Indiana Real Estate Broker Exam

Indiana Real Estate Broker Exam: General Portion

This portion of the Indiana Broker Real Estate exam will cover 75 questions over a two and a half hour time period. It evaluates candidates' competency concerning the following national laws and regulations.

• Property Ownership: 10% of the General Portion will cover topics such as types of property, types of ownership, and the characteristics of land, including the legal definition. Test takers should prepare for concepts about tenants, encumbrances, and how to measure property.
• Land Use Controls and Regulations: 5% of this portion will question the powers and rights of the government and the implications of private ownership. Examinees should be familiar with zoning, deed restrictions, building codes, property taxes, and more.
• Valuation and Market Analysis: The questions for this section will be worth approximately 7% of the test's score. These questions will ask about appraisals and market analysis, among other topics. Test items will ask about approaches to estimating, the appraisal process, and how general economics affects property values.
• Financing: 8% of this portion will ask about the vocabulary of financing, different loans, and the principles of lending. Test takers should be familiar with the different types of loans, the terminology surrounding those loans, and the laws governing loans.
• General Principles of Agency: 11% of the test will cover the duties and responsibilities a broker has to their clients and to other agencies. Creating agreements, contracts, and disclosing conflicts of interest will fall under this area as well.
• Property Disclosures: 7% of the test examines the different varieties of disclosures and what information is legally and ethically required in a property disclosure. This could include, but is not be limited to: environmental facts, government requirements, and defects and property conditions.
• Contracts: The largest content area accounts for 18% of the exam and covers the laws and clauses related to contracts. Many questions will focus on the different types of offers and the factors essential to a legally binding document. Examinees should also be familiar with what makes a contract unilateral or bilateral, what constitutes a breach of contract, and the process for terminating one.
• Leasing and Property Management: 5% of the questions cover lease agreements, property supervision, and the federal regulations set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act. Other questions will focus on properly setting lease and rent ranges.
• Transfer of Title: This 7% area will test candidates' understanding of all the factors involved in legally transferring deeds, including the use and purpose of escrow, warranties, and title insurance. A large percentage of items will focus on understanding and correctly using title insurance.
• Practice of Real Estate: The second largest part of this portion accounts for 14% of the questions and examines federal laws, including fair housing laws, antitrust laws, and the ADA. Questions included in this category will also cover licensing and advertising a brokerage, including the use of technology in doing so.
• Real Estate Calculations: The final 8% of this portion will ask about mathematics concepts necessary for those in this field, as well as how to calculate an assortment of real estate transactions. Test items will ask about calculating real estate taxes, equity, down-payments, and more.

Indiana Real Estate Broker Exam: State Portion

The State Portion of the Indiana Broker Real Estate exam includes 50 questions within the 90-minute time allotment and focuses primarily on determining the quality of examinees' understanding of the state-specific laws and statutes governing licensing and the operation of real estate agencies.

• The Indiana Real Estate Commission: Five questions will ask about how the Commission deals with brokers in Indiana, including, but not limited to, records, licenses, and disciplinary actions. Particular attention is paid to the different disciplinary actions, such as sanctions, civil penalties, and license suspension.
• Licensing: Nine items cover types of licenses in Indiana, what they are needed for, and the process of maintaining a license. License renewals, transfers, and the continuing education needed for each license type is also covered.
• Statutory and Regulatory Requirements: 12 questions will cover the regulations set in place in this field related to property appraisal and commissions. Other questions in this category will ask about advertising, earnest money, trust accounts, and disclosures.
• Statutes and Rules Governing Licensees: The largest concept, containing 17 items, tests understanding of how the broker and their agency conduct themselves in relation to other parties. Questions target the definitions of different relationships, written policies used by the agency, and issues with unfair or incompetent practices.
• Real Estate Office Procedures: Seven questions on the test cover the handling of documents and money, as well as the office as a whole and unlicensed employees. Other questions discuss the relationships between brokers, and between brokers and broker companies.