Why Arizona Realtors Are Required to Take Continuing Education Courses

When you hire a Realtor to help you buy or sell a home, you are trusting that person with one of the largest financial transactions you may ever make. In Arizona, earning a real estate license is not the end of a Realtor’s education.

Arizona law requires licensed real estate professionals to complete continuing education in order to renew their licenses. The purpose is simple: real estate laws, contracts, disclosure requirements, financing practices, and consumer protections change, and your real estate professional needs to keep up with those changes.

What Does Arizona Require?

Under A.R.S. § 32-2130, Arizona requires continuing education as part of the real estate license renewal process. Arizona real estate licenses generally operate on a two-year renewal cycle.

For a salesperson or associate broker, Arizona law requires 24 credit hours of continuing education during each 24-month licensing period. Additional requirements apply to certain brokers.

The Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) also establishes the subjects that must be covered. Current continuing education requirements include areas such as:

• Agency Law

• Contract Law

• Commissioner’s Standards

• Disclosure

• Fair Housing

• Real Estate Legal Issues

• Other required or approved real estate subjects

Arizona has also added education addressing important current issues. Beginning January 1, 2025, required CE includes instruction concerning Firewise, Deed Fraud, and Arizona Water, with one hour required in each subject as part of the overall renewal requirements.

Why Should This Matter to You as a Buyer or Seller?

Because real estate is constantly changing.

The contracts we use change. Laws and regulations change. Disclosure requirements evolve. Court decisions can affect how transactions are handled. Issues involving agency relationships, fair housing, water, fraud prevention, property conditions and consumer protection continue to develop.

A Realtor needs to understand those changes in order to properly represent a client.

Continuing education isn't simply about collecting enough hours to renew a license. It is about maintaining the knowledge necessary to competently represent buyers and sellers.

Protecting the Consumer

There is another important reason Arizona requires continuing education: consumer protection.

Consider everything involved in a typical real estate transaction:

A buyer may be committing hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchasing a property.

A seller may be transferring an asset that represents a significant portion of their net worth.

There are contracts, inspections, disclosures, financing requirements, title issues, appraisal considerations, HOA requirements and deadlines that must be managed.

Mistakes can be expensive.

Requiring continuing education helps ensure that Arizona real estate licensees continue learning about the laws, rules and professional responsibilities that affect their clients.

Experience Matters — But So Does Education

I believe experience is extremely important in real estate. But experience alone isn't enough.

I've been involved in real estate long enough to know that you never stop learning.

Markets change.

Contracts change.

Technology changes.

Lending changes.

State and federal regulations change.

The issues facing homeowners change.

A professional Realtor should be willing to continually educate themselves rather than relying solely on what they learned when they originally received their license.

Continuing Education Is a Minimum — Not a Maximum

Arizona establishes the minimum education necessary to maintain a real estate license. That doesn't mean a Realtor should stop there.

I continually educate myself on subjects that can help my clients, including traditional residential sales, short sales, foreclosures, trustee sales, probate and estate-related real estate, investment properties, luxury homes and the many issues that can arise during a real estate transaction.

The more knowledge I have, the better prepared I am to recognize a potential problem and help my clients determine their next step.

When You Hire a Realtor, You're Hiring Their Knowledge

Real estate isn't simply about putting a sign in the yard, opening a door or writing an offer.

You are hiring someone to help guide you through a complicated financial and legal transaction.

Arizona's continuing education requirements help make sure licensed real estate professionals continue developing and maintaining the knowledge necessary to do that job.

And as far as I'm concerned, continuing education shouldn't be something a Realtor does simply because Arizona requires it.

We should do it because our clients deserve knowledgeable, informed and professional representation.

Wes Stolsek

REALTOR®

OMNI Homes International

520-404-9773

www.wesleystolsek.com

Thinking about buying or selling a home in the Tucson Metro area? Contact me. I'm here to help you understand the process, protect your interests, and make informed real estate decisions