VanEd - Real Estate School News

VanEd Presents: The Florida GRI - Graduate REALTOR® Institute Program ~ available online!

VanEd is proud to be the online home for the Florida REALTORS^® Association GRI: Graduate REALTOR^®Institute program. The GRI designation is recognized nationwide as the standard for real estate professional achievement. Earning this designation will set you apart from the competition.

The entire GRI program is available online and students now have more options than ever available to them to complete this prestigious designation program. 

To earn the designation, Florida REALTORS^® will need to complete each of the 100, 200 and 300 series courses. All of the courses can be found online by clicking here. 

Each 15 hour course can be taken individually, and members have the option of registering for an entire series at a discounted price. All of the course are required in order to earn the Graduate REALTOR^® Institute designation. Courses cover all aspects of Real Estate including comparing investment properties, understanding profit and risk potential, and analyzing individual investment opportunities. The program also discusses tax and management issues real estate professionals face every day in the practice of real estate.

Other GRI courses will cover:

• explaining the basic factors affecting International Real Estate
• description of tax liabilities commonly associated with investment property
• analyzing techniques used to determine buyer and seller needs
• how to assist an clients and customers identifying financing options

Students will receive GRI credit for completing VanEd's online courses in Florida. For details, visit the Florida Graduate REALTOR^® Institute program online by clicking here. 

Note that Florida REALTORS® GRI courses are available for GRI, CE or Post-License credit. Students should determine which credit type they need and register for the appropriate course to ensure the desired credit type is applied. Contact Florida REALTORS® for more information.

 

A Finance Friday Q&A: "When can I get a home loan after bankruptcy?"

A common question from our pre-license students is "When can a person get a home loan after bankruptcy or foreclosure?" and the answer is always "it depends" for several reasons.

An example we use with our students is that a bankruptcy is different from a foreclosure and they, and many subsets of each, are treated differently by lenders and underwriters.  An example of this is that a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filer and a Chapter 13 filer will have different timelines set forth from the discharge or dismissal of their case, and the timeline is a result of the choices made at the time of filing.

Foreclosure and short sale can also be easily confused so real estate professionals are always cautioned to first recommend competent tax and legal advice and second the real estate licensee should suggest that the client or customer also start their homebuying process by visiting with a knowledgable lender who can guide them through the process.

For those looking for information they can share on the probable or likely timeline,we found the infographic below on Credit Karma and thought that this would be a helpful starting point for any discussion related to these issues that a real estate professional might have with any client or customer.

 

First Quarter Wrap Up - Our favorite stories included new rules, Penquins and yeah, Zombies

In the first quarter of 2016 home price indicators showed some volatility but new construction permits increased. Market rates have risen only slightly while oil prices came up from near record lows.  Unemployment is holding and we wait for the Fed to make decisions about rate increases (or...not) in the coming months.

These stories were important and may have an effect on the real estate marketplace, but the stories below were the ones that our team paid attention to the most. See if you agree with out staff picks. 

 

Resales fall sharply in February - But New Home Sales Surge

U.S. home resales fell sharply in February in a potentially troubling sign for America's economy which has otherwise looked resilient to the global economic slowdown. NAR reported greater than a 7% decrease while home prices were still up more than 4% around the country.  Is this trouble for the economy on the whole or is this a normal winter slowdown? 

Perhaps - as Bloomberg noted that February New Home sales surged, especially in the Western part of the country. This conflicting piece of information may only signal a leveling of the playing field when it comes to the pricing of new and existing homes. We want a few more months of data before making any determination. 

View the full resale breakdown and story online at Reuters.

To read more and see the stats for the New Home sales in February, visit Bloomberg Online here. 

TREC Rules Take Effect

The Texas Real Estate Commission made many rule changes that took effect at the start of 2016. Among these was the requirement that all licensees in their first renewal cycle complete 8-hours of Legal CE as a part of their Salesperson Apprentice Education (SAE) requirement.  Did we say 8-hours? Yes. The Legal and Ethics requirement of 6-hours was changed to an 8-hour requirement consisting of two 4-hour Legal courses.  (Note that this may also have an affect on REALTORS looking to complete their NAR mandated Ethics requirements. Check with your local board to determine if you will now be required to complete and additional Ethics course moving forward.)

VanEd previously reported on the proposed changes on our site (click here) and we have now updated and made all of the courses available online to meet the new requirements. You can also click here to learn more about the new Legal I and Legal II courses required for all Texas Licensees (errr.... License Holders now. Sorry, just another rule change.)  

 

CREC/DRE Director Gives 2016 Update

In a webcast presented by the Colorado Association of REALTORS (CAR) Division Director Marcia Waters discussed the sunset review and upcoming rulemaking hearings taking place that affect real estate brokers in Colorado. Our key takeaway from the presentation was that the Director has an excellent handle on what is going on currently in the Colorado real estate marketplace.

We have posted the entire presentation online on the VanEd Newslog. 

 

Oregon is the most popular State

In January CNN Money reported that the number of people moving to Oregon has increased by 10% in the past six years. This is not surprising considering the number of new businesses has also increased providing new jobs, and housing prices have increased as well. A sign of housing popularity that is a direct result of new residents moving to popular areas.

Learn more online at CNN Money

 

Tech Tools to help your Business

How can you tell if a tech tool will be good for your business and which are just shiny new toys?  Inman tackled this question in February in an article we found to be right on point. The key challenge for most people is either integration or implementation. In other words, how long will it take to to get yourself up to speed on the tool, and then how long does it take you to put it into practice?

Take a look at this article for tips that may help you separate the good from the bad (or in the case from the shiny) online at Inman News.

 

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

We were happy to see another article on how real estate professionals can work to raise the bar every day. Increasing the reputation of everyone in the industry starts with each of us, and this second article from Inman News hit the mark with us in a number of ways.

You can find our favorite tip (Be Humble) and 9 others online at Inman News.

 

Can Government Housing also be Sleek?

In February Curbed reported on some government housing getting a new, stylish design. The fact that these are in Eastern Europe doesn't change our feelings much - these are much better designs and we hope more U.S. affordable housing might be created from older, out of date, properties.

Learn more at Curbed.com

 

Any Stories where Penguins get on a Treadmill? You Bet!

The Guardian posted on a study that shows that fat Penguins fall over more often than slim ones when they're put on a treadmill. With this information apparently not being scientifically proven up until this point, this study was critical.

(It also defines, clearly, the validity of my own less-than-scientific-survey of 1, in which I discovered that I am just like a penguin.)

Seriously though, you have got to watch the video associated with this story online at The Guardian. 

 

And, of course, Zombies and how they relate to Amazon

If you are developer who uses Lumberyard (tools to create video games) with Amazon's cloud services, you will be happy to know that the Acceptable Use language in the Terms of Service agreement do create an exemption to certain rules if the CDC certifies an outbreak that causes human corpses to reanimate and seek to consume living human flesh exist.

In other words, Zombies.

If there are zombies those developers can use Lumberyard with life critical systems. This is important: This does NOT mean that Video Games can keep you safe from Zombies. We had hoped otherwise, but, alas, no. We're still not safe.

We recommend reading the CNN Money Article linked into this Newser post before looking at the bottom for the link to the article on how to stay safe from Zombies. Because that's really all we were looking for in the first place.

Housing Quote of the Quarter

On March 25th U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) issued the following statement upon conclusion of the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee hearing titled “The Future of Housing in America: Government Regulations and the High Cost of Housing.”

“The purpose of today’s hearing is simple: to examine the high cost of housing in America. Today, we heard testimony that 40 percent of rental costs are due to regulation. Rising costs and lack of availability paint a bleak picture for the future of workforce housing in America. Unfortunately, the stock of affordable market-rate housing is not plentiful for those seeking it. This subcommittee will continue to examine these issues and methods to lift Americans from poverty and ensure they don’t just have a place to live, but also a place to have a life.”

 - See more at: http://missouri.realestaterama.com/2016/03/25/luetkemeyer-subcommittee-examine-high-cost-of-housing-in-america-ID0924.html#sthash.BlHIsHjb.dpuf

 

 

VanEd Presents: TREC Legal Update 1 & Legal Update 2 for non-elective CE in Texas ~ Now Available Online!

License holders in the state of Texas are required to complete a total of 18 hours of continuing education (CE) real estate courses every two year licensing period. Of these, all licensees must take the 4 hour Legal Update 1 course and the 4 hour Legal Update 2 course.  VanEd is pleased to announce that the two non-elective continuing education courses required by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) for Real Estate Sales Agents and Brokers are now available online.

The TREC Legal Update 1 course and the TREC Legal Update 2 course are both approved and being offered online now. Descriptions of the courses are below;

 TREC Legal Update 1 (#29622)

The goal of this edition of the Legal Update 1 course is to continue challenging licensees to maintain high ethical standards. New legal cases replace cases presented in earlier editions of this course. Students will be able to review; 

• Statute and Rule Updates
• Property Management Issues
• Contracts and Addendum Forms

 TREC Legal Update 2 (#29623)

Maintaining competence in this increasingly competitive profession demands that licensees receive up-to-date information on current legal issues. The main goal of the TREC Legal Update 2 course is to continue challenging licensees to maintain high ethical standards through the review and research of the Canons of Professional Ethics, Agency Relationships and Tax Laws. 

Don't wait for the end of your Texas real estate license cycle before completing these timely and valuable courses. Completing these courses now will help you improve your service and complete the required courses at the same time.

And check out our 18 hour CE license renewal packages for deep discounts on all Texas CE courses! Click Here to view the packages!

Need SAE? Looking for individual SAE courses or package discounts?

For those looking for the full 98 hour SAE package VanEd offers those as well! Completely online, on your schedule and VanEd offers packages that include the Legal Update I & II courses!  Click here to learn more about VanEd's SAE courses and packages!   

The Confident Rookie Series ~ By Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn

I had held a 3-hour workshop in Denver called "The Confident Rookie - Ten Secrets to Looking as if You've Done this Before!" Fun time, good crowd.

Due to the popularity of the workshop (Ed Note: and subsequent webinars, teleseminars, books and courses she has written) the Powers that Be here at VanEd asked me to run a series on these Ten Secrets for their audience of pre-licensees, new agents and those who train them.

A little disclaimer... despite the title of the series; I'm not going to tell rookies how to trick their clients or prospects into believing that they're competent real estate agents, capable of handling someones real estate needs, so that they'll allow the rookie to practice on them and learn what he's doing. Nope. What I am going to cover is how to BE a competent real estate agent who IS capable of handling someone's real estate needs, so that the rookie will have the confidence to sell himself to prospects and yes, get the experience he needs.

But I will never, ever ever advise anyone to "Fake it til you Make it" as a business philosophy. Will it happen? Oh yeah, it'll happen every day, this year, next year and for years after that. I've been selling real estate for 12 years now and I still have to bluff my way through situations on a regular basis. But that's actually one of the topics covered - HOW to do that, without jeopardizing your credibility or your license.

Here are the Ten Secrets I'll be covering in the series over the next 10 weeks: 

1. Know Your Systems
2. Practice with Your Printer (sounds silly, I know)
3. Preview, Preview, Preview
4. Drive Your Route Ahead of Time
5. Cheerfully Waste Your Time
6. Find Your Handyman
7. Let Your Seller Prospect Do Most of the Talking
8. Get Comfy with Your Commission
9. Admit that You're New
10. What to say when you don't know the answer

Stay tuned...

 

Guest Author Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn has authored five books and multiple courses designed to teach agents her Sell with Soul philosophy that centers on four interrelated principles: Respect, Competence, Confidence and Enthusiasm.  The latest release of her book is available in the VanEd bookstore. You can also visit her online at www.sellwithsoul.com or attend one of her free teleseminars on a variety of topics of interest to the real estate community.

VanEd Presents: Oklahoma Post-Licensing course ~ available online

VanEd is proud to announce we are currently updating Oklahoma's Required 45-hour Post-License course for Provisional Sales Associates.  This course is available entirely online and can be found at http://VanEd.com/OKPost.

The course was written in partnership with Anne M. Woody, former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission and now owner of BAAHS.com, which was started to provide the highest quality online education and consultation services to real estate licensees and regulators, bridging the gap between Regulation and Education.  She also serves as the lead instructor for the program.

To see all of the programs and services available through BAAHS, visit them online at http://www.baahs.com/.

All Provisional Sales Associates are required to complete the Part II post-license course prior to their one-year license expiration date. This course is not to be taken prior to a license being issued; this course must be completed prior to the one-year license expiration date.

VanEd's 45 hour Post-Licensing course is designed to focus students on key industry issues that affect the daily practice of real estate. These issues, highlighted below, need to be focused on by the real estate professional in order to both assist and protect the public. The course includes three distinct modules of information covering Real Estate Business Basics, Finance, and Investment and Management issues.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course students will be able to;

• Identify responsible business practices
• Review and Explain critical financing issues involved in real estate
  transactions
• Assist clients and customers in the proper handling of Investment
  transactions
• Note key developments related to the proper use of technology in real estate

These key core concepts can help lead the student towards a successful career in real estate. The course also meets all guidelines set forth by OREC.

Learn more and register for this new and required course online at http://VanEd.com/OKPost.

Have questions or comments?  Let us know! Send us an email at [email protected] 
And don't forget to follow the VanEd NewsLog, fan, like and link with us online!

The most successful people in Real Estate use VanEd.  See what they say by clicking here.

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Part 1 of 2: Becoming a Commercial Real Estate Broker

The Commercial Real Estate Industry touches virtually every aspect of business in the United States and most of the free world. Very few companies can grow without acquiring more land or additional office space, patients can’t use the services of a hospital unless it’s constructed and consumers can’t shop at a Wal-Mart without the development of Real Property.

Commercial Real Estate encompasses all aspects of sales, leasing, management, investment in or improvement of retail property, investment property, farmland, businesses, industries, medical facilities and dozens of other types of property. Our job in the industry is to assist in the lease, management or sales of property, and to advise our clients of their best courses of action when deciding how to invest in or improve real property or a commercial asset.

You will work directly with industry leaders, community leaders, government officials, lawyers, zoning officers, accountants, mortgage companies, banks, title companies, appraisers, utility companies and everyone in between to put together sales or develop property to its full potential for a client. While you can’t make decisions for our clients, you can assist them in making better informed decisions, and you can help our clients to understand what the highest and best use may be for a particular property, or what type of investment vehicle might be best for your client.

You will work with property owners who may want to sell a property, lease a property, have a property managed or determine what use might be better for the property than the current use. You will work with users of properties to find the best location for their business or investment, to determine if it’s better for the user to lease a property or purchase and to understand the tax implications of their decisions. Additionally, You will work with investors to determine which real estate venture might be their best investment to meet their particular goals and needs.

Commercial real estate agents and brokers work with individuals, investors, organizations and corporations to develop property to its highest potential. Their careers include many specializations. Some commercial associates specialize in particular types of property, such as office property, develop-able farmland or even amusement parks. Other commercial associates specialize in particular forms of consulting work for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), insurance companies or utility companies. Still others work in specialized areas such as resort management or assist government agencies with the redevelopment of industrial sites or reclamation of land.

The path you choose to take now, venturing into a career in commercial real estate, may open many unexpected doors in the future. Next time we will discuss the responsibilities of a commercial real estate broker.

VanEd offers online licensing programs in many states, including Colorado, Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma. Visit us online at http://VanEd.com to learn more about beginning your career in Commercial Real Estate. We also offer continuing education for those licensees interested in moving into the commercial field.

VanEd Presents: Real Estate Marketing ~ Our Newest TREC Approved SAE Course

VanEd is proud to announce that our newest online course, Real Estate Marketing - No. 0511, is now approved for 30 hours of SAE credit for Texas REALTORS and Licensees.

This course covers all of the TREC required elements, including real estate professionalism and ethics, characteristics of successful salesperson, time management, psychology of marketing, listing procedures, advertising, negotiating and closing, financing, and the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act.

To help prepare the student to understand and work with the  principles of marketing within the rules and regulations of the  profession, this course will endeavor to see that at the end of the  course the student will be able to:

• Identify rules relating to professionalism and ethics

• Discover the characteristics of the successful salesperson

• Recognize good time management practices

• Discover some aspects of the psychology of marketing

How do we decide what to do in any particular situation we encounter where a decision has to be made? What influences act upon us to help us decide on a course of action? Where did you get the guidelines or the inner voice that tells you which way to proceed?

In this course we will examine these important questions in order to create opportunities for students to demonstrate success in their own Real Estate Marketing.

 

Click Here to view the full course details or to register for this course today!

 

From the VanEd Mailbag: Interview the brokerage & other tips for new Real Estate Professionals

Dear VanEd: I am just about to finish my real estate pre-licensing course online and wanted to know if you have any tips on how to decide where I am going to hang my real estate license? There are lots of companies out there! -- Glen M.  

You are right, Glen, there are a ton of companies, many business models and an almost overwhelming number of ideas on what an Employing or Managing Broker should do for new licensees. Don't even get us started on best practices! And while we have some considerations that you may want to take into account, remember that your license is a commodity and you should be interviewing the brokerage firm and managing broker as much as they are interviewing you! 

Start by interviewing with at least three firms in your area, even if you think you already know where you are going to start your new career. This will give you ideas on commission rates, splits and current licensing fees as well as how the firm can help you get started. We suggest to new brokers that the following items should be considered when considering hanging their license at any brokerage. Employing/Managing brokers should be prepared to answer questions on these topics:

• The Company - Image, Location, Convenience, Environment, Size - is camaraderie important in your firm? In your local sales area?
• Franchise vs. non-franchise - fees associated
• Training and supervision provided
• Office Support - Clerical, equipment such as telephone system, voice mail, copier, fax, scanner, personal computer, access to the Internet, Board membership(s), personal assistant Off-Hours services - answering service, setting showings
• Broker Support - assistance in review & preparation of market analysis, listing presentation, drafting contracts, etc. vs. a competing/selling broker or buddy system? Team approach?
• Earnings/Commissions: Traditional splits, 100% concept and/or associated fees, desk fee and transaction costs, other creative programs
• What might the Agent's Personal Expenses be, including:
  • Licensing Fees
  • Association Memberships - Local, State, National Dues, MLS membership fees/books
  • Monthly computer access fees
  • Office supplies & equipment (Palm pilot, Day timer, organizer, computer, Top producer software, calculator, cell phone, etc.)
  • Marketing Materials (Farming, Promotion)
  • Business Stationary & Cards
  • Signs, Riders, Lock-boxes, Key-Pads
  • Training - Continuing Education, Graduate REALTOR® Institute programs, Seminars
  • Personal Appearance and Image
  • Vehicle
  • Other? _____

Don't exclude any question - remember, take charge of your interview and you will find the perfect fit when selecting a company to start your new career with.

Wondering what to do in the first few weeks? Go through the "Getting Started and Staying on Track" professional development course online. All VanEd pre-license students are given this course for free so that they can get off on the right foot! It's online in your new CE Account so you can see exactly what steps need to be taken in the first five weeks as a real estate professional.

Also, NAR put out a list of 10 Tips for new REALTORS® - check that out online here.   

Have questions or comments?  Let us know! Send us an email at [email protected] 
And don't forget to follow the VanEd NewsLog, fan, like and link with us online!

The most successful people in Real Estate use VanEd.  See what they say by clicking here.

 

We are proud to announce our complete line of ARELLO/IDEC Certified Texas Real Estate Licensing courses

After a rule change that took place in 2012, all Distance Education courses for Real Estate Licenses in Texas are now required to be certified by an appropriate and approved Distance Education Certification program.

One acceptable (and in fact the industry standard) program is the ARELLO Distance Education Certificate program. And while all Texas real estate licensing courses (SAE/Core courses) will not be required to be certified until January 1st, 2015, VanEd has already met and exceeded the new requirements.

What is ARELLO?

ARELLO is the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials. This is an association of regulatory agencies from around the globe, including the United States, Canada and even South Africa. ARELLO is a member run organization that meets throughout the year to discuss industry issues and create voluntary policies that members may use or modify to meet their own unique needs.

One of the major programs run by ARELLO is the Distance Education Certification program which ensures that courses and programs meet agreed upon educational standards. These standards include proper course delivery and design, adequate instructional support and instructor development and the proper implementation of timing protocals that allow the certified course or program to meet the educational standards for time.

 

Why is this important for students?

Students looking to complete the required education in order to sit for the Texas real estate exam should be aware that all real estate courses and classes are not the same. ARELLO certified programs meet industry standards for delivery, instructional support and timing. This certification allows the student to be comfortable that the program they are taking will both prepare them for a career in real estate and meet the regulatory requirements of the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).

Why is this an important step for the industry?

In the past distance education courses, especially those offered in states that do not require ARELLO certification, have not meet known and agreed upon educational standards. When education standards are not met then the student may face compliance issues, but more often students suffer because they do not pass the mandatory state licensing exams.

As proponents of ARELLO and IDEC (International Distance Education Counsel) certification programs, VanEd has worked for more than a decade to exceed the expected standards and minimum requirements. Our Instructors have obtained and maintain strict requirements, including possessing the Certified Distance Education Instructor (CDEI) certification. The CDEI is a multi-day program completed entirely online that focuses instructors on the needs and demands of today's online adult students.

We are excited about the new courses and our new Texas Real Estate Licensing packages, and think that students will find they are better prepared to take advantage of today's excellent real estate market.

 

Visit VanEd's Texas Real Estate Licensing CORE/SAE courses by clicking here --> http://www.vaned-texas.com/ 

To learn more about ARELLO and TREC certification and Program approval, you can click here. 

Have questions or comments?  Let us know! Send us an email at [email protected] 
And don't forget to follow the VanEd NewsLog, fan, like and link with us online!

The most successful people in Real Estate use VanEd.  See what they say by clicking here.

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