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A survey asking real estate agents and brokers if they want MORE CE?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Richard Weisser Realty

A survey asking real estate agents and brokers if they want MORE CE?I received an email request from the Georgia Association of Realtors asking me to complete an online survey regarding continuing education.

The Georgia Real Estate Commission, which oversees real estate licensees in the state, is considering increasing the number of mandatory continuing education hours during each license period.

Currently, the minimum requirement is 24 hours for each 4 year renewal period, which translated to a paltry 6 hours per year.

My position on the survey was clear … YES to more CE hours. Double them!

We need to improve as a profession. We need to make certain that agents and brokers are kept up to speed in a constantly changing real estate environment.

This is our livelihood. And we need to treat it as such.

Winston Heverly
Coldwell Banker Access Realty - South Macon, GA
GRI, ABR, SFR, CDPE, CIAS, PA

Is should be at least 12-24 hours per year, of course on the other hand it seems like a money making business too. We get feed to death.

Mar 30, 2012 10:14 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Richard,

I agree!! We get our license renewed every 2 years and need 15 hours..I think it should be more! There are great classes out there..just took one yesterday on our new contract changes and loved it! Very enlightening! This industry needs way more mandatory classes than currently outlined.

Mar 30, 2012 10:19 PM
Richard Weisser
Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA
Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Mona...

One of the other questions on the survey asked about the need for "required" courses. As of now, we can fulfill our obligation with just about anything from staging to meth labs.

The NAR requires a COE course every quadrennial, but the GREC does not. Thanks.

Winston...

We have a LOT of very inexpensive options. The GREC provides some free courses, as does our company, but typically a course costs $15-$25 which is not bad at all. Thanks.

Mar 30, 2012 10:21 PM
Ginny Gorman
RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate - North Kingstown, RI
Homes for Sale in Southern RI and beyond

Richard, we too have 24 hours every 2 years but i hear they are raising it to 36 in the next 2 years...my issue is that they do not offer enough diverse courses to grow your learning...i am tired of lead education.  Our courses are more expensive which is an issue here too.

Mar 30, 2012 10:31 PM
Cindy Edwards
RE/MAX Checkmate - Johnson City, TN
CRS, GRI, PMN - Northeast Tennessee 423-677-6677

Hi Richard,

here in Tennessee it is 16 hours over 2 years and the brokers who were "brokered" before a certain year (I think it's 2000 or somewhere close to that) are grandfathered and don't have to take CE.  I think that is a travesty!

Mar 30, 2012 10:33 PM
Richard Weisser
Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA
Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Dorie...

We don't have any state-mandated courses. I wish that would change! Thanks so much.

Ginny...

We have unlimited diversity in courses, with plenty of low cost options. Most years I can make it on free courses alone! Thanks.

Cindy...

Here, only those licensed before Jan 1, 1984 are grandfathered. There's an old saying in GA that the only thing worse than a grandfathered agent is a grandfathered broker! Thanks.

Mar 30, 2012 10:46 PM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Richard, Here it's 30 hours every 3 years.  I take most of mine online because of the convenience and the typical conflict with the day job.  For the most part, I don't see c.e. addressing the basic problems with our industry that cause public perception issues.  While there may be a bit more knowledge gained, it doesn't seem to drive customer service habits, better presentation of homes, the things the public really wants from us.  And I'd say in general those agents operating one the wrong side of the ethics line aren't doing it because they don't KNOW what is wrong or right, but because they choose to ignore what they know.  Bill

Mar 30, 2012 11:23 PM
Carol Zingone
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty - Jacksonville Beach, FL
Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS

We have 14 hours every two years here in Florida, and I agree, I think we should require more. 

Mar 30, 2012 11:28 PM
Gary Pike
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers - Powder Springs, GA

Once again a great post Richard.  When I got into Real Estate fellow Realtors told me I needed to learn by the school of hard knocks, to go out and make mistakes. I saw it as my mistakes causing my clients anguish and money.  I took every coarse I could, ended up spending more time in class then actually selling real estate.   My first referral came from a fellow agent that saw me attending these classes, she said she knew I was serious about this profession and had my clients best interest at heart.  I agree that we need at minimum to double the education requirements in Georgia.

Mar 30, 2012 11:33 PM
AJ Heidmann ~ CRS
McEnearney Associates, Inc. - Alexandria, VA
YOUR Alexandria & Arlington, VA Real Estate Expert

Richard - Here in Northern Virginia, it's 16 hours for every two year renewal, or 8 hours a year, and that doesn't seem to enough.  However, is it the need for more hours or real CE content?  I have to say that whether a live class or online, the course themselves seem pretty light on real content.  Just my $0.02...

Mar 30, 2012 11:34 PM
Mike Jaquish
Realty Arts - Cary, NC
919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

You voted well Richard.

Now if there was only a test at the end of class....

Mar 31, 2012 12:05 AM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

We do 15 hours a year in Minnesota.  We need MORE.  if you don't believe this, just look around at the agents you have to work with on the other side of the deal.  That alone should convince everyone!

Suggersted !

Mar 31, 2012 12:10 AM
Janis Borgueta
Newburgh, NY
Retired RE Salesperson

Richard... we have 22.5 in New York... I think we need more quality lectures on things more relevant to the current picture. I have gone to the lectures that take 7.5 hours of my time and have about 20 minutes of real content. I want to learn something!

Mar 31, 2012 12:11 AM
Bob Jakowinicz
National Realty Centers Livonia--Bob Jakowinicz - Livonia, MI
Michigan Real Estate Agent-- MI Real Adventures

That's a great question brought up by your board.  I find many of the better real estate agents in our area already take way more education than they need, yes these can be the mega producers even.  But on the flip side how effective is the State at coming up with and implementing things in a way that actually will make an idustry better? 

Mar 31, 2012 12:24 AM
Kim Skumanick
Keller Williams Real Estate - Tunkhannock, PA
Great question Richard. In PA, we need 14 hours every 2 years, and new licensees are required to take a mandatory course. There are some great courses out there, and many of them can also help agents get designations.
Mar 31, 2012 12:43 AM
Tim Bradley
Contour Investment Properties - Jackson Hole, WY
Commercial Real Estate Expert in Jackson Hole, WY

Wow, 6 hours a year? Wyoming requires 45 hours every 3 years. They need to improve the quality of the courses as well.

Mar 31, 2012 01:47 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Love the new pics in the header, especially the one on the right.  As for the CE, I am with you 100%.   Of course, CE does no good if the agents attending have their noses in laptops, tabloids or cell phones the whole class.  There's nothing I hate more than attending a CE class and seeing more than half the class buried in work. 

Mar 31, 2012 03:03 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Richard I've always thought more education is a good thing for both agents and brokers.  Currently in AZ we have 24 required hours every 2 years. For me personally I normally have at least twice if not more than the required.  Since we have a very large percentage of small - very green brokers - they have recently increased brokers hours up to 6 more CE I think.  I would also like to see our measely 90 hours of education to get into the business increased as well -along with a mentorhship much like many other professions. But....that most likely won't happen as we've been trying for years.  

Mar 31, 2012 03:48 AM
Peggy Wester
Realty Executives Integrity - Grafton, WI
Real Estate Agent Ozaukee & Washington County

I agree with Bill (#8). While I think the continuing ed is very important and probably should be raised (right now we're required to take 18 hours every 2 years), it's the disrespect, unprofessionalism, and laziness that seem to be all too prevalent in our industry. Agents just need to make better choices in what they say, how they respond to their colleagues, and how they present themselves to their clients and customers.  

Mar 31, 2012 03:51 AM
Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh
Century 21 New Millennium - Upper Marlboro, MD
A doctor who makes house calls.

I think the amount of CE is one thing but I think the quality is really the issue.  I've been in so many CE classes that were so horribly boring that I almost didn't make it.  Shame!

Apr 02, 2012 01:35 AM