VanEd - Real Estate School News

Instructors: Nebraska IDW Scheduled for July 20th

The following information is from the Nebraska Real Estate Commission, host for this years Nebraska Pre-License Instructor Development Workshop.

Save the Date for the IDW!

Please be sure to save Thursday, July 20, 2017 for this summer’s Instructor Development Workshop sponsored by the Nebraska Real Estate Commission.  This event will be held at Southeast Community College’s Jack J. Huck Continuing Education Center, 301 S 68^th St. Place, Lincoln NE (68^th and O). The event will run from 9:00am to 4:30pm with continental breakfast and registration at 8:30 and lunch on your own from 12:00 to 1:30.

This year we will focus on study for Pre-licensing instructors only. Beginning with a study of the Generally Accepted Principles of Education (GAPE) that guide our instruction, we will move into a study of the Candidate’s Handbook.  The last few hours will offer a chance to match curriculum and instruction with the detailed content outlines of the AMP exam and GAPE strategies.

It is expected each participant will walk away with a newly aligned course guide for at least one of the courses he/she teaches. Attendance for the entire workshop and completion of this process will earn the participant 6 hours of Continuing Education.

If your Teacher/Student Guides and/or instructional PowerPoints are currently saved electronically, you will want to bring your laptop and those presentations with you.

To register early please contact Alane Roubal at [email protected]. 

You Have Many Options With A Real Estate License

Starting a Real Estate Career

Obtaining a real estate license does not obligate you to sell residential real estate only.  A real estate license offers an array of great career opportunities.  The key to success is finding your niche.  This can be selling waterfront condominiums, golf courses homes, commercial warehouses, and new construction communities.  Or you can lease and manage property; annual rentals, vacation homes, or commercial office space. 

Commercial Brokers

Commercial brokers assist with the sale, leasing, and management of commercial real estate. Commercial broker careers include many specializations. A broker may specialize in retail property, investment property, farmland, businesses, industrial or medical facilities and dozens of other types of property.  Some commercial brokers specialize in resort management or assist government agencies with redevelopment of industrial sites or reclamation of land.

Property Management

Once an investment property is purchased or developed, it needs to be managed. The property manager handles the day-to-day operations of a property which includes staffing, contracting for services, repairs, maintenance and leasing.  Often property management is a salaried position.

Professional Training

It’s not only required, but it’s important to take continuing education courses for additional professional training to advance to more lucrative real estate career opportunities. Advanced real estate designations include the GRI designation.  Earning the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation is a way to stand out to prospective buyers and sellers as a REALTOR® who has gained in-depth knowledge on specific areas of real estate.  The GRI symbol is the mark of a real estate professional that has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation. 

Real Estate Professional Organizations

The GRI is a National Association of REALTORS® designation.  Real estate trade associations and professional organizations provide a wealth of information about specific alternative real estate careers, including training, legislative updates, and industry news.  The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and the National Property Management Association (NPMA) are invaluable resources for property managers.

“We’re already right in the thick of the most frenzied spring home-buying season on record,” says Javier Vivas, manager of economic research at realtor.com®. The demand for jobs in the real estate business grows daily and there is always a need, especially in growing communities where people are constantly searching for new homes and properties.  An alternative real estate career can offer personal and professional rewards.

A real estate license gives you the opportunity for career growth, flexibility, and high earning potential.  VanEd provides all of the required coursework and exam prep that you need in order to become a licensed real estate salesperson or broker and continuing education courses in property management, commercial leasing and selling, and the GRI designation. 

Authored by Barb Westfall and Renee Macdonald

Barb has been a practicing Broker in Colorado for over 18 years and has been teaching Colorado real estate for 13 years for VanEd.  Barb holds a teaching degree and Real Estate Education Certifications. She is a REEA Member.

Renee is a Florida native that made her way to the Rockies.  After 25 years as a licensed real estate agent, Renee now is Director of Affiliate Sales for Van Education Center.

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.

 

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.

HB 1343 - Modifying the Community Association Manager Licensing Law - Clears Senate Committee

"In our zeal to give Homeowners rights ... we over-regulated some of these (people) with the licensing requirements ..." - Senator Balmer

This morning the Senate Committee on Business, Labor and Technology heard testimony on HB 1343 which is designed to clarify who is exempted from licensure as a Community Association Manager (CAM).

Under the new bill Independent Contractors who work for HOAs - such as a bookkeeper or landscape contractor - would not be required to be licensed.

CEOs who manage corporations but who do not take part in the day to day operations of an HOA or other defined Community would also be exempt. The bill also adds Apprentice Licensure where a person could practice under a Designated Manager for up to a year before being required to become a licensed CAM.

Provisional licenses could also be granted by the Director of the Division of Real Estate through the end of 2015. Below is the Legislative Summary of the bill:

Summary of Legislation
Under current law, anyone who works as a community association manager (CAM) for a
homeowner's association (HOA) must be licensed by the Division of Real Estate (division) in the
Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) by July 1, 2015. The bill makes several modifications
to the CAM licensing program, including:

• amending the definition of CAM practices;
• exempting chief executives who employ or supervise a CAM, independent contractors
  not engaged in CAM performance, and apprentices from CAM licensure requirements;
• defining and setting limits on CAM apprentices, and requiring them to hold a separate
  license (as determined by the division director);
• defining designated manager and providing that an entity may obtain a license by
  designating a CAM licensee to perform and supervise the entity's CAM practices;
• modifying the examination requirement so that licensees who hold a Certified Manager
  of Community Associations (CMCA) designation are no longer required to pass the
  general portion of the exam;
• requiring a credentialed applicant from another state to complete only the Colorado law
  portion of the exam;
• providing for a provisional license, to expire December 31, 2015, for those applicants
  who have not yet met examination requirements; and
• repealing the Community Association Manager Licensing Cash Fund and transferring
  those funds to the Division of Real Estate Cash Fund on July 1, 2015.

We will follow this bill as it moves through the Legislative Process. View the bill online -- HB 1343

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: Nebraska Real Estate License Law & Agency Relationships ~ Only Available Online!

For applicants seeking licensure in Nebraska through recognition of a current license from another jurisdiction, this course meets the 3-hour required License Act & Statutes requirement. This course is now available first online and you can click here to learn more.

This course contains information that is specific to the state of Nebraska, and covers aspects of Nebraska real estate license law and laws and rules governing agency relationships.

While this course is designed specifically to meet the Nebraska requirements for license recognition it is also useful to current licensees looking to increase their awareness of the license law. For current licensees this course does provide 3-hours of Required Continuing Education credit. Click Here to Register!

Table of Contents

1. Findings - This unit covers Legislative findings and agency relations
2. Brokerage Services - In this unit we discuss the designated broker and commission interpretations
3. Other Information - The commission and tasks performed by licensees are discussed in this unit

At the conclusion of the part of the course, the student will be able to;

• Define the various types of agency relationships
• List the required duties of licensees in a transaction
• Summarize agency and what it means to all parties involved in a transaction

All course assignments are required and the student should make certain they read and review all of the information presented. This course is completed with a multiple choice final exam. Certificates will reflect the following course approval information from the Nebraska Real Estate Commission.

CE Approval ID #0021R  |  Pre-License Approval ID #0604R   Click Here to Learn More and Register online!

100% money back guarantee on Real Estate Pre-License course in Colorado

Van Education Center, the leader in online real estate education, offers a money back pass guarantee to Colorado Pre-License students. Students can rest assured that the VanEd Colorado real estate licensing program will prepare them not only to pass the state exam but also to be successful in their new career. 

VanEd is the oldest online education provider in Colorado, and is the first provider in Colorado to offer a full 100% money back guarantee for our online classes. Program requirements can be found online and prospective students may still enroll for a Free 5-day trial of the program with no obligation. Want to learn more about our money back guarantee program? Check out the details online by clicking here.

To learn more about VanEd's new 100% Money Back Pass Guarantee, or to learn more about online Colorado Real Estate education, visit www.vaned.com. Take a look and find out why the most successful people in real estate choose VanEd.

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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Earn your Texas Real Estate License or complete SAE Education online

Veterans Day ~ Thank You Veterans and Active Duty personnel

Van Education Center is proud to support our troops, both those who have served our Nation in the past and those who are on Active duty. And to honor their service, VanEd is offering special discounts on real estate licensing courses and appraisal licensing courses to active and retired military personnel and their spouses. Discounts of 10% off the full program price are available online and students will be able to register with the discount directly on the VanEd web site. 

For those interested in learning more about the required coursework for real estate, mortgage or appraisal courses, visit the VanEd web links below. Veteran discounts are available directly on the enrollment page. VanEd also continues to offer a 5 day Free Trial to all enrolling students. Have questions? Send us an eMail! We're here to help!

 

>>> Real Estate Licensing

>>> Appraisal Licensing

>>> Mortgage Broker Licensing

Texas Real Estate Commission announces new Testing Provider beginning September 1st

AUSTIN, TX –Beginning September 1, 2014, all licensing examinations for the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB) will be administered by Pearson VUE. The new contract was awarded to Pearson VUE at the February meetings of the Commission and Board. After the award, Pearson VUE met with Texas subject matter experts in the real estate and inspector industry to review exam content. While there are no significant changes to the exams, the content outline for each license exam and reference materials have been updated and are available at the Pearson VUE website at www.pearsonvue.com/programs

Pearson VUE will deliver licensing exams through its network of 20 testing centers in Texas, with others nearby in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Exam candidates who want to take an exam prior to August 31, 2014 should continue to register with PSI. However, to schedule an exam date after September 1, 2014, eligible exam candidates must contact Pearson VUE.

Pearson VUE may be contacted at 800-997-1248 for exam registrations as early as August 28, 2014. Online exam reservations will be available by October 28, for appraiser candidates and October 29th for all other license holders.

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From VanEd:  All VanEd students will be notified on August 28th as to where they can schedule for either the Texas real estate or appraisal license examinations. 

For questions on the licensing exam or any of the real estate or appraisal required education, including Core, SAE or Post-License education for Texas real estate, contact VanEd at [email protected].