Something interesting is happening. I have been teaching real estate, in some form or another, over 25 years. In the pre license classes we teach to students who want their real estate license for a variety of reasons. The majority of them want to practice real estate, and some have already procured brokers or teams to sponsor them.
Something interesting is happening now, something I’ve not often encountered over the years, and I am seeing more and more of it. There are a number of speakers, trainers, and investors who make money from teaching seminars, selling books, claiming they can make you rich quickly in real estate without using much, if any, of your own money. As a matter of fact, as a young REALTOR®, I attended some of these get rich quick seminars. I decked myself out with Century 21 gold apparel (back then it was baby-poo gold), put on my name badge, my designation pins and just reeked of success. I’d then sit toward the back of the room, listen intently to the speaker, and then during the break, I would walk out confidently and catch the attention of someone. Invariably, I ended up passing out my cards, getting contact information, and turning some of the seminar spectators into customers or clients.
Times have changed, and I don’t know if these seminars are even around anymore. What I do know, however, is that more and more consumers want to take a class in real estate. I am not, by any means, accusing any group or person of being underhanded, but I think some consumers are leery of advice they receive from people promising they can buy and flip before even closing on their purchases, without any problems. Some investors have been promised problem-free transactions with tax deeds; some consumers are convinced they don’t need title insurance. The list can go further, but what I am seeing is consumers are becoming smarter. Too many people got burned when the bubble burst, and nobody wants to see a repeat of all the foreclosures.
I had a former student tell me recently that had it not been for the pre license class she had taken, she and her husband could have lost money on the recent sale of a second home out of state. She was in a position to negotiate with the agent, rather than fork out the money the agent had suggested she would need in order to save the deal. I’m very proud of her because her knowledge helped them fend for themselves.
If you are considering personal real estate transactions, you may want to take one of our classes as a way to educate yourself even if you don’t intend to practice real estate. Give us a call and let’s talk about it. That’s why we’re here. TEAM Hughes Real Estate School
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