The overall goals of the ABR® Designation Course are to 1) prepare real estate professionals to thoroughly represent buyer-clients in real estate transactions, and provide the quality of service and degree of fidelity to buyers that sellers have customarily enjoyed; 2) offer ideas and methods for building a buyer-representation business; and 3) develop a self-customized tool for conducting a buyer counseling session.

Students learn to:

• Win the buyer as a client;
• Form a buyer relationship;
• Put buyer representation into action;
• Make offers, counter offers, and engage in negotiations;
• Bring transactions to a successful close; and
• Win repeat business and referrals.

The Real Estate Buyer’s Agents Council® (REBAC®) was founded in 1988, in part to promote exclusive buyer agency. Over several years it redefined its mission to endorse buyer representation in all its legally-recognized forms, altered its direction and strategy, and expanded its sphere of operation. REBAC® membership grew significantly, along with public interest in buyer representation.

That resulted in changes to state real estate regulations, away from sub-agency – especially undisclosed dual agency – and toward direct representation of buyers. NAR® purchased REBAC® in November 1996, and the council has continued to oversee the ABR® Designation course and others.

Course Information

• This is a two-day, 15-hour course.
• It is categorized as Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission-approved for use in PA Broker Licensing. See the Polley Associates free Pennsylvania Broker Guide for more information.
• It is worth one credit toward earning a Pennsylvania real estate broker license.
• Depending on Commission requirements issued during any renewal cycle, it has the potential to fulfill up to 14 hours of mandatory continuing education for salesperson’s or broker’s license renewal.

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

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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.

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Photo by David Clarke via Unsplash

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Photo by Alex Radelich via Unsplash

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Realtor.com research shows that homes near highly rated schools receive more internet traffic than otherwise average listings. And this internet traffic is huge, considering that about half of all home buyers – totaling 5.5 million last year – have children under 18, according to the 2016 edition of the National Association of Realtors’® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

Now, writer David Siroty reports, a new realtor.com® search feature makes it easy to find a home next to the school of a client’s choice.

Read a story by Siroty, titled “Find the Home of Your Dreams Near Your Favorite School with School Search,” and published July 5 (2017) at realtor.com.

Photo from Google Images

The post Search For Perfect Home Often Includes School 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.

Old-school real estate marketing is lame, so ‘90s, and so ineffective … but there’s an alternative! Gain a working knowledge of social marketing tools and tactics in Polley’s “Real Estate Marketing Reboot” course.

Want to succeed in new and emerging real estate markets? Then you must be where consumers are, and reach them in ways they want and need.

Polley Associates’ course, “Real Estate Marketing Reboot,” was created by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council. During the first part of its day, learners evaluate marketing strategies and analyze buyer profiles

In the remainder, the course helps agents understand and maximize their marketing use of social and interactive media like Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, texting, blogs, e-mail, and consumer forums. It inspires novel approaches that help you create a “personal brand” for your real estate practice, and encourages you to look everywhere for differentiating marketing opportunities that grab consumers’ attention

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

This is a one-day, 7-hour, live classroom course. No post-course exam is given (except when used for designation; see below). 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.

Designation Approval: Accredited Buyer Representation

This also is approved by the Real Estate Buyer Agents Council® (REBAC®) division of the National Association of REALTORS® as an elective to accompany its Accredited Buyer Representative® designation course. If used for designation purposes, passing an exam is required.

Price: $95

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: ‘Real Estate Marketing Reboot’ appeared first on Polley Associates School of Real Estate.