In
the fall
of 1993, I was the proud owner of a new
Missouri real estate salesperson' license, and then
completed the requirements for my real estate
broker' license three weeks later as allowed by state
guidelines. The license paper was crisp and had
the smell of newly applied ink. It stated to the world
that I was a real estate agent and ready to be
entrusted with my clients' largest financial asset—
their homes. My pre-license courses prepared me to
pass the state exam, but I didn't have a clue how to
start my new career.
Sure, I could tell people how title transfers worked or what an
abstract was. I could even have
intelligent discussions regarding easements and
surveys. But my clients didn't want to know that
type of information. Their needs dictated that I
know how to evaluate the market value of their
home, advise them of repairs or upgrades that would
increase that value, and then have a systematic
program that outlined how the home would be
showcased and eventually sold.
As if that wasn't enough, buyers demanded I
know how to read their heart' desires rather than
hear what they said, to understand inspection and
environmental issues, and to have a
thorough expertise in effective contract
completion that best preserved my
buyer' interests. The public assumed
this level of experience, but my knowledge
came nowhere close to the reality
of what was needed.
Pursuing continuing education courses
and real estate designations became a
mission for me. To feel more comfortable
in my role, I needed courses that
were specific and sent me home with
something tangible I could implement
such as negotiating offers, market analysis,
construction, inspections, financing,
managing a sales oriented business and
most of all, personal marketing.
My first course has become hazy in my
mind except for one lingering memory
of sitting and listening to 8 hours of lecture delivered in a monotone
voice by an
instructor reading directly from a book. His eye
contact was non-existent. I still recall how the light
reflected off the small bald spot on the top of his
head. I learned absolutely nothing that day except
that real estate education was as boring as reading
a technical manual. The teacher' delivery left
me numb.
I wondered: Didn't instructors know I craved
programs that would help me succeed against the
odds and make a living?
As I attended additional courses, I realized that
teaching styles and philosophies
varied greatly from
instructor to instructor.
Some educators focused their
energy on convincing me
that I could only consider
myself successful if I built a
career that burgeoned with
listings and sales—
all state records for production.
Customer service and
building a referral-based business
was not emphasized in
the course outline or by the
educator. The benefits of cold
calling 100 numbers each
night, listing anything that
happened my way (even if it was overpriced so that
the competition did not take it from me), and
keeping marketing efforts streamlined for maximum
profitability dominated the course. Where in the
world was I to begin?
Other instructors showed me how to write offers
and handle negotiations that all but ensured a successful
real estate sales career. These instructors
emphasized dedication to the transaction and to
client, but many times I left a session with no
formal materials—just scribbled notes.
Since those first disastrous continuing education
classes, I have become a real estate instructor
who tries to give my students what I believe they
are really seeking. They want instructors who love
the real estate business. They want their instructors
to have a strong desire to help others gain knowledge
and insight. Quite simply, students want
passion in the classroom and examples of real life.
Most of us have opinions regarding certain
issues. Reveal them! Recently a student asked me
if I had ever worked with a disloyal buyer who
purchased a property using another real estate professional.
Taking care to keep client information
confidential, I revealed a situation that occurred
several years ago. I then queried the students as to
what they felt I could have
done to improve or avoid
the outcome I had endured.
This opened up a lively,
energetic, exciting discussion
on establishing rapport,
creating objective interviews,
and developing relationships
with buyers that goes beyond
driving them around in
a car.
If real estate students don'
understand the complexities
of buyer agency, provide
examples regarding offer presentation
and negotiation
from a buyer and buyer
agent' perspective. An effective way to do this is to
provide the students with case study information
detailing specifics regarding the buyer' financial
capability, buyer housing desires, market information,
and a property on which the buyer wishes to
make an offer. I ask students to assume they know
nothing about the sellers and their motivation. I
then have the classroom break out into four-person
teams and give them a specific amount of time to
design the offer from the information provided
using generic offer and acceptance forms. Upon
completion, a spokesperson from each team presents
the offer to the teacher who acts as the listing
agent or seller. Role play with zeal.
Participants will be amazed at the difference in
how each offer is written and how they are presented.
The entire class, through this participation,
begins to understand the different levels of client
advocacy that exists in the real estate ranks, as well
as how market statistics influence offer behavior.
Once all offers have been presented, the teacher
completes his or her role as the listing agent and
identifies which offer is accepted. The teacher
then presents the winning buyer' agent with a
Monopoly plastic house as the award, one that
usually draws smiles from the room. Complete this
exercise by outlining presentation issues such as
failure to properly identify the agency status of the
presenting agent and why it is critical to effective
representation.
Games generate excitement in a classroom as
well. When I teach seller property condition disclosures,
I use the Dis-Clue-Sure GameTM which can be
purchased from NAR (go to www.realtor.org, click
on Products, and then select the Risk Management
category. This particular game runs from $19.95 to
$39.95, depending upon whether NAR is running a
special sale). The game allow players to advance on
a board after answering questions on property disclosure
scenarios and statements. If the group is
small enough, the teacher can play too. For a large
class (15 or more), use the questions from the game
as flash cards for small group break out.
Magic tricks purchased from a local retailer
livens interest in a topic. However, teachers must
make sure their props are relevant to the discussion.
For example, I use a rope during a lecture on seller
relationships that miraculously reappears as one
piece after being cut into several sections. I describe
how lack of follow-through in promises, failure to
keep the seller informed of showings and other
issues can "" a relationship apart— the while
I am "" away at the rope. When my talk
transitions into how agents can develop positive,
interactive relationships with sellers through effective
communication, I "snap" the rope back into
one piece. Visuals are powerful.
Give your students some reality therapy. Let
your students know the good (flexible hours, ability
to earn unlimited income), the bad (long hours,
expense of a listing) and the ugly (legal dilemmas,
cooperation issues), of a real estate career. Share
your stories— painful and joyous. Help your
class feel safe in revealing their concerns and issues.
Many times we won' know the answer or how to
respond to a particular situation. But your concern
and promise to follow up will carry weight far beyond
the 6-8 hours you share in a classroom setting.
Gain information from real estate agents who
practice in different sized markets so that you can
continually adapt your materials to their needs.
When an educator learns something new during
each session, the participants can' help but want to
learn with you.
Teaching is a commitment. It' also an opportunity
to positively influence the way the real estate
business is conducted. We can' do that if our students
aren't paying attention. An instructor'
passion and dedication toward making the learning
environment as productive as possible will make
all the difference in the world to students in that
pre-license or continuing education classroom. Pull
out your instructional arsenal, gather up your physical
strength, shake out any emotional lethargy and
let the class begin!
|
| As an accomplished
speaker and new
author, Karel Murray established Our
Branch, Inc., a public speaking and training company. Her background
encompasses regional human resource and administrative management in
the commercial insurance and real estate fields. Karel holds a broker'
license
and four real estate designations: CRB, CRS, GRI, ABR. She was a
manager
for a large real estate company in Lee' Summit, Missouri, and now
resides
in Waterloo, Iowa. Karel can be reached at karel@ourbranch.com |