 Register for the Florida Real Estate Career Fair — Meet multiple brokers in one place, explore commission splits and opportunities. → floridarealestatecareerfair.com
• 📞 Talk to someone — Call TSRE anytime at (813) 333-2676
• 🎓 Ready to enroll? — Start your pre-licensing course at the Tampa School of Real Estate and take advantage of the Pass or Don't Pay Guarantee

The market will always have a reason to wait. Your career doesn't have to.

Have questions about getting started? Drop them in the comments below or call us directly — we're here to help.