Customer Reviews

How to Prepare for California Real Estate Examinations: Salesperson, Broker, Appraiser

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1 star:		(7)

 

 

I studied this book religiously. I got no less than 90% correct on all the practice exams, and then proceeded to bomb the exam. Obviously the material does not track the exam very well. It's cheap, but its true value is even less than the price. Don't buy it. (On the positive side, it had some interesting discussions of the law; but it simply does not track the content of the exam.)

There are review questions which do not match the text in the chapters. I do not know whether to trust the content.

I studied this book for my first broker's exam on December 14, 2005 at the Pasadena Center and failed. I solved and reviewed twice all the chapter problems and all of the exam sets in the book. I was very confident that I could answer correctly on all the questions in the book. But the questions on the actual exam were nothing like the ones in the book. The questions on the actual exam were much longer and harder. They required much deeper knowledge than what the book presented. It was like the authors never have seen the actual exam. This is a real estate knowledge book, not an exam prep book. I have wasted my time and money because of this book. What could an exam prep book do worse if a book not only does not help, but also misleads about the actual exam? Please do not buy this book to study for the exam. This is a shame on the famous name 'Barron's'. Do not be a victim like me. Hope my and my family's suffer would do some good by letting other people know not to buy this book.

I just passed the California Brokers Examination on my first try. I am an attorney and have no real estate background and I do not have a real estate sales license. (In fact I hated Real Property in law school and avoid practicing in this area.) I read a few primer books including this one to see what would be on the exam. I read this Barron's book all the way through and answered all of the test questions. I the took the Real Estate Trainers Course in Santa Ana, on the advise of a girlfriend who is a broker and who took their course. They offer a crash courses in LA, Orange County and in Northern Cal. I took the course, read the big book they give you; did all of the exam questions (Over 1500); attended the crash course seminar twice and took the test. The courses and practice exams Real Estate Trainers gave, made the test easy.

When I took the Real Estate Trainer's Course I realized that this Barrons book is only good to lay out the general areas that are on the actual test. However, you can not use this book alone to the pass the test. The questions in this book are too easy and don't reflect how hard the questions actually are. You can use it for general information purposes only but some of the areas in the Barron's book overemphasis areas that the actual test spends little or no time on.

In that the pass rate for the exam is between 30 and 38%, I would prepare the best you can. Save your money and find this book in the local library and check it out. (Many libraries have it.) Read and take a brokers exam course.

The material in this book is useful for providing a basic background in real estate, but will not prepare you for the California Real Estate Broker Exam in the least. All of the questions in the practice exams draw simply from the material in the preceding chapters. They are not similar to the questions on the actual exam. Not only are the questions not applicable, the material is outdated, and the effort in making the material specific to California is very, very weak. Using this book as your sole preparation for the exam will be very regrettable.

I had studied with this book extensively, but felt is was oversimplified, so I went searching on Amazon for something better. Thank goodness I bothered to read the other customer reviews, or else I would have been totally screwed. After taking the exam, my best advice is get your hands on some recent practice exams, and get to know them very well. I have a feeling that any published sources would be quickly outdated, so head back to where you took your basic real estate courses for guidance, or look to the many online courses available that are specific to California and the broker exam. Best wishes.

Like the previous reviewer I studied this book in detail, took all the exams which totaled over 1000 questions, scoring over 90% on each exam and still flunked the Broker's Exam. This after having passed the State Bar exam for attorneys on the first try. This book did not cover even 10% of what was on the exam. I emailed the authors and they never responded. This book is a complete piece of garbage. You cannot count on it for anything.

The questions in the theoretical exams do not reflect what you will find on the actual test. If you use this book alone to prepare, there is a good chance you will fail the exam. In general, the questions will help you to grasp some fundamentals, but you will need to go over some more realistic test questions to prepare.

this book is nowhere close to the exam. if you're looking for practice exams similar to the california real estate sales/broker exams then look elsewhere.

It might be great for the salesperson exam, but it just doesn't have the detail for the brokers exam. I have to take the test again.

This is a great book for the preparation for the Real Estate Exam. The Autors really have a practical way with the material. The study method is describ in detail and openly they just tell you how it is going to be. It is almost funny how they just tell you the facts of what to expect. Read it from "FRONT to BACK" or you will miss the juicy details that will make you successfull at studying and passing the exam, whatever the choice or need be, Real Estate Salesperson, Broker or Appraiser. I have study plenty, and passed many Exams and this book is one of the BEST that there is, clearly a MUST.