Are you thinking of becoming a property agent in Singapore?
Welcome to your Ultimate Guide to registering for the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) Property Exam!
Having recently gone through and passed the RES exams in 2024, I understand the challenges and uncertainties that come with the process. That’s why I’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you through each step confidently! In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything — from exam registration & preparation, to cost breakdown and what to do after passing your RES exam. Stay tuned until the end, where I’ll share my proven strategies that helped me pass on my first attempt!
The real estate industry in Singapore is highly competitive today. As of 1st January 2025, there are 36,058 registered property agents, and with only 3 RES Exam seatings per year, securing a slot can feel as intense as getting tickets for a sold-out concert— there’s no guarantee. Furthermore, the RES Exam is known for its notoriously low passing rate of less than 20%, which stresses the importance of proper preparation.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the process or unsure about how to improve your chances of success, don’t worry— I’ll guide you through everything you need to know, step by step, while sharing key strategies that worked for me, helping me pass on my first attempt just last year.
But before we begin, here’s the latest RES Exam schedule for 2025 to help you plan ahead.
Step 1: Meet the Eligibility Criteria
Before signing up for the RES Course, you must meet these requirements:
- At least 21 years old
- Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Minimum of 4 GCE ‘O’ Level passes or equivalent (e.g., Workplace Literacy and Numeracy – WPLN)
- Fit and Proper Criteria set by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)
*Tip: If you don’t have the required qualifications, apply for an Assessment of Qualifications Review with CEA before signing up for the course. This saves you from wasting time.
Step 2: Enroll in a CEA-Approved RES Course
The RES Course is mandatory under the Estate Agents Act. A minimum attendance of 75% must be fulfilled to obtain a certificate of completion, which must be presented when applying for the RES exam.
RES Course Fees (2025):
- Fees range from $650 to $850 (exclusive of GST), depending on the training provider
- Singaporeans and Permanent Residents above 25 years old can use their SkillsFuture credits (up to $500)
- NTUC members get up to $250 UTAP subsidy per year for the RES course & exams combined
My recommended CEA-Approved Course Providers:
When choosing a CEA-approved RES course provider, it’s important to consider factors like flexibility and schedule. Some providers offer both express courses that condense all the lessons within 2 weeks, and standard courses that span over a month. They have flexible day and night hours, as well as online or in-person lessons.
If you plan on doing in-person lessons, I have recommended a few of my top choices below based on your preferred location.
Hastor Property Services Pte Ltd (Central)
Website: www.hastor.com.sg
Tel No: 88561000
Tel No: 88569000
Email: training@hastor.sg
Office: 3 Bishan Place #06-01, CPF Bishan Building Singapore 579838
Real Centre Network Pte Ltd (Central)
Website: www.realcentrenetwork.com
Tel No: 65113009
Email: info@realcentrenetwork.com
Venue: 15 Central Boulevard #B1-05, Downtown Station (DT17), Singapore 018969
Pioneer Training & Consultancy Pte Ltd (West)
Website: www.pioneertraining.org
Tel No: 64626093
Tel No: 94243483
Email: pioneertc@gmail.com
Venue: Blk 134 Jurong Gateway Road #03-309P Singapore 600134
Singapore Estate Agents Association (East)
Website: www.seaa.org.sg
Tel No: 67021602
Email: edu@seaa.org.sg
Venue: 47 Beach Road, #07-01, Kheng Chiu Building, Singapore 189683
*Tip: Choose a course provider that offers mock tests and revision classes. This can make a big difference when preparing for the exam!
Step 3: Register for the RES Exam
Once you complete the course (with at least 75% attendance), you can register for the Real Estate Salesperson Exam. Do note that the course certificate is only valid for 2 years, after which you will have to retake the course in order to seat for the RES exams.
The registration for the RES examination will be conducted in two Stages.
You may access the detailed instructions for Stages 1 & 2 in this Infographic with FormSG link (PDF, 172KB)
Stage 1: Indication of Interest on FormSG
The details of the registration dates are stated in the table above. Do note that the time period opened for registration is only 3 hours on the specified date, and seats are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the time in which the form is successfully submitted.
*You should have completed your RES course and obtained the certificate of completion before commencing Stage one.
Stage 2: Examination registration on LHUB’s website
Shortlisted applicants will receive an email from LHUB to complete their registration and payment on LHUB’s website. Shortlisted applicants who do not complete the examination registration process by the deadline will have their seats released to those on the waitlist.
More information on Stage 2 can be found in this infographics (PDF, 172KB).
RES Exam Format (2025)
Paper 1: Section A (60 MCQs | 60 marks) + Section B (20 MCQs | 40 marks)
Paper 2: Section A (60 MCQs | 60 marks) + Section B (20 MCQs | 40 marks)
For both papers, passing grade is 60% per paper. Exam duration is 2.5 hours.
*Candidates who have a diploma in Real Estate from polytechnic are exempted from Paper 1.
It is mandatory to pass both papers to obtain your licence. Candidates who obtain a modular pass in one paper of the RES examination will be allowed to retake only their failed paper in modular sitting in subsequent RES exams (within the 2 years course certificate validity period).
The passing rate for each paper is 60%. Many candidates believe the RES exam follows a bell curve, but the CEA has not confirmed this.
RES Exam Fees (2025)
| Candidate Type | Fee (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| First-time candidates | $512.30 (both papers) |
| Retaking one paper | $283.40 |
Step 4: Preparing for the RES Exam
Preparing for the RES exam can be quite challenging, especially when balancing a full-time job with revision. Personally, I chose an express course that condensed all the material into just two weeks. It was an exhausting decision, as the lessons were packed into 6 hours a day, every day for two weeks. This made my preparation extra daunting as I found it difficult to fully absorb the content during the lessons and had to independently relearn everything from the provided notes.
Given that many candidates face similar time constraints, it is crucial to space out your learning and avoid cramming information at the last minute.
As a benchmark, I dedicated over 200 hours to revision in order to pass both papers on my first attempt. While this may vary for others, this figure can serve as a useful gauge for your own study planning.
Below are the RES exam syllabus for 2025.
*Detailed information on the syllabus can be found in the RES Exam Syllabus 2017 (PDF, 526KB)
I am a strong believer that working smart is far more effective than working hard. During the initial phase of my preparation, I spent an enormous amount of time reading and memorising large portions of the notes, only to be humbled when I took my first mock practice test. I scored less than 20%, which made me realise that the exam questions are far more complex than what the notes could teach. It made me realise that the only way to move forward was to dive straight into practice.
I got my hands on a numerous amount of revision practices, including topical and full mock papers. After going through a humbling process with these papers, my confidence grew, and I started to understand how to apply the notes to various scenario-based questions. As a gauge, I dedicated over 150 hours to practice papers before I passed my first mock test.
These practice papers can be costly, but if you’re able to afford them, I highly recommend investing in them. I personally view it as a worthwhile investment to maximise your chances of passing both papers on the first attempt, rather than spending more money to retake the exam.
After having purchased and completed most of the popular practices out there, I have compiled my Top 3 Choices for Revision Practices.
My Top 3 Choices for Revision Practices
RES Exam SG
This resource is great for quickly reinforcing concepts, using a flashcard-style approach. It’s effective for memorising basic concepts but may not be as helpful for understanding and applying deeper concepts.
Mdm Celeste Ng’s RES Practice Papers
Mdm Celeste offers both Paper 1 and Paper 2 in a topical style. These papers are excellent for strengthening both basic and deeper concepts. I learned a lot of the content directly from her books. I recommend completing them at least 2-3 times to truly benefit from them.
Mister Wallace’s RES Practice Papers
Mister Wallace provides both topical and full mock papers for both Paper 1 and Paper 2. I particularly enjoyed the full set mock papers, as they closely resemble the style of actual exam questions. It was a humbling experience for time management, as the questions are scenario-based and quite lengthy, making it a true reflection of the actual exam format.
Step 5: After The Exams
You will be notified of your results via your registered email within 4-6 weeks from the date of the exam. You will need to pass both papers in order to obtain a licence. In the event you only have a modular pass in one paper, you are required to pass the remaining paper within 2 years of completion of your RES Course.
In the event that candidates believe they have been wrongly graded, NTUC Learninghub allows candidates to submit an appeal within 5 working days from the date of notification of exam results. A non-refundable fee of $87.20 (incl. of GST) will apply for each paper appealed.
IF YOU PASSED,
Congratulations! This journey would have no doubt been tiring. We are really proud of you, and now you can finally move on to the next and final step.
Step 6: Salesperson Registration
You may first do your research on which Estate Agency you wish to join. Your decision from here should be rather flexible. Perhaps your friend is in a certain company or team. Or perhaps you could be looking for great networking opportunities.
To aid in your decision, the current Top 4 Estate Agencies are ERA, Propnex, Huttons, and OrangeTee.
Step-By-Step Process
- Submit an application form to join your chosen agency
- Afterwards, get an application form from your agency to submit to CEA for your In-Principle Approval. Your agency will provide you all your required instructions from there.
- Lastly, you should receive a notification of CEA’s approval within 4-6 weeks upon submission.
Cost Breakdown
| Cost Breakdown | Amount (SGD) |
|---|---|
| 1. RES Course Fees | $700-$1000 (incl. of GST) |
| 2. RES Examination Fees | $512.30 (incl. of GST) |
| 3. Real Estate Salesperson Registration Fee | $50 + $230 (annual CEA fee) = $280 |
| 4. Professional Indemnity Insurance | ~$120 |
| 5. Agency Levied Admin Fee | $300 – $500 |
| 6. Phototaking Fee | $200 – $400 |
Assuming candidates pass on their 1st attempt, an estimated safe amount to set aside would be S$2,500 before going all out on the RES course.
Depending on your agency, some of the top agencies will subsidise your salesperson registration fee, professional indemnity insurance, and/or your agency levied admin fee.
You may also claim up to $250 a year for your RES course & exam by NTUC UTAP, provided you were an NTUC member before signing up for the RES course/exam you are claiming for.
And there you go!
I wish you all the best for your upcoming RES exams. Feel free to reach out if you have any queries, I’ll try to assist the best I can 🙂
