California Real Estate Salesperson 4-Week Study Plan

Practice of Real Estate & Mandated Disclosures

~38 Questions. Transfer Disclosure Statements (TDS), Natural Hazard Disclosures (NHD), Lead Paint, trust fund handling, commingling vs conversion, and fair housing.

Laws of Agency & Fiduciary Duties

~25 Questions. Agency creation, dual agency disclosure (Civil Code § 2079.17), fiduciary duties of loyalty/confidentiality, and termination of agency.

Property Ownership & Land Use Controls

~23 Questions. Fee simple absolute vs defeasible, joint tenancy (4 unities), tenancy in common, easements, zoning, and police power vs eminent domain.

Valuation, Appraisal & Financing

~35 Questions. Sales comparison (CBS/CIA), cost approach, income cap rates (NOI / Cap Rate), deeds of trust, foreclosure timelines, TILA Reg Z, and RESPA.

• Master freehold estates: Fee Simple Absolute, Fee Simple Defeasible, and Life Estates (measuring life, reversion, remainder).
• Compare vesting forms: Joint Tenancy (TTIP unities + survivorship) vs. Tenancy in Common (undivided unequal shares, no survivorship) vs. Community Property.
• Study encumbrances: Easements appurtenant vs. in gross, prescriptive easements (5 years), liens, and encroachments.
• Review government controls: Police power, zoning variances, building codes, and eminent domain.

• Review agency creation, authority, and dual agency rules under California Civil Code § 2079.17 (written consent mandatory).
• Understand listing agreements: Exclusive Right to Sell vs. Exclusive Agency vs. Open Listing, and safety protection clauses.
• Master the CAR Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA): active contingency removal, liquidated damages (3% residential cap under CC § 1675), and time-is-of-the-essence rules.
• Study contract remedies: Specific performance (presumption of land uniqueness under CC § 3387) vs. compensatory damages.

• Learn the Deed of Trust: Trustor (borrower), Beneficiary (lender), and Trustee (holds power of sale).
• Memorize California non-judicial foreclosure timelines: 3 months after Notice of Default + 20 days after Notice of Trustee Sale; reinstatement up to 5 business days prior to sale.
• Review anti-deficiency protection under CCP § 580b for purchase-money owner-occupied residential loans.
• Master appraisal formulas: Cap Rate = NOI / Value; GRM = Sales Price / Gross Monthly Rent; CBS / CIA comp adjustments.
• Review federal credit regulations: TILA Reg Z advertising trigger terms and RESPA Section 8 anti-kickback prohibitions.

• Memorize mandatory disclosures: TDS 3-day/5-day rescission rights (CC § 1102), NHD 6 zones (CC § 1103), Lead Paint pre-1978 10-day testing, and water heater strapping.
• Review DRE regulations: 3-business-day trust fund deposit rule, commingling vs. conversion, and Consumer Recovery Account ($50k / $250k limits).
• Take practice question sets on our interactive exam simulator and conduct distractor autopsies on every missed item.
• Practice writing out the Pearson VUE first-5-minute dump sheet from memory.