For several years, the number of license applications accepted by the Commission was very steady, with salesperson applications numbering about 500-700 per month and broker applications at 125-150 per month. The increase in the salesperson education requirement to 67 hours effective October 1, 2000 has had a substantial effect on salesperson applications during the past several months.
First, the planned change precipitated a big surge in applications last summer by those wanting to qualify prior to the education increase. Then, for the first few months following October 1, the number of salesperson applications declined dramatically to only about 200 per month. Now, the Commission is seeing the number of salesperson applicants steadily increase again, with the present application level running at about 420 per month. So, while the education increase had a significant short-term effect, it remains to be seen what the long-term effect will be.
The October 1, 2000 license law changes also had a major impact on broker license applications. Now that salespersons can qualify for a broker license simply by completing a 60-hour broker course, with no additional license examination, the number of broker applications has increased to nearly 500 per month. With some 36,500 salesperson licensees who are eligible to upgrade to a broker license without examination, the number of broker applications could remain high for a long time.