The real estate firm of Long and Foster operates the Foster Real Estate School. Salesperson license applicants can attend classes that are held periodically in West Chester. Although graduates are not obligated to work for the firm, it actively recruits students attending its real estate license school to become join it after passing the state licensing examination.
Pennsylvania's Real Estate Commission permits students to attend real estate pre-licensing courses offered through the Internet or via DVD or video. The commission maintains a complete list of approved educational providers and contact information at its website.
There are basically three types of real estate license courses: salesperson, broker and continuing education. Courses offered by Foster Real Estate School and other real estate license course providers are for pre-licensing of real estate salespersons and brokers, and for sales or broker licensees who must attend continuing education classes to retain their licenses.
Pennsylvania real estate salesperson applicants must take and achieve a passing score in two 30-hour pre-licensing courses to meet the requirements to sit for the state's license examination, one on Real Estate Fundamentals and the other on Real Estate Practice. These courses must provide technical instruction in real estate, math, real estate law and theory.
As of March 2011, Foster Real Estate School charges $99 for its classroom salesperson licensing course, a price that includes all course materials and books. The school also offers a real estate license examination prep class for $65. The costs for online, DVD and video courses will vary, but the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission requires that final examinations be taken in the presence of a proctor. Many learning centers and colleges will provide proctoring for a fee ranging from $5 to $50, which is over and above the course cost.