4 minute read
REALTORS® GET SCHOOLED
BY MELANIE ROBITAILLE, SR. STAFF WRITER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER
In real estate, what you know is just as important if not more so than who you know, and whether you’ve been in the business for a year or 10, betterment always begins with education.
A strong knowledge base was listed as the top skill or trait clients look for in their agent, according to RISMEDIA’s 2020 article 3 Things Clients Want From Their Real Estate Agent. As the markets bounce back to something more recognizable to most professionals, now is the perfect time to soak up as much information as you can to serve your clients as the trusted advisor you are. As vital as continuing education is, it can unfortunately be a hard sell for a few reasons:
1. Setting aside time for learning amidst already busy personal and professional schedules
2. Varying board and/or licensing requirements from one association, state, or province to another
3. Choosing which courses to take from the plethora of options out there, and well…
4. Most try to avoid going “back to school” later in life
—MCKENNA MCCORMICK, THE CE SHOP
A good place to start according to McKenna McCormick, National Strategic Sales Manager for The CE Shop, is by contacting your local or state and provincial regulatory body, or if you’re in the U.S., live chatting in to speak to a course advisor at EXITRealty.TheCEShop.com, because requirements vary on many levels, including on how you complete learning, for everything from first time pre-licensing to continuing education and upgrading your license. As for setting aside time, well the good news is, much continuing education is offered asynchronously or entirely online these days depending on where you’re licensed.
“A great staple for us is Roadmap to Success, which essentially is our business planning for real estate professionals,” she explained, which is a three- to four-hour course, depending on an individual’s experience level. “I really like this course specifically for new agents who have just gotten into the business within the last three years or so. We all know more than 80% of real estate licensees might leave the business within the first two years, and our goal at The CE Shop is to provide additional resources to show them what it takes to succeed, though nothing is going to beat that excellent EXIT mentorship that people receive from their fellow agents and brokers.”
Some other courses McKenna has seen great interest in over the past few years include ones pertaining to fair housing and discrimination, sexual harassment, and courses that focus on VA home loan program benefits, qualifications, and processes.
“When we take a look at continuing education, even across other industries, there’s never a bad time to work on your personal brand,” she said. Helping brokers get agents more involved and interested in all types of education is something The CE Shop has been thinking about a lot in the past six months. And whether you want to gain new skills, different perspectives, or build confidence with industry knowledge, McKenna suggests a solid educational foundation might be the defining difference in someone’s career right now.
“When we talk about the real estate industry, we’ve had some significant changes in what the landscape is looking like and depending on when individuals came into the industry this may really be their first big change. So, take a look at your personal brand. What are you doing to set yourself apart during times of change and uncertainty that can really make a difference?”
Part of EXIT Realty’s Ancillary Network offering online training courses for real estate professionals as well as educational portals for offices across the United States, The CE Shop can customize a training package for you! Visit The CE Shop today.
