ExamPassSimulation 1 vs Simulation 2: how to prepare
Simulation 1 is residential, a five-day session; Simulation 2 is commercial, a four-day session. Each ends with a 3-hour exam, of 50 questions for Simulation 1 and 46 for Simulation 2, mixing multiple choice with case scenarios. Preparing for either means rehearsing decisions rather than reviewing definitions, because the simulations place you inside an unfolding transaction and assess the calls you make as it develops.
The change that catches candidates out is not difficulty, it is initiative: in a theory exam the question comes to you already formed, while in a simulation you have to notice that a question exists at all before you can answer it correctly.
How do Simulation 1 and Simulation 2 compare?
The duties are the same; the transactions are not. Here is how the two simulations differ at a glance. Question counts and exam length are from RECO's Learner Exam Handbook; session hours and the attendance rule are from Humber Polytechnic's program page.
The simulation files themselves are not published, so the topic rows below describe the kinds of transactions each session covers, not the contents of any specific file.
| Simulation 1 (residential) | Simulation 2 (commercial) | |
|---|---|---|
| Place in the program | After Course 3 | After Course 4 |
| Session length | Five days (35 hours at Humber Polytechnic) | Four days (24 hours at Humber Polytechnic) |
| Attendance | In person or virtual at Humber Polytechnic; attendance is mandatory | In person or virtual at Humber Polytechnic; attendance is mandatory |
| Exam | 3 hours, 50 questions, multiple choice and case scenarios | 3 hours, 46 questions, multiple choice and case scenarios |
| Typical property types | Detached, rural and condominium homes; residential rentals | Office, retail, industrial, commercial condominium units, farms, development land, businesses |
| Typical client roles | Sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants, sometimes with a self-represented party on the other side | Corporate buyers and sellers, investors, owner-users, landlords and tenants, buyers and sellers of businesses |
| Typical documents | RECO Information Guide, representation agreements, the residential agreement of purchase and sale, amendments, waivers and notices of fulfilment, residential leases | RECO Information Guide, the commercial agreement of purchase and sale, custom conditions, offers to lease and leases, due diligence reports |
| Typical math | Remuneration, lot area, deposits, comparing what offers leave the seller, deadlines | Net operating income and cap rate, the cost approach, base rent plus additional rent, HST |
| Where candidates slip | Familiar settings hide the duty, because common practice and the TRESA standard are not always the same | Unfamiliar terms slow every decision, so the vocabulary has to be learned as consequences for the client |
Each simulation has its own guide with the stages of the file, the skills each stage tests and how to practice them: preparing for Simulation 1 and preparing for Simulation 2. This guide covers what the two sessions share and how to prepare for that shared demand.
How do the simulations differ from the theory exams?
The theory exams present a scenario and four options, so the boundaries of the problem are drawn for you. The simulations are built around realistic transactions in which situations unfold, and you are assessed on the decisions you make in the role of the salesperson. Nothing announces itself as a test of a particular topic, so the first skill required is noticing that a duty has been triggered.
The simulation exams also have fewer questions than the 115-question course exams while running the same 3 hours, likely because case scenarios take longer to read. That extra time per question is not a gift: the facts that matter are buried among the ones that do not.
What do both simulations have in common?
The same spine of duties, applied to different terrain. Both assess who you represent and what you owe them under TRESA, whether a situation has drifted into multiple representation and what disclosure and consent must happen before anyone proceeds, what must be disclosed and when, and how offers are handled in sequence. Simulation 2 adds a commercial layer on top of that spine rather than replacing it.
What skill should you actually be building?
The ability to hear a fact and immediately register the obligation attached to it. Practically, that means practicing until certain phrases function as alarms: a party mentioning a relationship with the other side, a seller volunteering a past problem, a buyer asking you to hold something back, a second offer arriving. If those facts produce a pause and a check rather than a nod, you are prepared in the way the session requires.
What should you confirm rather than assume?
The logistics. The simulation exams are not open book: notes, books and personal devices are not allowed, and the exam platform provides an on-screen calculator and a virtual notepad. Beyond that, how and where your session is delivered, how sections are scheduled, and how attempts are handled are set by the exam administrator and your education provider, and they can change. Confirm them from the current official source rather than from any third party, including this one. What does not change is the kind of thinking assessed, which is what preparation should target.
Which topics are worth over-preparing?
Representation and disclosure, without hesitation. They recur across both sessions in different costumes, and they are where hesitation is most visible. It is worth being genuinely fluent on the self-represented party, on material facts and material latent defects, and on the consent requirements that attach to multiple representation. For Simulation 2, add the commercial math, starting with cap rate and net vs gross leases.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Simulation 1 and Simulation 2? Simulation 1 is a five-day residential session and Simulation 2 is a four-day commercial session. Both test the same core TRESA duties, applied to different property types, clients and documents.
How many questions are on the simulation exams? Simulation Exam 1 has 50 questions and Simulation Exam 2 has 46, mixing multiple choice and case scenarios. Each exam runs 3 hours.
Is Simulation 2 harder than Simulation 1? It can feel harder because commercial terms and math are less familiar. The duties being tested are the same, so the gap closes once the vocabulary is learned as consequences for the client.
Can I bring notes or a calculator to a simulation exam? No. Notes, books and personal devices are not allowed. The exam platform provides an on-screen calculator and a virtual notepad.
How does ExamPass help you rehearse?
The simulation products open with a story-driven Study layer that moves stage by stage through a complete transaction, the way a session moves through a deal, and each practice question carries a link back to where the rule is taught so a hard question is never a dead end. Every option is explained, and the AI Tutor is available on each question. Try the free Simulation 1 practice questions and Simulation 2 practice questions. Related: how hard the exam is.
ExamPass is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by RECO, Meazure Learning, Humber Polytechnic, Career College Group, Fleming College, Algonquin College, or any other education provider. Provider and exam names are used only to identify the courses students are preparing for.