Podcast
Real Estate Exam Prep
Hosted by Ran Chen, EA, CFP® · EN
Real Estate Exam Prep is a daily podcast designed to help future real estate agents pass their licensing exams with clarity and confidence.
Built and operated by OpenExamPrep, this podcast breaks down the real estate exam into focused, easy-to-digest episodes covering both the national portion and state-specific requirements. Each episode targets one key concept, common exam trap, or high-frequency test topic—making it ideal for studying during commutes, workouts, or short study sessions.
Created by Ran Chen, EA, CFP®, a financial professional and exam specialist who has personally passed multiple professional licensing exams, Real Estate Exam Prep was developed from firsthand experience with how difficult—and often poorly taught—exam material can be. The goal is simple: make exam preparation clearer, more accessible, and more effective using structured explanations and modern learning tools. Whether you’re just starting your real estate exam journey or reviewing before test day, this podcast is designed to guide you step by step—one concept at a time.
Free practice tools, AI-powered explanations, and additional exam prep resources are available at: https://open-exam-prep.com/
26episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Real Estate Exam [California] 01, California DRE Exam Format and Passing Rule
6d ago00:02:26Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The California salesperson exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions and requires a 70% score to pass. - You will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete the exam. - The test is weighted across seven categories, with three making up over half the exam. - Prioritize your study time on the highest-weighted topics: Practice of Real Estate and Disclosures (25%), Laws of Agency (17%), and Property Ownership (15%). - Use the mnemonic "People Love Property" to remember the three most critical study areas. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 50, Texas Eviction Process and Tenant Rights
1w ago00:02:38Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A landlord's duty to repair only applies to conditions that materially affect a tenant's physical health and safety. - A tenant's 'repair and deduct' remedy is capped at the greater of one month's rent or $500. - The legal name for an eviction lawsuit in Texas is a 'forcible entry and detainer' suit, filed in JP court. - After a legal lockout for non-payment of rent, a landlord must provide the tenant a new key 24/7, even if the rent has not been paid. - A landlord is presumed to be retaliating if they take negative action within six months of a tenant lawfully requesting repairs. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 49, Texas Security Deposit and Landlord Duties
1w ago00:03:02Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Texas law sets no maximum limit on the amount a landlord can charge for a security deposit. - Landlords have exactly 30 calendar days after a tenant vacates and provides a forwarding address to return a security deposit or provide an itemized list of deductions. - Withholding a security deposit in "bad faith" can result in penalties of $100, three times the deposit amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees. - A landlord's duty to return the deposit is contingent upon the tenant providing a forwarding address in writing. - Texas law mandates specific security devices, including keyed and keyless deadbolts on exterior doors, door viewers, and window latches. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 48, DTPA Defenses and Limitations
1w ago00:03:40Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The DTPA has a two-part statute of limitations: two years from discovery, with an absolute four-year maximum from the date of the act. - A licensee may use a "good faith" defense if they can prove they reasonably relied on information from another source, like a seller's disclosure. - A waiver of DTPA rights is only valid if it's in writing, signed, and the consumer is represented by their own independent attorney. - Exam questions often test the strict attorney requirement for DTPA waivers, making it a common trap. - A violation of the Texas Real Estate License Act (TRELA) can also be considered a violation of the DTPA, creating additional liability for the licensee. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 47, DTPA Damages and Penalties
1w ago00:03:02Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Unintentional DTPA violations result in economic damages, which cover the consumer's out-of-pocket financial losses. - A 'knowing' or 'intentional' DTPA violation can trigger treble damages, allowing a court to award up to three times the economic damages. - The exam will test your ability to identify keywords like 'knowingly' to correctly calculate maximum potential damages in a scenario. - Damages for mental anguish may also be awarded, but only when the deceptive act was committed knowingly or intentionally. - A consumer who prevails in a DTPA lawsuit is mandatorily entitled to the recovery of their reasonable attorney's fees and court costs. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 46, Deceptive Trade Practices Act Overview
2w ago00:03:33Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The DTPA protects "consumers," defined as those who seek or acquire goods or services, including real estate, by purchase or lease. - A critical exam point is that an agent can violate the DTPA without intending to deceive; an unintentional misrepresentation is still a violation. - The four main categories of DTPA violations are false/misleading statements, breach of warranty, unconscionable actions, and failure to disclose important information. - "Unconscionable conduct" under the DTPA involves taking grossly unfair advantage of a consumer's lack of knowledge, ability, or experience. - A simple breach of contract is not a DTPA violation unless it is accompanied by a separate deceptive or unconscionable act. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 45, Managing and Selling Community Property
2w ago00:02:53Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The difference between sole management and joint management community property. - The ironclad rule that both spouses must sign to convey community real property. - Why title companies will not insure a title without the signatures of both spouses. - How community property is distributed at death without a survivorship agreement, often passing to children. - The purpose and requirements of a Community Property Survivorship Agreement to bypass probate. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 44, Separate Property in Texas
2w ago00:02:16Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Property owned by a spouse before marriage remains their separate property. - Assets acquired during marriage by gift or inheritance are considered separate property. - The critical distinction that income generated from separate property during the marriage is community property. - How commingling separate funds with community funds risks losing its separate character without meticulous tracing. - Personal injury settlements are separate, but compensation for lost wages during the marriage is community property. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 43, Community Property Basics
2w ago00:03:13Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The strong legal presumption in Texas that all property acquired during marriage is community property. - How to define separate property: assets owned before marriage or received during marriage by gift, will, or inheritance. - A common exam trap: income from separate property (like rent) is considered community property. - Why the name on the title does not determine if a property is separate or community. - The crucial rule that the burden of proof is on the spouse claiming an asset is separate property. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →Real Estate Exam [Texas] 42, Homestead Tax Exemptions
2w ago00:03:04Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - All Texas homeowners are entitled to a mandatory homestead exemption on their school district property taxes. - Homeowners who are over 65 or disabled qualify for an additional exemption from school district taxes. - The school district tax ceiling for those over 65 or disabled freezes the dollar amount of their school taxes, not the tax rate or property value. - A surviving spouse can retain the over-65 exemption and tax ceiling if they are at least 55 years old when their spouse dies. - Exam calculations require subtracting all applicable exemptions from the market value before applying the tax rate to find the tax owed. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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