Finally passed my Virginia real estate exam after failing twice — here's what worked — Forums

Jordan L.OP

May 27, 2026

Okay so I've been putting off writing this post for a while but I think it might actually help someone. I failed the Virginia real estate exam twice — once in October and again in December — and I was honestly starting to wonder if I was just not cut out for this. The national portion wasn't my problem, it was the state-specific stuff that kept tripping me up. Virginia agency law and the Fair Housing Act nuances especially.

What finally clicked for me was switching up how I studied. I'd been just reading the textbook over and over, which clearly wasn't working. I started doing timed VIRGINIA practice test sets every single day for about three weeks straight, like 50 questions minimum. Found a solid study guide that broke down the state law sections in plain English instead of legalese. Total game changer. I was also doing my practice sessions early morning before work when my brain was actually fresh.

Walked in this past February, scored a 78 on the state portion and 82 on national. Not perfect but I'll absolutely take it. Happy to share more specific exam tips if anyone's prepping right now — just ask below.

lisa.prep

May 28, 2026

This is so encouraging, thank you for posting. I'm sitting for mine in about six weeks and the state section is exactly where I'm struggling too. Did you find the actual exam matched what you were seeing in practice tests, or were there a lot of curveballs? I've heard the Virginia-specific questions can get pretty tricky around landlord-tenant law and I'm not feeling confident there at all.

Sarah M.

May 28, 2026

Congrats! I passed on my second attempt last spring and honestly the timed practice thing is what made the difference for me too. The real exam feels so fast if you're not used to pacing yourself. I'd add — don't ignore the math questions thinking you can skip them. There's always a handful and they're free points if you just drill them. Agency disclosure questions were everywhere on mine.

Jordan L.

May 28, 2026

Just bookmarking this thread. Taking mine in three weeks and I needed to see this today honestly. The twice-failing-before-passing stories are weirdly more motivating than the people who sail through on the first try. Good luck with the license process!

Finally passed my Virginia real estate exam after failing twice — here's what worked

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