Pennsylvania Continuing Education Courses
Ethical Behavior in a Wired World
The course designed for real estate agents, which will incorporate changes to the NAR Code of Ethics, especially Articles 12 and 15; and for PA licensees, will review the SREC guidelines concerning advertising, including Internet sources such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc. (3.5 hours)
Green Building Trends
This continuing education course is designed for agents and discusses the current trends of green building practices in the real estate industry as a whole. The student will learn about green building trends, methods of rating green features in homes, and how an appraiser or agent can approach the valuation or pricing of properties with green features. The goal of the course is to bring the appraiser up to date on innovations in the industry with respect to Green building trends, green materials, retrofitting and remodeling with green features, Smart Growth, and other timely trends. (3.5 hours)
Ten Stupid Things REALTORS® Do to Mess Up Their Lives
This is course designed for real estate agents, to cover common pitfalls and mistakes people make in the real estate business. We will include: ethical violations; license law violations; poor customer service; carelessness; failure to stay current; poor time management and other pitfalls. (3.5 hours)
Dollars and Sense—Understanding Financing and RESPA
The course will cover the basics of financing and RESPA regulations. The financing aspect of the course will focus on revised guidelines from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA and FHA, and is designed to assist students in understanding the financing process, from beginning to closing; to be able to explain financing options to consumers, and assist the consumer in evaluating various loan programs. Students will become familiar with the types of financing available in the marketplace, and the requirements both for the borrower and for the property. (3.5 hours)
What’s it Worth?
This course covers the basics of valuation of real estate, including some short cuts and quick ways to develop an opinion of the range of value. The three approaches to value are discussed, and a summary is given of when each would be appropriate for valuing a property. Discussion and case studies are made around statistics and certain ‘core numbers’ that real estate professionals need to have at their fingertips to value property in a specific market. The course will be of value to any practitioner who wants to know how to value a property, whether it is single family residential, multi-family or other. This is not designed to be an in-depth course; rather a survey course providing quick solutions for agents listings properties. (3.5 hours)
Advertising and the Agent
The course is designed for real estate agents, which discusses the rules, regulations and ethics of real estate advertising, including online advertising and social media. (3.5 hours)
Pennsylvania Broker’s Courses
Distressed Sales
This is a 30-hour course designed for the real estate agents that will provide two broker’s credits and 30 hours of continuing education. It is designed to provide the participant with an understanding of foreclosures, tax and court ordered sales and is to examine procedures that lenders and taxing authorities must follow to protect owner’s rights. The course will also look at valuing and marketing these distressed properties. (30 hours)
Real Estate Law
This is a 3 credit mandatory broker’s course designed to cover components of a valid contract, how ownership in real estate is held, definitions of real estate and personal property, agreement of sale, rental leases, consumer notice, Pennsylvania Real Estate License Law, escrow accounts, law of agency, fair housing laws, anti-trust laws and liability. The also course covers other aspects of real estate law. (45 hours)
Brokerage and Office Management
In this course we study office policies and procedures including policies on harassment, safety and training. We discuss proper communication with agents, sales meetings, and recruiting. Time is spent of proper budgeting with a discussion on both income and expenditures as they relate to the economy. This is a 3 credit mandatory broker’s course. (45 hours)
Real Estate Investment
This course discusses the fundamentals of basic real estate investing. Time is spent on the advantages and disadvantages of investing. Discussions occur on types of ownership, tax shelter, capital gains/losses, active and passive income and the time value of money. This course also looks at the time value of money including cash flow analysis and projections. This is a 2 credit broker’s course. (30 hours)
Finance
The finance course is a 2 credit broker’s course. It is designed to discuss topics on the Federal Reserve, United States Treasury, government insured and guaranteed loans, private insured loans, and mortgage documents. We discuss types of mortgages including construction loans, fixed and adjustable rate loans open-end and blanket mortgages. We talk about first mortgages and junior mortgages and mortgage documents. (30 hours)
Valuation of Residential Real Estate
The course is designed to talk about what creates value, highest and best use issues, supply and demand and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices. This is a 2 credit broker’s course and we learn about the different approaches to value and their applicable use. We also examine sellers and buyers reaction to economic issues. (30 hours)
Valuation of Income Producing Property
In this course we examine income producing properties and its relationship to the valuation process. We look at market value versus investment value and examine types and characteristics of real estate markets. We discuss the methodology and it applications to value. The course also looks at income capitalization and an analysis of income and expenses. Other discussions include direct capitalization, yield capitalization and the cost and direct sales comparison approaches to value. This is a 2 credit broker’s course. (30 hours)
Residential Construction
Residential Construction is a 2 credit broker’s course with discussions on the components and materials utilized in the construction phase. We also learn the reason these components are used. Discussions occur on construction laws including zoning, building codes, environmental issues, energy conservation and other governmental regulations. Other discussions site selection and sewage and percolation issues. (30 hours)
Real Estate Distressed Property - An Understanding of Foreclosures, Tax Sales and Short Sales
This is a 2 credit broker’s course that will provide the participant with an understanding of foreclosures, tax sales and short sales and is designed to examine procedures that lenders and taxing authorities must follow to protect owner’s rights. The course will also look at valuing and marketing these properties. (30 hours)
Pennsylvania Pre-Licensing Classes
Real Estate Fundamentals
This is one of two real estate courses designed to give the student the basics on real estate for licensing purposes. Discussions on the definitions of real estate, public and private land controls, environmental issues, legal descriptions, interests in real estate, leasehold interests, life estates, and forms of ownership. (30 hours)
Real Estate Practice
This is the second course needed for an individual to obtain a real estate license. This course includes information on Pennsylvania license law, types of listing contracts, agreement of sales, owner/broker relationship, the licensee’s role in the sale of a property, financing and closing the transaction. The student will also examine the appraisal process and be able differentiate between the three approaches to value. (30 hours)
