Vermont Real Estate Online Courses

BEST VALUE!

This package includes all 12 elective hours needed for broker and sales active license renewals.

Courses included in this package:

• Breaking Barriers: Fair Housing (2 Elective Hours)
• Diversity: Your Kaleidoscope of Clients (2 Elective Hours)
• Foreclosures Demystified (3 Elective Hours)
• Going Green: The Environmental Movement in Real Estate (2 Elective Hours)
• Uncle Sam has Homes for Sale: Listing and Selling HUD Homes (3 Elective Hours)

It is widely known that government exists due to the taxation of you and your client's income and property. Your clients should be aware that tax consequences occur as a result of each real estate transaction. Although as a real estate professional you should not provide tax or legal advice, you can identify the potential income and other tax affects for your sellers and buyers, and advise them to seek appropriate legal and tax counsel.

Course highlights include:

• Details outlining in-home office deduction requirements, and an explanation of how to calculate these deductions
• A clear definition of qualified residences
• Details about loans that commonly qualify for interest deductions
• Instructions on calculating an adjusted basis, a capital gain/loss, a net selling price, and a gain or loss on the sale of assets
• An overview of commercial real estate 1031 Like-Kind Exchange requirements

Each one of us has had someone treat us unfairly due to a judgement they’ve made about us. Within your real estate business, it is crucial that you understand the principles of practicing fair housing so that you are able to run a fair and honest business.

Course highlights include:

• Video skits depicting real fair housing cases, submitted by the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission
• Instructions on creating advertisements that comply with fair housing laws
• Details about federally protected classes, as outlined by the Fair Housing Act
• An explanation of how practicing fair housing will benefit your real estate business
• A list of red flags of discrimination for listing agents, selling agents, and brokers
• A video Public Service Announcement from the Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding fair housing

The real estate market reflects the diverse population that is present in the United States today with individuals of different races, ethnicities, lifestyles, and cultures. The interests and goals of individuals within diverse populations influence their decision making process within the purchase of real estate. It is critical that the successful real estate professional understands and adapts to others’ lifestyles.

Course highlights include:

• Resources that will help you identify the diversity of the population living in your area
• Numerous examples of characteristics and beliefs that can be present in a diverse population
• Statistics from the National Association of REALTORS® relating to diversity
• A summary of requirements outlined in various fair housing laws and details about federally protected classes
• Suggestions that will help you in your efforts working with a diverse group of clients

In today`s real estate marketplace, foreclosures and short sales are a part of the landscape. This course will help you to gain a clear understanding of the steps of the foreclosure process.

Course highlights include:

• Details about legislation that has been enacted to assist distressed homeowners
• Rebuilding steps for homeowners who are recovering from foreclosure
• An explanation of the differences between judicial foreclosure and trust deed non-judicial foreclosure processes
• Foreclosure avoidance tips and ideas
• Details outlining the foreclosure process

The financing of a home is as integral to real estate transactions as finding the home itself, and it is beneficial for you to have a clear understanding of the entire financing process. This course will help you to gain a better understanding of the changes the mortgage market has experienced over the years.

Course highlights include:

• Details outlining the history and purpose of real estate financing
• Explanation of the roles and regulations of FNMA, GNMA, FHLMC, FHA, and VA
• Video outlining the rise and fall of the mortgage market and global economy
• Information about HAFA and Making Home Affordable
• Statistics from the Center for Responsible Lending and the Federal Reserve
• Affordability Worksheet, to assist clients in calculating their maximum affordable purchase price
• Homebuyer Do's and Dont's flier with tips for your clients
• Instructions on calculating LTV, front-end and back-end ratios, and monthly mortgage payments
• Details and qualification requirements for several popular financing options

In this course, we will discuss the runaway trend in the real estate market to go "green." As more and more clients search exclusively for green homes, it is more important than ever to understand what "green" means and how you can utilize knowledge of "green" living in your efforts marketing and searching for properties.

Course highlights include:

• Tools that can be shared with your clients so they can measure the impact their lifestyles could leave on the environment, along with helpful tips for reducing their negative impact.
• Descriptions and videos about popular "green" building, design, and landscaping materials, which will help you identify "green"; features during showings.
• Videos and Internet resources providing details on programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), and ENERGY STAR®, and details about "green" property requirements, as outlined by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
• Recommendations that you can share with your seller clients on how they can make inexpensive, effective "green" changes to their homes that appeal to eco-conscious buyers.
• Suggestions on ways you can "go green" in your real estate business, and details about going paperless.

Infinite prospecting and advertising opportunities are available to real estate professionals through social media, blogging, property listing website, and email resources. Whether you’re an experienced Internet-savvy professional or have yet to create a Facebook profile, this course will help you gain an understanding of the legal, regulatory, ethical, and professional issues that should shape your online content and conduct.

This exciting new course features:

• Resources to help you in developing your online presence through personal websites, blogs, social media profiles, email campaigns, etc.
• Tech tips from Amy Chorew that will assist you in protecting your online image
• Details on reducing legal, ethical, regulatory, and practical risk you face through your online real estate activities
• Checklists with website best practices and email etiquette tips that can be used in your online marketing activities
• A handout with tips on avoiding E&O insurance claims stemming from your online real estate activities

It is estimated that approximately $300 billion in real estate is transacted by investors each year. Grab your piece of the pie by understanding the driving forces in the dynamic residential real estate investment market. Possessing knowledge of the strategies and mindsets of investors will help you serve your valuable investor clients effectively, responsibly, and ethically. Through this course, you will learn the impact of real estate investment in the United States, the opportunities that exist for investors, and your role in representing the residential real estate investor.

Course highlights include:

• Resources from Keller Williams Publishing, National Real Estate Investors Association, OwnAmerica, and the National Association of REALTORS® that will help you serve your investor clients
• A Criteria Worksheet handout that can be utilized in your efforts finding properties for your clients
• Insights from The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, Personal Real Estate Investor Magazine, and Crash Boom! that will help you understand the mindset and strategies of investors
• Details about real estate market conditions and the impact of investors on the market over time
• Tips for acting ethically, providing a high level of service, and avoiding liability issues while working with investors

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) acquires thousands of homes every year through foreclosure on properties that had Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgages. This course explains the processes and procedures involved in listing and selling HUD homes, including how the properties are awarded to individual brokers for listing, how brokers and agents are compensated for these sales, and how they are listed and marketed.

Course highlights include:

• Overview of increased commission opportunities
• Explanation of FHA financing, and the FHA foreclosure process
• A summary of the roles created through HUD's Management and Marketing III program, and details regarding the duties associated with each role
• A description of the documents involved in the sale of a HUD home
• Rules outlining the advertisement of HUD homes
• Details about the HUD home bidding process