COLLIN COLLEGE
Hot Housing Market: COOL TIME TO INVEST IN YOURSELF by Heather Darrow
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Photo by Nick Young, Collin College photographer.
ylie resident Levingston, hold the Certified Thomas Bennet Commercial Investment never met his Member (CCIM) designation grandfather, but which shows that they have he is determined to follow in his a great deal of experience footsteps. Thomas’ grandfather and advanced coursework emigrated to the U.S. prior in financial and market to World War II. He came to analysis,” Bart said. “Real America with $50 in his pocket, estate encompasses a whole sold real estate, and taught field of jobs. You can buy and economics in his spare time. sell homes, manage property, or venture into commercial “I want to be that guy,” real estate.” Thomas said. “He and my grandmother, who played a large The college offers real role in raising me, opened up estate classes in five-week, their own real estate branch. As mini-semester formats. This dedicated, honest, hard-working fall students can enroll in Real people, their story is very Estate Finance, Principles of inspiring to me.” Real Estate II, and Principles of Real Estate III at the Wylie Thomas recently completed six Campus. Collin College real estate classes and is preparing to sit for the When asked about real Texas licensing exam. A Collin estate tips, Thomas said College alumnus who earned an people should remain calm Associate of Science Degree, he with market changes and take transferred to The University of the time to read contracts Texas at Dallas where he earned before signing them. a Bachelor of Science in Business “The real estate market Administration. is hot right now,” he said. According to Thomas, the “For the last few years there Thomas Bennet is a Collin College alumnus who has recently been real estate field fits perfectly has been speculation that taking classes in real estate to pursue his Texas license. into his future. it will cool off and become a buyers’ market, but we “I wanted to have the skillset haven’t seen that yet. Even when it does happen, to better serve our community, help others make over time you know your home value is just going to home ownership a reality, and supplement my income increase. It is really one of the safest industries.” well into my retirement,” he said. “Being an alum, it made sense to go back to Collin College. I knew what According to Thomas, if people have even a slight to expect, and the real estate program absolutely interest in real estate and take one class, they will be delivered.” hooked. According to Bart McLeroy, real estate discipline lead, “Collin College fills a void and provides affordable the college’s real estate professors are experts in their education,” Thomas said. “As a local taxpayer why would field with experience in residential, corporate real estate I not see where my investment is going and benefit from services, and property management. it? You can develop skills from that investment and turn around and invest them in the community. It is a cyclical “Both of the adjunct professors teaching real estate classes at the Wylie Campus, Steven Lay and Randal decision that just makes sense.” • w A Wylie Chamber of Commerce Publication
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