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Applied Practice Course

Applied Practice Course

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Before becoming licensed to provide real estate trading services (real estate sales), you must complete the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course and an Applied Practice Course.

For a step-by-step guide to gaining a real estate licence, please visit our Careers in Real Estate page.

About the Applied Practice Courses

BCFSA’s Applied Practice Courses focus on building learners’ practical skills and on key areas of regulatory requirements, such as agency, contracts, and disclosure.

There are two Applied Practice Courses: the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course and the Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course. Learners who intend to specialize in commercial real estate should register for the commercial version of the course. Those who intend to practice in residential sales should register for the residential version. You will only need to complete one Applied Practice Course.

The courses were developed in consultation with the Real Estate Division of the Sauder School of Business and with managing brokers and other stakeholders. They are offered online, and delivered by trained instructors who are experienced real estate professionals.

  • Learners must complete a portion of the course before they can receive their temporary licence. Once learners have received their temporary licence, they may begin conducting real estate services and can proceed to complete the remaining portions of the course.
  • The course includes asynchronous online components, synchronous virtual classroom time and field assignments that learners complete while working in their brokerages.
  • Learners will spend two to three weeks in the course before they are licensed and a further 4.5 months completing both virtual classroom and practical field assignment components.

  • BCFSA reserves the right to amend course schedules, course availability, fees, content, policies, manuals and other reference materials without notice at its sole and absolute discretion.

Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course

To register for the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course you must have successfully passed the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course exam.

You must register for the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course prior to licence issuance. We recommend that you register immediately upon receipt of your licensing examination results.

For more information about the course components, the schedule or to register, please click the button below or visit https://register.bcfsa.ca.

Cost: $875.00

Register Here (will open in a new tab)

If you have any questions about the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course, please visit our course FAQ page.

For details on how to apply for your licence, see our Step by Step Licensing Guide.

Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course

To register for the Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course you must have successfully passed the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course exam.

You must register for the Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course before your licence can be issued. We recommend that you register for the course as soon as you receive your licensing examination results.

Your application must be accompanied by a letter confirming that your primary practice area will be commercial real estate. The letter must be signed by a managing broker, director or officer of the brokerage at which you intend to practice.

When we received your completed application form and tuition fee, we will place you in the first available course.

For details on how to apply for your licence, see our Step by Step Licensing Guide.

About the Course

Component One

In this two-week online component, learners acquire the knowledge needed to apply and practice the requirements of agency, disclosure, drafting enforceable contracts, conflicts of interest, and anti-money laundering. It includes information on the Offer to Lease and Assignments of Contracts. The final Gateway Assignment includes the completion of a Commercial Contract of Purchase and Sale as well as an Offer to Lease.

This component builds on the concepts introduced in the Licensing Course and provides learners with opportunities to assess and build on their competencies through the use of activities, quizzes, discussion forums and Gateway Assessments. It is facilitated by two experienced instructors.

Component Two

This component is offered over two days and is facilitated by two experienced instructors in a virtual classroom. Learners practice and apply the knowledge acquired in Component One.

Through the use of case studies, learners review the drafting and assignment of contracts. The scenarios presented in this component were developed by commercial real estate professionals and lawyers.

Case studies and industry standard forms are used to enhance the learner’s overall knowledge of the core concepts of agency, disclosure and contracts. Learners should come prepared to actively participate in this engaging two-day intensive component.

Component Three

In this component learners complete six practical field assignments over 4.5 months. Each assignment has clearly stated learning outcomes, instructions for completion, supporting resources and reflection questions.

Learners must have received their temporary licence, as they are required to participate in activities requiring a real estate trading services licence in order to complete this component. This component is conducted in a brokerage setting and is supported by online resources.

There is no instructor in this component of the course as learners are completing the assignments while working in a brokerage and under the supervision of their managing broker.

Component Four

Learners participate in a final virtual classroom day, reviewing core competencies through the instruction of the current year’s version of Commercial Legal Update. Learners will also consider future professional development to strengthen their skills.

This final one-day virtual classroom-based component is facilitated by an experienced instructor.

What if I choose to focus on residential sales in Component Three?

A learner registered in the Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice who chooses to focus on residential sales in Component Three or chooses to no longer pursue commercial sales, must:

  • Inform BCFSA that their area of focus is now primarily residential and no longer commercial;
  • Register for and complete Component Two of the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course;
  • Pay a rescheduling fee (30% of the overall course fee) prior to starting Components Two, Three and Four; and
  • Register and complete Component Three and Four of the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course within six months of licence issuance.

The learner is not required to surrender his / her licence, but extensions for licensing will not be granted.

*All Component Three practical field assignments and Component Four must be completed within six months of licence issuance. Extensions for licensing will not be granted.

  1. Inform BCFSA
    Inform BCFSA that the area of focus for trading services is now primarily residential and no longer commercial.
  2. Retake Component Two
    Register for and complete Component Two of the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course.
    This means retaking Component Two and paying a rescheduling fee.
  3. Complete Components Two, Three and Four within 6 months of licence issuance
    Register and complete Component Three and Four of the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course within six months of licence issuance.

    A licensee is not required to surrender his / her licence, but extensions for licensing will not be granted.

    *All Component Three practical field assignments and Component Four must be completed within six months of licence issuance.
  4. Pay rescheduling fee
    Pay a rescheduling fee (30% of the overall course fee) prior to starting Components Two, Three and Four.

The reverse situation would also apply for any student who initially registered in the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course and changed areas of focus from residential to commercial trading services.

If you have any questions about the Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course, please visit our course FAQ page.

Information for Managing Brokers

The practical field assignments required in the Applied Practice Courses must be completed during the temporary licence period. As a managing broker, you are responsible for the supervision and conduct of related licensees as required under Section 6(2) of the Real Estate Services Act (RESA) and Section 28 of the Real Estate Services Rules. However, how a managing broker chooses to supervise a new licensee is not defined by RESA and is left to the discretion of each individual managing broker.

The practical field assignments are designed to assist new licensees in developing the appropriate competencies to complete a real estate transaction in accordance with RESA, the Regulation and Real Estate Services Rules:

Residential Applied Practice Course Assignments

  • Assignment One: Listing a Property for Sale
  • Assignment Two: Establishing Agency and Providing Trading Services to a Buyer
  • Assignment Three: Holding an Open House – Your Agency Responsibilities
  • Assignment Four: Researching Opportunities
  • Assignment Five: Drafting an Enforceable Contract for a Buyer Client
  • Assignment Six: Presenting an Offer, and Negotiating a Counter-Offer on Behalf of a Seller

Commercial Applied Practice Course Assignments

  • Assignment One: Listing a Property for Sale
  • Assignment Two: Establishing Agency and Providing Trading Services to a Buyer or Tenant
  • Assignment Three: Showing a Property – Your Agency Responsibilities
  • Assignment Four: Researching Properties
  • Assignment Five: Drafting an Enforceable Contract for a Buyer Client
  • Assignment Six: Presenting an Offer, and Negotiating a Counter-Offer on Behalf of a Seller
  • Assignment Seven: Drafting an Offer to Lease

Managing Broker Resources

Residential

Commercial

Learning Outcomes

By completing the practical field assignments, new real estate professionals will develop skills related to the core concepts of agency, disclosure and contracts. They’ll become familiar with using appropriate forms, conducting research and using BCFSA’s regulatory resources.

Managing brokers are responsible for ensuring that new real estate professionals registered with their brokerage complete the self-paced practical field assignments competently and in accordance with RESA, the Regulation, and Rules.

To assist the managing broker in fulfilling these responsibilities, Component three of the Applied Practice Courses provides detailed instruction and resources for new licensees to complete practical field assignments correctly and competently.