It's no secret that the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) exam in Singapore is one of the hardest exams to pass. In order to become a licensed real estate agent in Singapore, you must pass the RES exam which has a notoriously low passing rate of 30% to 40%. Being the over-achieving Singaporean, I was determined to pass the exam on my first try, and I'm happy to say that I was successful! The entire journey from attending classes in Aug 2021 to taking the exam in Oct 2021 took about 3 months and am now a practicing RES since Jan 2022.
In this blog post, I will share with you the top 5 things that helped me pass the real estate sales person exam.
Join a Real Estate Salesperson course
Needless to say, this is a prerequisite. There are many different real estate salesperson course providers available in Singapore. Most of them are scheduled either as four weeks of weeknight courses (7pm to 10pm), eight weeks of weekend (both Saturday and Sunday) full-day courses as well as intensive courses. These courses would usually cost about $800 to $900 and the good news is you can offset the amount with your SkillsFuture credit!
I did my research and decided to join the weeknight course offered by Life Mastery Academy. The lecturers were friendly and the course notes were very comprehensive and it really helped me understand the material. Another perk was that it was a purely online course so that means you can just log on to Zoom in the comfort of your own home. However, this was during peak of COVID so there could be some physical in-person courses available now so do your own research. I would definitely recommend Life Mastery to anyone who is looking for a real estate salesperson course in Singapore.
Purchase and practice with an assessment book
Being the kan cheong student, I asked if there were any "10-year series" type books we could purchase. Unfortunately, unless you have taken the exam before (and failed), no one really knows what the exams are like prior to sitting for it.
Fortunately, there are assessment books available and recommended by my lecturer (the author is Mdm Celeste Ng, which costed $75). These books really helped in lieu of actual exam papers. Do some questions after every lecture so that the information is still fresh in your mind and you have ample time to consult your lecturer if you do not understand certain concepts. You got to just practice and practice.
Read and understand course notes at least twice or three times before your exam
This is probably the most important tip that I can give you. It is essential that you not just read, but fully and thoroughly understand the course notes at least twice or three times. I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand the material. If you are kiasu enough time, you can ask around for course notes from other course providers from your friends. This might help since different course providers tend to emphasise their course notes on different topics.
Create a study schedule that fits your life
You can't just study for the exam whenever you have free time; you need to set aside specific times each week. That unfortunately means sacrificing a bit of Netflix or going-out time.
Right before the exam (which costs about $420 for two papers), I was studying at least two hours a day for at least 4 consecutive weeks, but you may need to study more depending on how much time you have available. Honestly, I don’t think I have studied this hard since my undergrad days.
Don't be afraid to ask questions and discuss with the course lecturer
If you don't understand something, don't be afraid to ask questions. The course lecturer is there to help you (and you also paid them good money to do so lol) and they will be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have. Everyone is learning and starting out on the same level so don’t be embarrassed. You can also discuss the material with your fellow classmates.
I hope you found my insights and tips helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Good luck on your journey to becoming a licensed real estate agent in Singapore!