Real Estate Jobs in Richmond VA: How to Get Licensed, What Agents Actually Earn, and How to Join a Team

Short answer: becoming a real estate agent in Virginia takes a 60-hour pre-licensing course, a state and national exam, a background check, and a broker to hang your license with. Most people can finish in two to three months. The licensing part is the easy part. What decides whether you make a living is the brokerage or team you join afterward, and almost nobody researches that with the same effort they put into the exam.

This page covers both: the actual steps, and the honest version of what the job pays.

The steps to get licensed in Virginia

1. Be 18 or older and have a high school diploma or equivalent. That's the entry bar.
2. Complete a 60-hour pre-licensing course from a provider approved by the Virginia Real Estate Board. Online self-paced and in-person options both exist.
3. Pass the licensing exam. It has a national portion and a Virginia-specific portion. Most people who fail, fail the state portion — it's the part generic study materials cover worst.
4. Submit fingerprints and a background check.
5. Find a sponsoring broker. Virginia licenses salespersons under a supervising broker; you cannot practice independently with a salesperson license.
6. Submit your application to the Virginia Real Estate Board with the required fees.

Exact fees and course requirements change, so verify current figures with the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) before you budget. Anyone quoting you a precise all-in number from a blog post is guessing.

What real estate agents in Richmond actually earn

Here's the part most recruiting pages skip.

Real estate is commission-only for the overwhelming majority of agents. There is no salary, no paid time off, and no guaranteed income. Your first deal might be three months in, or nine. A large share of people who get licensed are out of the business within two years — not because the work is impossible, but because they ran out of savings before they ran out of leads.

What that means practically:

• Have a runway. Six months of living expenses is the honest minimum. Twelve is better.
• Budget for costs before income. License fees, MLS and association dues, lockbox access, E&O insurance, marketing, a car that runs. These start before your first commission.
• Your income is a function of transactions, not hours. It is genuinely true that effort shows up in results here in a way salaried work doesn't. It is also true that the first year is mostly effort with delayed results.

I came into this straight out of 25 years in the Army, during COVID, knowing nobody in the business. First year I put about 20 homes under contract — by holding open houses every Saturday and Sunday and telling everyone I knew what I was doing. That's the real mechanism. Not a lead source.

Choosing a brokerage: the questions that actually matter

New agents compare commission splits and stop there. The split is the least important number in the conversation. Ask these instead:

1. What happens in my first 90 days? Is there a defined training program, or will someone hand you a login and wish you luck?
2. Who answers the phone when I'm writing my first contract at 9pm on a Sunday? Access to an experienced person during your first few deals is worth more than ten points of split.
3. Do I get leads and appointments, or do I generate everything myself? Both models work. Only one of them works when you have no sphere yet.
4. Is there transaction coordination? Paperwork errors kill deals and new agents make them. A TC on every file is a real safety net.
5. What are the fees beyond the split? Desk fees, tech fees, transaction fees, caps. Get the full number, not the headline.
6. Who will I be around every day? You will become the average of the agents you sit near. Go meet them before you sign anything.

If you're a veteran or military spouse

Real estate transitions well from military service. The habits that make a good NCO — showing up early, following a process, doing what you said you'd do — are most of what separates agents who last from agents who don't. Virginia also has a large military and veteran buyer population who specifically want to work with someone who understands a VA loan and a PCS timeline.

If you're using education benefits, check whether your pre-licensing provider is approved before you enroll, not after.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Virginia?

Most people take two to three months: a 60-hour pre-licensing course, the state and national exam, fingerprinting and background check, finding a sponsoring broker, and application processing. Moving faster is possible if you study full time; moving slower is common if you're working another job.

Do you need a college degree to be a real estate agent in Virginia?

No. You need to be at least 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent, complete the required pre-licensing education, pass the exam, clear a background check, and be sponsored by a licensed broker.

Can you be a real estate agent in Virginia without joining a brokerage?

Not with a salesperson license. Virginia salespersons must practice under a supervising broker. Operating independently requires a separate broker license with additional experience and education requirements.

How much do real estate agents make in Richmond VA?

There is no salary — income is commission-based and varies enormously with transaction count. Plan for several months with no income at the start, and budget for license, MLS, association and marketing costs that begin before your first closing.

Is real estate a good career change?

It suits people who can tolerate irregular income, generate their own activity, and stay organized across many moving parts. It suits people who need predictable monthly pay very poorly. The honest filter is your savings runway, not your personality.

Thinking about getting licensed in Central Virginia?

I'm a Certified Mentor in the eXp Mentor Program and I've helped develop around 500 agents through training and coaching. I'll give you the unvarnished version — including talking you out of it if your financial runway isn't there yet, which I've done before and will do again.

Text JOIN to 804-720-1286 and tell me where you are in the process. Already licensed and unhappy with where you landed? Same number — that conversation happens more often than you'd think.

Book a 30-minute call: Grab a time here — Thursdays & Fridays, 9–11am.

Licensing requirements and fees are set by the Virginia Real Estate Board and change over time — confirm current details with the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) before enrolling or applying. This page is general career information, not legal or financial advice.

One Dream Realty Group · Brokered by eXp Realty · 717 N Courthouse Rd, Richmond VA 23836 · Licensed real estate agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia.