VanEd - Real Estate School News

VanEd Presents: EcoBroker®: Current Trends in Sustainability course ~ now available Online!

The new EcoBroker®: Current Trends in Sustainability course is now available online!

Since 2001, EcoBroker Certified professionals have become the best sustainability advocates the fiduciary service professional industries have ever known. EcoBrokers protect the interests of property owners and buyers by focusing on quality due diligence, property disclosure, ethics, advocacy, and the energy and environmental opportunities available to ensure real property performs at its optimal operational and financial efficiency, as sustainability as possible.

Today VanEd is proud to partner with EcoBroker to delivery this timely, quality content to all EcoBrokers as well as those interested in real estate trends surrounding green real estate.

The Trends course also introduces a first-of-its-kind business building approach employing: kindness, ethics, due diligence, and what EcoBroker® fondly calls the Liability Reduction Paradigm.

The intent of this Trends Course is to help EcoBrokers stay out-in-front, as the best of the best in sustainability advocacy and the ethics of service. This course is all about the core principals, kindness, professionalism, and ethics that have distinguished EcoBrokers over the course of their service to property owners, buyers, and anyone else interested in learning about and take advantage of sustainability technologies and services.

This course is available for CE Credit for real estate licensees in some states. Learn more about this new course online by clicking here!

 

Advantages of the §1031 Like-Kind Exchange

One might ask: Why go to the trouble of qualifying a transaction as a §1031 like-kind exchange? The Internal Revenue Code (hereinafter referred to as the "Code") is difficult enough to understand without digging into a complex section that could result in more tax complications.

However, there are a number of advantages to a §1031 exchange:

1. The most obvious advantage is tax savings. Using this and other sections of the Code wisely, you can defer taxes, sometimes for the rest of your life. This means the money that would otherwise have gone to pay taxes is now available for investment - and is interest-free because the taxes have been deferred under §1031.
2. You can increase the depreciable basis of the property you acquire by encumbering it with a larger debt.
3. You can add sheltered income to your investment portfolio by exchanging your unimproved land for income-producing improved land.
4. You can acquire a new property without cash and can dispose of property via an exchange when an outright sale might not be possible in the existing economic climate.
5. You can pick up some nontaxable cash by exchanging property and then refinancing after the exchange.
6. You can diversify your holdings without paying the taxes normally associated with a sale and purchase of new holdings.
7. The tax savings to your client (or to you, as an investor) are not only substantial but can also, with the benefits of leveraged purchasing, make a tremendous difference in the ultimate value of a real estate investment portfolio.
8. Because of the tax savings, the availability of a §1031 exchange may even make the difference between no sale at all and multiple sales (with multiple commissions). Just making the client aware of some of the possibilities of a §1031 exchange may open up all sorts of future transactions that would not otherwise have occurred to him or her.
9. Because of the flexibility built into the §1031 rules, it is not necessary to find the property you wish to acquire and then arrange a simultaneous exchange for the property you are selling. In fact, there are ways to exchange your fully developed property for vacant land, build a custom building on that land, and still have the entire transaction qualify under §1031.

In addition, we all know that the bar is always on the rise when it comes to the professional real estate agent's obligation to be well-versed in the latest tax rulings, zoning regulations, interest rates, and all other matters that might have an impact on a client's plans. While we are obviously liable for erroneous advice, we can also be held accountable for failing to offer information that a client might find valuable. Again, your knowledge of the possibilities under §1031 might make the difference between a disgruntled or even litigation-minded client and one who participates in numerous transactions that are more lucrative for you than typical sales and purchases of property.

In most §1031 courses, you will encounter numerous examples of how a particular transaction might work from a tax standpoint. While instructors will explain how many of the tax calculations are done, we will not go into every detail of every calculation. Those sorts of details are better left to an accountant or other professional who is familiar with this area of taxation. You need not be concerned with whether the tax result is correct to the penny. Your primary interest is in understanding how an exchange can make a substantial difference in the tax result so you can explain it to your client.

Finally, unless you are quite familiar with the main terms used in tax law, this would be a good time to recommend appropriate tax and legal counsel to your clients. A thorough understanding of common tax-related terminology will also make the process much easier to engage with and follow. Of particular importance are the concepts of cost, basis, depreciation, realized gain, and recognized gain.

VanEd offers a Real Estate Continuing Education course on  §1031 Exchanges. Learn more and Register online at VanEd.com.

VanEd Presents: Oregon 30-hour Commercial Continuing Education Package

For real estate licensees in Oregon, VanEd is proud to present our newest Continuing Education Package - The 30-hour Commercial Continuing Education Package - which includes the Law And Rule Required Course!

The package includes courses specifically selected to be of interest to Commercial Brokers who are looking for more informative and topical information on commercial issues. Written by industry experts and focused on hot topics, this new Commercial CE package for Oregon real estate professionals is the best value anywhere. Click Here to get started!

This package is the easiest and most cost effect way to complete the elective CE requirements with a focus on Commercial issues. Save 25% off the price of the individual courses. Includes the Required LARRC course for FREE!

Courses in this package include: (click for details)

• Oregon Law and Rule Required Course (LARRC) #1082-0026
• Fundamentals of Commercial Real Estate #1082-0030
• Listing and Selling Commercial Real Estate #1082-0031
• Foundations In Sustainability #1082-0016
• Transportation Planning #1082-0035
• Economics & Demographics (for Real Estate Agents) #1082-0006

 

And you don't have to wait to get started! All of these courses are offered online by VanEd. Courses are easy to navigate, are available online 24/7, will work on any system (including mobile devices) and can be completed on your schedule.

Complete your continuing education as required by the Oregon Real Estate Agency the easy, fast and most affordable way possible.

Click Here to get started today!

The Most Successful People in Real Estate use VanEd. Find out what they say by clicking here!

VanEd Presents: Methamphetamine and Real Estate ~ Updated and Online CE for Real Estate

Known as 'the devil's drug' even by those who use it, the synthesized central nervous stimulant methamphetamine is an effective energy booster, appetite suppressant, mood enhancer and libido intensifier. The artificially induced state it creates numbs all feelings of conscience and bestows a euphoric sense of invincible self-confidence, beauty, sex-appeal and an almost supernatural energy. But in a short time, its phenomenal dependency potential frequently turns recreational use into a nearly insurmountable addiction.

In this updated and informative real estate continuing education course we will examine the dangers the use of methamphetamine imposes on not only the user or dealer, but the direct effects on real estate.

Students will gain a real life awareness of the issues involved when a transaction includes a meth lab and important information regarding the disclosure of meth labs is also presented.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course the student can expect to:

• Know what meth is
• Realize the multitude of dangers posed by meth use and meth labs
• Understand the dismal effect meth abuse has on potentially everyone
• Recognize the signs and indicators in detecting meth usage and meth labs
• Gain awareness of the cleanup and disclosure responsibilities required of property owners
• Become familiar with what's being done to curtail the methamphetamine problem
• Know where to get more information

 

This course is approved for Continuing Education Credit in Texas, Colorado and Oregon.

Learn more and register for Methamphetimine and Real Estate today by Clicking Here!

This course is also available as an important professional development course in other states where CE credit is not yet approved. Find your state online at http://VanEd.com.

New Continuing Education Reporting Requirements for Oregon Real Estate Licensees

Beginning with May renewals, the Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA) is requiring licensees to provide continuing education course information electronically using the eLicense system during their license renewal process.

As a part of the new system, OREA is also requiring more information to be entered at the time the licensee posts. The information will be required for all classes taken by the licensee during the two years prior to the active license renewal.

The following information is found on course completion certificates (certificates of attendance) provided by VanEd to students. Licensees will not need to send certificates to OREA unless they are specifically requested by the Agency.

Information that is now required to be submitted via the eLicense system includes;

• Provider and Course Number
• Course Name
• Course Topic (must be from an eligible category)
• Date of course completion
• Course location and Instructor information
• Course Hours

VanEd makes all of this information available on course completion certificates. If you have any questions about the requirements, please contact us at [email protected].

VanEd Presents: Oregon 30-hour Commercial Continuing Education Package

For real estate licensees in Oregon, VanEd is proud to present our newest Continuing Education Package - The 30-hour Commercial Continuing Education Package - which includes the Law And Rule Required Course!

The package includes courses specifically selected to be of interest to Commercial Brokers who are looking for more informative and topical information on commercial issues. Written by industry experts and focused on hot topics, this new Commercial CE package for Oregon real estate professionals is the best value anywhere. Click Here to get started!

This package is the easiest and most cost effect way to complete the elective CE requirements with a focus on Commercial issues. Save 25% off the price of the individual courses. Includes the Required LARRC course for FREE!

Courses in this package include: (click for details)

• Oregon Law and Rule Required Course (LARRC) #1082-0026
• Fundamentals of Commercial Real Estate #1082-0030
• Listing and Selling Commercial Real Estate #1082-0031
• Foundations In Sustainability #1082-0016
• Transportation Planning #1082-0035
• Economics & Demographics (for Real Estate Agents) #1082-0006

 

And you don't have to wait to get started! All of these courses are offered online by VanEd. Courses are easy to navigate, are available online 24/7, will work on any system (including mobile devices) and can be completed on your schedule.

Complete your continuing education as required by the Oregon Real Estate Agency the easy, fast and most affordable way possible.

Click Here to get started today!

The Most Successful People in Real Estate use VanEd. Find out what they say by clicking here!

VanEd Presents: The Ethics of Technology: Etiquette for the Age of Engage

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The Ethics of Technology: Etiquette for the Age of Engage is now available online! VanEd is proud to be the home to the REALTOR® Ethics courses, and the Ethics of Technology course has been designed to meet those requirements. To see the Learning Objectives and requirements information for Associations, please review the course details page for your state.

New and emerging technology, the advent of social media and the use of services and applications changes how we perform our daily tasks in business but does not take away our responsibility to the industry or the consumers we serve to act in an ethical manner.

In this course we will look at emerging technology and discuss how Ethics plays a role in our interaction with others online just as it does “in real life”.

During this course students will be introduced to how ethics and technology intersect in a variety of online formats. Students will also be introduced to various ethical concepts, including:

• identifying the role ethics plays in our business practices 
• the process of enforcing the Code of Ethics 
• proper application of the Standards of Practice 
• overcoming obstacles in real estate communication in a variety of formats

Don't let outdated strategies or ideas plague your business plan in the new real estate economy. Log on today to learn this timely and valuable information and to prepare yourself for future success.    >>> Click Here for more information!

To learn more about the REALTOR® Code of Ethics family of courses offered by VanEd, visit us online at http://www.vaned.com.

This course is approved for Continuing Education Credit in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon and Washington state. If you are interested in taking this course for continuing education for real estate in another jurisdiction, please email us at [email protected].   

Still Need Mandatory Continuing Education Courses? There is still time to register!

To those students working on Core Curriculum courses this is a reminder that December 31, 2013 is the last day a student can complete any course that is required to be expired by a regulatory agency or rule.  After December 31, 2013, you can no longer complete it.

All of the following courses will expire after the 31st;

• Colorado - CREC Annual Commission Update course - Registration closes 8pm December 31st, Course Expires at Midnight December 31st.
• Texas - MCE Ethics and MCE Legal Update - Registration closes at Midnight on December 30th, Courses Expire at Midnight December 31st.
• Oregon - Law and Rule Required Course - Registration closes at 9pm December 31st, Course Expires at Midnight December 31st.
• Washington - CORE-Current Issues in Washington Real Estate - Registration closes at 9pm December 31st, Course Expires at Midnight December 31st.

Please note the above registration and expiration timelines.

If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

Oregon Real Estate Agency to begin CE audits in November

The Education Division of the Oregon Real Estate Agency recently announced that they will begin auditing Oregon Licensees for Continuing Education compliance in November. The first group of randomly selected licensees will come from those who are renewing their license in October of 2013.

We have included selected portions of the notice from the agency below for licensees to review;

Continuing Education Audits of Licensees Records

The Oregon Real Estate Agency will be conducting continuing education audits.  CE audits consist of reviewing the continuing education records of randomly selected real estate licensees who have recently renewed an active license.

The first CE audit will begin November 1, 2013.  Licensees will be randomly selected from all active
license renewals in October 2013. 

Selected licensees will need to send in their continuing education records to the Agency for review.  A licensee's continuing education records include:

• Certificates of attendance for all 30 hours completed prior to license renewal, and
• A completed Continuing Education Record Form.

All licensees have been individually responsible for their own continuing education records since January 1, 2011. Licensees certify that they have met the continuing education requirements when they renew their licenses.

Some real estate companies or businesses have policies that assist associated licensees with the maintenance of their continuing education records. Licensees still have the responsibility to maintain their records and to individually respond directly to a CE audit.

Licensees who are selected for a CE audit but do not respond may face administrative action. Licensees who are found to have provided inaccurate or incorrect information about the completion of continuing education may also be subject to administrative action. An administrative action can mean a reprimand, suspension, or revocation of the license.

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If you have questions about the renewal process, certificates or the upcoming audit, email VanEd at [email protected]. We will be happy to assist you.

Our favorite stories this week include angry chefs, green property valuation and low appraisals, sooo.... hold the blowfish?

Here are our favorite stories from this week, as reported by the VanEd staff, students and industry sources. It's probably no surprise that food, green building and a story about a low appraisal all made the list. We're diverse like that. :)

Did you know that Old Buildings can learn New Tricks? An article on the Sustainable Business Oregon website says yes. In her article, Caitlin Powell notes a study showing that by renovating an older warehouse (or potentially a mall?) and using 6 to 8 percent fewer resources than on demolition and new construction, contributions to climate change can be reduced by as much as 9 percent. Other stats are even more impressive.

Read more --> http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/columns/2012/04/old-buildings-can-learn-new-tricks.html?ed=2012-04-03&s=article_du&ana=e_sbo

 

You know it is still an interesting market when the Past President of the Appraisal Institute, a Tennessee Real Estate Broker, loses a deal over a low appraisal and then gets an article on CNN Money. Read the article and then decide: Are banks sending messages to appraisers to keep valuations low?  http://cnnmon.ie/HcdwZ7

Don't think the appraisers are just one sided, though. They're still working on Green features as they ask If Energy upgrades add value to existing homes? The appraisers discuss this in an Appriasal Scoop post.    http://bit.ly/GTtZOf

Appraisers also have to deal with the Uniform Collateral Data Portal® (UCDP®), a single portal for the electronic submission of appraisal data files to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae that facilitates the electronic collection of appraisal report data. Appraisal report forms for all conventional mortgages delivered to Freddie Mac on or after March 19, 2012, must be submitted to the UCDP. For more info visit http://www.freddiemac.com/sell/secmktg/uniform_collateral_data_portal.html. 

 

Ever ask what happens to all the hats that land on the ice after a hat-trick in hockey? We didn't until the Colorado Avalanche put the question to those who pick them up in this online video: http://video.avalanche.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=1027&id=103305 (and hey, now we know!) 

 

And what is with the regulators in Tokyo? The deadly poisonous Blowfish can kill you with a look (ok, an eye....seriously, the eyes, heart, liver... all more deadly than cyanide!). And now food regulators are easing restrictions for those who want to cook these deadly delicacies. Seems to us tha loosening standards for chefs who specialize in blowfish seems like adding risk to an already "fishy" proposition. 

See what we mean in this Rueters article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/03/us-japan-blowfish-idUSBRE83202P20120403

These stories and many more were or are available on one of our social network sites listed below. Please join us there!