Real estate sales licensees think about expanding their career horizons as a broker usually during their fifth year in the business, according to industry experts.

Reasons vary. Some are motivated to own brokerages themselves. Some want the prestige of being an associate broker, and the security of continuing in a firm where they’re comfortable. Some simply want to leverage what they learn from broker courses into a more profitable revenue stream, because it’s still true that the more you know the more you can sell.

It’s easy, though, to put off taking that first course. Licensees have commitments to not only their clients and prospects, but to families and loved ones, and themselves. There are only 24 hours in a day, and so much to accomplish with them. It’s convenient to say, “I’ll take my first broker course in a month, or maybe two months, from now.”

That’s a mistake.

Don’t wait. Putting off that first course delays your dream, and pushes greater success to a back burner. All Polley broker courses are approved by the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission and meet its standards, so their value is assured.

Each one that follows will be easier. Polley Associates adds to its broker course schedule quarterly, too, so chances are good you can be ready to take and pass the broker license exam within a year.

Can we help you on the road to becoming a Pennsylvania-licensed real estate broker? Feel free to call us at 610-353-6776, toll-free at 800-220-2789, or by e-mail to polley@polleyassociates.com.

The post Which Broker Course First? The One Available NOW appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

Caride reminded “all licensees to be vigilant and diligent when handling or arranging wire transfer transactions.” She asked licensees to familiarize themselves with the bulletin and “exercise all reasonable care with such transactions.

An image of a portion of the bulletin appears below. Clicking on the image will open an Adobe Acrobat copy of the bulletin in your web browser, which can be downloaded to your computer and read or printed for your convenience.

This item is reproduced by Polley Associates as a public service for its students or others interested.

The post Avoiding Wire Transfer Fraud In NJ Transactions appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

Copies of the notice were distributed for licensees’ use in August 2018 by the state Office of the Attorney General. An image of a portion of the notice appears below. Clicking on the image will open an Adobe Acrobat copy of the notice in your web browser, which can be downloaded to your computer and printed for compliance with the law.

This item is reproduced by Polley Associates as a public service for its students or others interested.

The post Complying With NJ’s Housing Discrimination Laws appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

Pennsylvania agents can do business in New Jersey, but they must be dual licensees; in other words, they must have a PA license and a New Jersey real estate license as well. Dual licensees must be supervised by a broker who also holds a license in PA and NJ.

The New Jersey State Real Estate Commission has demonstrated its willingness to issue New Jersey real estate licenses to Pennsylvania residents who want to work on both sides of the river. The Commission has very specific requirements, however, that must be met before licensure is granted. They’re explained on a page in the Polley website’s Learning and Resource Center, here.

To qualify, New Jersey requires Pennsylvania licensees to take a 15-hour broker course approved by the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission. (See Item 1 under the “Second Option” heading on the Learning and Resource Center page). Polley Associates regularly offers 15-hour broker courses that can be used for this purpose, available in both classrooms or via Livestream.

There are other requirements, too. And, yes, prospective New Jersey licensees must take a test; there is no reciprocity with Pennsylvania. Read the details on the page.

If you’re a Pennsylvania-licensed broker who wants to obtain a New Jersey broker license, that’s also possible. Those details are found on a separate page, here.

Polley Associates is Pennsylvania’s oldest and largest “approved provider” school for real estate career professionals. It also meets the needs of licensees in New Jersey and partners with the Center for Specialized Real Estate Education to bring designation and certification courses to REALTORS® across the country.

Last updated 2022.06.14

The post Yes, Pennsylvania Licensees Can Obtain A New Jersey Real Estate License. Learn How appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

But the states have different deadlines. New Jersey renewals are due by April 30 of odd-numbered years (2017, for example). Pennsylvania renewals are due by May 31 of even-numbered years (like 2018).

They have different requirements, too. New Jersey law specifies its licensees must take 12 hours of education that includes at least 6 hours of core and ethics content. Pennsylvania demands 14 hours of education, with at least 3 hours of rules and regulations content. There are other minor variables as well.

So what do you do if you’re licensed in both states, like many agents living in the Philadelphia or Lehigh Valley areas? In the past, they had no choice but to take two separate sets of continuing education, one for each state, totaling 26 hours. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case.

Polley Associates is among the very few schools nationwide that offers dual-state continuing education for New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For classroom learners, Polley provides a new two-day course titled “The Ethical Agent.” For online learners, Polley presents a PA and NJ renewal package of four shorter courses that accomplish the same goal.

Both are reasonably priced. Both are huge time-savers.

• Find classroom schedules for “The Ethical Agent” here.
• Find the online PA and NJ renewal package here.

The post Why Double Your Work? One Course Renews Two Licenses appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

A new, dual threat and opportunity faces real estate licensees as social media continues to grow in popularity.

Clients and former clients, prospects, and even outsiders have an abundance of online opportunities to comment – positively or negatively – on your real estate career performance … whether or not they’ve worked with or done business with you! Moreover, because how licensees appear online effectively defines “who they are” to web users unfamiliar with them personally, successfully managing and enhancing your online profile or persona becomes a matter of urgency.

The practice of “Reputation Management” is a primary legal issue explored in Polley Associates’ “Legal Issues and Changes 2016” course.

• Learn how to find what’s being said about you online.
• Learn how to effectively and legally reply to negative criticisms.
• Learn more than a dozen different tips to encourage your clients to spread the word online about the excellent representation you provide.

Additionally, within the constraints of time and at instructor discretion, Legal Issues and Changes also covers:

• Recent revisions to federal flood insurance regulations that affect how, and how much, affected clients will pay in premiums;
• Disciplinary measures taken by the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission during the past two years, and how licensees’ failure to heed commission notices can lead to substantial penalties or license action;
• How flooring imported from China by a well-known retailer has been demonstrated to contain unsafe levels of chemicals, and why many home insurance policies won’t pay for protection against or replacement of the hazard;
• How loss of your personal electronic devices containing valuable client data, like tablets and cell phones, are increasingly the objects of theft and hacking, and why you may need E&O insurance protection for such incidents; and
• Several other topical and timely subjects that may affect how you do business.

Course State Approval: Continuing education for Pennsylvania real estate broker and salesperson license renewal.

This is a one-day, 7-hour, live classroom course consists of state-approved topics. No post-course exam is given. It is accepted by, and meets 7 hours of continuing education requirements set by, the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission. It can be combined with other courses to fulfill all 14 hours of continuing education required by the Commission for a real estate salesperson’s or broker’s biennial license renewal during the 2014-2016 cycle that ends at midnight on May 31, 2016.

Price: $75

Student Material: This course may be accompanied by in-class materials distributed by Polley Associates.

Related:

• PA Continuing Education: What’s That Course About?
• PA Continuing Education: Live Course Attendance
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal And Reactivation
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal Online
• PA Continuing Education: First-Timer Requirements
• PA Continuing Education: Re-Activate A License In Escrow

Find Courses For:

• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons and Brokers CE
• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons’ First-Timer CE
• CE For Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate Practitioners

The post Polley Courses: ‘Legal Issues & Changes 2016’ appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

This continuing education course addresses the specifics of the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics and ethical practices and decision making for real estate professionals.

Additionally, this course may potentially be approvable for REALTORS® who wish to fulfill biennial Code of Ethics requirement from the National Association of REALTORS. Check with your local REALTORS® association for applicability.

What Lurks Beneath

The federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) was signed into law more than 40 years ago. Its primary goal: to ensure home buyers received professional, ethically delivered services in obtaining a mortgage, and then to ensure they successfully closed on the purchase of their portion of the American Dream.

RESPA has been revised many times during that period, to address both changing economic circumstances and to plug legal loopholes that could have been exploited by unethical parties. It can be safely said, however, that the latest revisions to RESPA and the mortgage sourcing and settlement process – called the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure, or TRID, and scheduled by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to take effect during October 2015 – are the broadest and deepest changes ever to this legislation.

Pennsylvania real estate sales and broker licensees MUST alter or abandon many of their past settlement practices as they deal with home buyer clients. The bureau program includes new Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure documents. It demands strict adherence to deadlines and time requirements in the delivery of information to buyers and lenders. It creates new penalties for, and promises aggressive enforcement against, licensees who fail to fully represent or protect buyers as the process proceeds.

Our presentation advises licensees on what experts say they should consider as best practices to ensure compliance with RESPA and the bureau’s program. It offers guidance on avoiding traps and pitfalls that represent potential RESPA violations. It provides a checklist of actions meant to ensure the home buyer client’s settlement experience is easily understood, and moves as pleasantly and quickly as possible.

Course State Approval: Continuing education for Pennsylvania real estate broker and salesperson license renewal.

This is a one-day, 7-hour, live classroom course consisting of two state-approved topics. No post-course exam is given. It is approved by, and meets 7 hours of continuing education requirements set by, the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission. It can be combined with other courses to fulfill all 14 hours of continuing education required by the Commission for a real estate salesperson’s or broker’s biennial license renewal during the 2014-2016 cycle that ends at midnight on May 31, 2016.

Price: $75

Student Material: This course may be accompanied by in-class materials distributed by Polley Associates.

Related:

• PA Continuing Education: What’s That Course About?
• PA Continuing Education: Live Course Attendance
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal And Reactivation
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal Online
• PA Continuing Education: First-Timer Requirements
• PA Continuing Education: Re-Activate A License In Escrow

Find Courses For:

• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons and Brokers CE
• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons’ First-Timer CE
• CE For Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate Practitioners

The post Polley Courses: ‘Ethics, Your Promise Of Professionalism; and What Lurks Beneath’ appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

This course starts by taking a close look at mortgage fraud in real estate transactions, including the history of mortgage fraud and its impact on consumers. It examines participants in fraud cases, as well as the role of agencies in monitoring fraud. Then it identifies various types of mortgage fraud schemes and mechanisms involved, as well as identify red flags to watch for.

The second portion focuses attention on consumer protection and its role as it relates to mortgage advertising.

Finally, the course wraps up with a look at reverse mortgages by identifying the types, requirements, payment options, and providers as they relate to consumers and the law.

Course State Approval: Continuing education for Pennsylvania real estate broker and salesperson license renewal.

This is a one-day, 7-hour, live classroom course consisting of three state-approved topics. No post-course exam is given. It is approved by, and meets 7 hours of continuing education requirements set by, the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission. It can be combined with other courses to fulfill all 14 hours of continuing education required by the Commission for a real estate salesperson’s or broker’s biennial license renewal during the 2014-2016 cycle that ends at midnight on May 31, 2016.

Price: $85

Student Material: This course may be accompanied by in-class materials distributed by Polley Associates.

Related:

• PA Continuing Education: What’s That Course About?
• PA Continuing Education: Live Course Attendance
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal And Reactivation
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal Online
• PA Continuing Education: First-Timer Requirements
• PA Continuing Education: Re-Activate A License In Escrow

Find Courses For:

• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons and Brokers CE
• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons’ First-Timer CE
• CE For Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate Practitioners

The post Polley Courses: ‘Mortgage Fraud, Consumer Protection and Reverse Mortgages’ appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

Homes that were built after the 1980s have experienced an increase in leaking stucco systems that can cause deterioration of the building envelope, resulting in a potential reduction in property value and increased health risks from possible organic growth inside the home. Understanding why this happened; what are the signs, symptoms and clues; what the testing process is about; and how to interpret a stucco report are the primary topics of this course.

It intends to review basic inspection concepts, as well as more complex issues that apply to understanding how stucco systems function, and the inspection process.

Understanding Septic Systems, Mold Testing and Evaluations

In Pennsylvania, more than 40 percent of homes are located in a rural area with no access to public sewers. Current on-lot waste water systems are getting older, and inspection of these systems is key to the sale of a home. Newer technologies have come into play during the past 10 years, and these will be reviewed also.

This course reviews basic inspection concepts in addition to the more complex issues that apply to understanding how septic systems function and the inspection process, as wells as mold testing and evaluations. In short, the course attempts to cover everything a real estate professional needs to know about septic systems and mold testing and results. These environmental issues play an increasingly larger role in real estate sales.

Course State Approval: Continuing education for Pennsylvania real estate broker and salesperson license renewal.

This is a one-day, 7-hour, live classroom course consisting of two state-approved topics. No post-course exam is given. It is approved by, and meets 7 hours of continuing education requirements set by, the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission. It can be combined with other courses to fulfill all 14 hours of continuing education required by the Commission for a real estate salesperson’s or broker’s biennial license renewal during the 2014-2016 cycle that ends at midnight on May 31, 2016.

Price: $75

Student Material: This course may be accompanied by in-class materials distributed by Polley Associates.

Related:

• PA Continuing Education: What’s That Course About?
• PA Continuing Education: Live Course Attendance
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal And Reactivation
• PA Continuing Education: License Renewal Online
• PA Continuing Education: First-Timer Requirements
• PA Continuing Education: Re-Activate A License In Escrow

Find Courses For:

• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons and Brokers CE
• Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons’ First-Timer CE
• CE For Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate Practitioners

The post Polley Courses: ‘Stucco Homes; and Understanding Septic Systems’ appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.

Executive Director Robert Kinniebrew noted the renewal cycle began April 1, and directed licensees to “go to the (commission’s) Real Estate Online Licensing Services Menu – found here – for all the information” licensees need, including the state’s 2015 Real Estate License Renewal Notification and all necessary links to its Online Services Login pages.

The commission is a division of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance.

Photo from Google Images

The post Online License Renewal Now Open In NJ appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.