Training and the Real Estate Industry

Training…from cradle to grave! “If only they were trained, they could be real good agents”. How many times have your heard this exclamation, either from managers, brokers, or other agents? And, it is probably a true statement, for with the increasing number of licensees in the state, with the good market conditions, very few agents are being given the time, nor, in many instances, are interested, in really going through the training necessary to be what many consider “a good agent”. In a recent week, I had four contracts or escrows brought to my attention by our agents that all involved other agents not being trained in the day to day procedures and process that is the reality of our business. The intentions of all were certainly good, but what these agents needed to learn to pass the state exam, or even learned after getting in the business, did not really apply to any of these instances. There was, however, one common issue to all four transactions, disclosure, and this aspect of our business is commonly discussed, but not fully trained and understood by new agents, and even some experienced agents. And, in some cases, not all brokers will subscribe to a regular training and teaching time, for it is not “their thing”. This is understandable, but not acceptable, at least to me. Depending on how you view the business, and the various “paperwork” requirements, California, and the DRE, is either a good place to be in real estate or not such a good place. And yes, we do have more “paperwork” than many states, but we also do more business than about 48 other states. And, we do need to have good guidelines and procedures. We also need to be kept very current in all of the rulings and legal interpretations that come our way, for these, for the most part, are designed to protect our buyers and sellers, as well as us. One way to protect all is full disclosure, and this is a subject that cannot be treated lightly, or trained with anything less than 100% participation and understanding on the part of all agents. In fact, in California, this should be part of our “cradle to grave” training, for the laws and procedures are changing from year to year, and every agent should take advantage of the various classes and seminars available to be sure you are in “on the latest” when it comes to disclosure. Another unique aspect of our business is our Purchase Contract. What use to be an informal 1 or 2 page document is now a 10 page legally binding contract. Agents may not read each paragraph word for word, but they should know the meaning and essence of every paragraph. And, this will only happen if there is training, and again, this is “cradle to grave” training, for regardless of where an agent is in terms of experience and time in the business, our contracts are frequently being changed, added to, or interpreted differently than previously, and we, as professionals, must be up on each change in the contract. This can be done by Association seminars, classroom instruction, or in the day to day training situation between manager and agent. But, it must be done, for this is a big and very important part of “being an agent”. “I’m too old for training” is heard from time to time from the experienced and older agents, and nothing could be further from the truth. We never stop learning, and regardless of your office situation, training on the above, along with a number of other subjects, should be part of your monthly schedule. Take it upon yourself to take advantage of all of the training that is offered, for in our business, and like our business, it starts with the “cradle” and ends with the “grave”. See you at the next Board Training Seminar!