(**) Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning RealEstateCareerHQ.com will get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through the links, but at no additional cost to you.
Your real estate license is your ticket to a new career, and passing the salesperson exam is one of the mandatory requirements. But what exactly should you do to prepare for it? What is the format of the exam? Which sections have a greater score weighting?
In this guide, I will go over the content, sample questions (these are in the video), FAQ, exam preps of the Hawaii real estate salesperson exam. Although the result is not guaranteed, I’m confident it can help to increase your chance of passing it significantly. So you will be one step closer to starting your real estate career in Hawaii.
But before we start, I want to give a brief disclaimer. This post is not intended as legal advice or state/federal real estate training. It is for general information only. Please always follow your State laws and best practices.
The Colibri is the online school that I like. Their Exam Prep have helped thousands of students pass their exam on the first try. They even have a “Pass or Don’t Pay” Guarantee. That’s why confident they are with their program. You may click here to view their exam prep. (**)
How to Pass the Hawaii Real Estate Exam?
The Hawaii Real Estate Salesperson Exam has 130 questions with 4 hours of writing time. To pass the Hawaii Real Estate Salesperson Exam, the candidate must achieve a score of at least 70%. Study the course materials from a trusted education provider, read over the Candidate Information Bulletin and doing multiple exam preps can increase the chance of passing the exam.
How to register for the Hawaii Real Estate Exam?
The Hawaii Real Estate Salesperson Exam is administered by the PSI and to schedule in writing it, you can create an account on their website. In there, you can choose the testing center and date. The exam fee is $61 and it can be paid through a credit card, debit card or electronic check.
If you have any questions about the Hawaii real estate exam, you may contact them at (855) 579-4640, their office opens
- Monday through Friday between 1:30 am and 4:00 pm,
- Saturday and Sunday, between 3:00 am and 12:00pm
Keep in mind that you must make the reservation at least 2 days before the exam.
How many questions are on the Hawaii real estate exam?
The Hawaii Real Estate Salesperson Exam has a total of 130 questions and it consists of the National Portion and State Portion. The National Portion has 80 questions and the State Portion has 50 questions.
Here’s the content of the National Portion:
| Sections | Weighting | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| PROPERTY OWNERSHIP | 8% | A. Real versus personal property; conveyances B. Land characteristics and legal descriptions C. Encumbrances and effects on property ownership D. Types of ownership |
| LANDUSE CONTROLS AND REGULATIONS | 5% | A. Government rights in land B. Government controls C. Private controls |
| VALUATION AND MARKET ANALYSIS | 7% | A. Appraisals B. Estimating Value C. Competitive/ Comparative Market Analysis |
| FINANCING | 10% | A. Basic concepts and terminology B. Types of loans C. Financing and lending |
| GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF AGENCY | 13% | A. Agency and non-agency relationships B. Agent’s duties to clients C. Creation of agency and non-agency agreements; disclosure of conflict of interest D. Responsibilities of agent to customers and third parties, including disclosure, honesty, integrity, accounting for money E. Termination of agency |
| PROPERTY DISCLOSURES | 6% | A. Property condition B. Environmental issues requiring disclosure C. Government disclosure requirements (LEAD) D. Material facts and defect disclosure |
| CONTRACTS | 17% | A. General knowledge of contract law B. Contract Clauses, including amendments and addenda C. Offers/purchase agreements D. Counteroffers/ multiple offers |
| LEASING AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT | 3% | A. Basic concepts/duties of property management B. Lease Agreements C. Landlord and tenant rights and obligations D. Property manager’s fiduciary responsibilities E. ADA and Fair Housing compliance in property management |
| TRANSFER OF TITLE | 8% | A. Title insurance B. Deeds C. Escrow or closing; tax aspects of transferring title to real property D. Special processes E. Warranties |
| PRACTICE OF REAL ESTATE | 13% | A. Trust/escrow accounts B. Federal fair housing laws and the ADA C. Advertising and technology D. Licensee and responsibilities E. Antitrust laws |
| REAL ESTATE CALCULATIONS | 10% | A. Basic math concepts B. Calculations of transactions |
Here is the exam content of the State Portion:
| Sections | Number of items | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Ascertaining and Disclosing Material Facts | 8 | 1. Bureau of Conveyances/Land Court 2. Tax Office 3. Statutory disclosures 4. Environmental conditions 5. Hawaii land history and property rights |
| Types of Ownership | 4 | 1. Condominiums 2. Cooperatives 3. Time sharing plans 4. Land trust 5. Planned Unit Development |
| Property Management | 4 | 1. Residential Landlord-Tenant Code 2. Commercial real estate management (Broker only) |
| Land Utilization | 3 | 1. Planning, land use, and zoning (county ordinance) 2. Restrictive covenants 3. State land use classification 4. Special Management Areas |
| Title and Conveyances | 6 | 1. Estates and interests 2. Tenancy 3. Liens 4. Recording systems 5. Boundary issues 6. Foreclosure |
| Contracts | 5 | 1. Timing 2. Contingencies 3. Validity 4. Provisions |
| Financing | 3 | 1. Seller Financing (e.g., Agreement of Sale, PMM) 2. Hawaii-Specific Institutional Financing 3. Usury laws |
| Escrow Process and Closing Statements | 3 | 1. Escrow responsibilities 2. Closing Responsibilities 3. Closing Statements |
| Professional Practices and Conduct | 14 | 1. Office management/supervision 2. Trust accounts and handling of funds 3. Advertising 4. Licensing laws and rules 5. Grounds for disciplinary action |
Here are some sample questions of the Hawaii Real Estate Exam
Tips to prepare for the Hawaii Real Estate Exam
Let’s Study the Hawaii Real Estate Exam “Strategically”
Many people would try to read and memorize all the study materials. Although it could work for some people, it really doesn’t work for me.
Here are the exact steps I have been using to prepare for exams. It has worked wonderfully for me throughout high school and university, and they still work well when I wrote exams in my field of work.
- Review the exam outline to see which topics will be heavily weighted
- Skim through a practice exam to get a sense of the questions
- Read over the course materials. Focus more on the sections you’ve seen in the practice exam and those that will be heavily scored.
- Try writing a practice test.
- For the parts that you got wrong, you should review them carefully. I usually would create a document file and take notes on those topics.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you can score at least 10% more of the required passing mark for at least two practice exams. (Some people would get nervous during the actual exam writing, so it’s better to have a buffer room on the score. In this case, try to aim for over 80% for the Hawaii real estate exam.)
Doing practice questions indeed can help you prepare for the real estate exam. They help you understand what type of questions you’re likely going to see during the test and give you an idea of what topics might come up, making studying more efficient.
Here’s another tip: Studying for the sack of passing the real estate exam could be dreadful. Remember a specific question appears in the test because it could actually be applied in your real estate practice. When you study, just imagine it is your client who is asking the questions.
Here are some Hawaii Real Estate Exam Preps that can help You
When choosing a real estate school, I prefer one where you could take the courses online. This way, you could study at your own pace whenever and wherever. The Colibri is a trustworthy real estate education provider. You may click here to see whether they offer pre-licensing course in your state. (**)
PrepAgent – An Interactive Way to Prepare Your Real Estate Exam
PrepAgent is another excellent choice in helping you to pass the real estate exam. Rather than sitting in front of your desk for hours and studying from boring textbooks, Prep Agent is a much more interactive and effective way.
I like their premium package as it consists of audio lessons, online interactive flashcards, live online webinars, exam prep ebook, and many more. This package allows you to access the materials for the entire year.
Here’s a link to the PrepAgent website (**)
Where can I take my real estate exam in Hawaii?
There are multiple testing centers where you can take the Hawaii real estate exam. They are:
- HAWAII (The Big Island): 45-539 PLUMERIA STREET, NORTH HAWAII EDUCATION RESEARCH CENTER (NHERC), HONOKAA, HI 96727
- HONOLULU, ALA MOANA PACIFIC CENTER: 1585 KAPIOLANI BLVD, SUITE 1135, HONOLULU, HI 96814
- KAHULUI – UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII MAUI COLLEGE III: 310 W. KA’AHUMANU AVENUE, THE LEARNING CENTER, L02, KAHULUI, HI 96732
- KAPAA – KAUAI: LIHUE – MARRIOTT KAUAI RESORT PSI, 3610 RICE ST, LIHUE, HI 96766 (TESTING IS LOCATED IN THE NAWILIWILI ROOM OF PUNA)
It’s better to do a search in Google Map beforehand. I usually would do a street view tour to have a better idea of the testing location. And also find out where you can park your car.
On the testing day, you should account for the time to sign in and go through the identification process. It’s better to arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes before your exam.
What should I bring to the exam center?
You are required to bring one form of valid ID. The primary ID needs to be a government issued ID with photograph and signature.
- Government-issued Driver’s License
- U.S. Dept. of State Driver’s License
- U.S. Learner’s Permit (plastic card only with photo and signature)
- National/State/Country Identification Card
- Passport
- Passport card
- Military ID (will not be accepted for remote testing)
- Military ID for spouses and dependents (will not be accepted for remote testing)
- Alien Registration Card (Green Card, Permanent Resident Visa)
When will I know the result?
Once you finish writing the Hawaii real estate exam, you will receive a score report immediately. It will indicate your strengths and weaknesses by examination type.
How can I retake the Hawaii real estate exam?
You have to wait at least 24 hours before rescheduling to take the failed portion an examination. You must pass this portion within 2 years that you passed the
This article is part of the “Hawaii Real Estate Career Series.” If you want to know more about being a real estate agent in Hawaii, I invite you to check out the following articles:
- How to Obtain a Real Estate license in Hawaii?
- How Much do Real Estate Agents Make in Hawaii?
- Practical Career Tips for Real Estate Agents in Hawaii
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(**) Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you. Our company, JCHQ Publishing will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking on the link. Please understand that we include them based on our experience or the research on these companies or products, and we recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something through the links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.
Disclaimer: The information in this post is for general information only, and not intend to provide any advice. They are subjected to change without any notice, and not guaranteed to be error-free. Some of the posts on this site may contain views and opinions from individual not related to JCHQ Publishing. They do not necessarily reflect our view or position.
Reference:
- Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs – Real Estate Branch (source)
- Hawaii Real Estate Commission – Candidate Information Bulletin (source)
- Bureau of Labor Statistics – Real Estate Agents (source)
