Real estate agents in EVERY state should be required to take continuing ed for licensing renewal.  It's one good way to help improve the quality of the agents and protect the consumer.

Operating as a Real Estate agent with continuing education should be a must. Think about it this way! would you want a doctor that got their license 10-15 years ago operating on you with the technology of yesterday? Or how about a teacher teaching history with information 20 years ago?  They are constantly learning and with the ever changing market and all the technology changing we should all be constantly learning and being held accountable.        

As a licensed NJ Realtor I say YES!!  Athrine - I could not agree more. 

Yes, and I vote to make the continuing education courses FREE if a certain grade is earned. 

Heather, I am glad that you agree I did not want to offend any one from NJ

David, Most of all my CE credits have been free so far. I only need 1 more credit and I will have all me credits for the next 2 years. I try to get any credits I need  done early so I won't be freaking out if I am short a credit and running out of time.   

Yes i believe there should be continuing ed required--ALL other states require it--i am a broker in ga and pa as well as nj--the thing is it should be online also--both states that i have to take it in do offer some online/distance CE--i have to take for my appraisers license in ga and permit in nj

the thing is that alot of the long time realtors don't want it--so do what ga did they grandfathered them in--so by license # was determined if you had to have CE or not--i also believe that what ga did with a 25 hr tested post licensing class due by the end of your 1st yr is a good thing also--and allow GRI and CRS and all the other designation classes to count towards CE

if all are educated and kept up to date on some of the licensing law changes what a pleasure it would be

  Tom first of all  I 100 % agree to a much stronger educational system for Realtors. My wife is a R.N. in New Jersey and must have her CEU's turned in every two years prior to licence renewal. The NJREC should adopt a similar system for renewing your RE license with a minimum of 15 hours per year education.

     Now this is why it hasn't happened in the past. Ready ?? The big independent brokers in NJ are totally AGAINST continuing education and they have successfully lobbied against mandatory education since the Florio administration. Why you ask, because most of their large "army" of agents would leave the business and the large brokers would be hurt in their wallet. I used to manage several offices for a certain large independant broker in Nj that shall remain nameless.           The NJREC had the rule changes all set and the yellow company showed how all the licensing fees (that help run the NJREC) would therfore drop because of the new rules therfore the state would new lay off RE investigators,therfore more rules would be broken and the public would be harmed by the ruthless real estate agents. Florio vetoed the bill.

 then about 8-10 years ago this happened again and a different large independant firm (red) led the charge to again defeat the bill.

      good luck ,I am all for more education and will suport it but you have to get the 3-5 largest brokers to agree and move it along. However I feel they will continue to fight it every step if the way

  thanks   Chris             

As REALTORS we want to be seen as professionals, so we need to actually be professionals. I agree that all states should require CE.

As a Real Estate Student I believe its imperative to require continuing education.  If we are to provide the best service to the public we must stay informed.  Sadly some professionals don't find the time to stay informed. I am for mandatory continuing education. It will keep us all up to date on the latest. 

Emma

Tom,

Thanks for the post. Education is a good thing and New jersey Realtors should be required to take courses for recertification. I took three courses in New York at the National Association of Real Estate Brokers Convention, held at the Sheraton at the beginning of the month. I will take another course in New York next month and at least three at Triple Play. I find that the information is helpful in my business, even though I don't get any credit, because, New Jersey doesn't require it.

I have been searching for a real estate school to attend in order to obtain my nj real estate license.  Some years ago I enrolled in a class with Listner and Williamson in East Orange, NJ.  I was forced to leave the course prior to my completing it.  Now I find that the agency offering it is no longer around.

I am presently working as a commissioner for a housing authority in NJ.  My desire is to become a licensed real estate salesman /broker.  As it relates to the ce units for realtors. I know that it would prove to be more beneficial than detrimental.  As a housing commissioner in NJ.  it is mandatory for the completion of a prescribed course within the first 18 months of your appointment.

Tom,

There is nothing that acts more like a piranha to our business that not requiring serious academic continuing education.  The state licensing boards ought to require it, and the NAR ought to take that one step further and require it to continue membership.

Although I am a broker in Texas and have been for many years, and our state requires continuing education, it's pretty darned Mickey Mouse.  Consequently, I feel we have a large percentage of our agents AND brokers who don't know their butts from first base.

I've been griping about this for years and years, mostly falling on deaf ears.  Good luck in New Jersy.  You're asking the right question, I'll assure you.