DISCLAIMER: What follows is being written first-hand from one individual’s life experiences. In other words, this won’t be definitive but will try to be comprehensive.
If you did the homework suggested in a previous post, then you have visited the Arkansas Real Estate Commission Site. Below is a quote from their site listing training requirements. Basically it means that if you want to be a real estate salesperson, you need to complete 60 hours of training.
Successfully complete sixty (60) classroom hours of real estate education of which thirty (30) classroom hours must be in the basic principles of real estate, from an accredited postsecondary school or a school or organization licensed by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission [ACA Sect. 17-42-303 and Commission Regulation 4.1]
If you’re like me, you are probably wondering where you are going to find 60 hours to take a class. I already work 40 hours a week, and I like my nights and weekends. (FYI, nights and weekends are prime times for individuals to want to visit real estate sites. Consider yourself warned.) But let’s say that I don’t like my nights and weekends and can easily sacrifice 60 hours of my time to study real estate. What schools are recognized by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission? Funny you should ask. Click here and you will find a comprehensive list provided by the commission.
Every individual is unique and will have unique needs. Because I work for an agency, I was allowed to study during work hours. (That’s when I didn’t have more urgent work.) Since I could study at work, I needed a school that provided online classes. I went with Camp Real Estate located in Mountain Home, AR. There are a couple of reasons beyond online access that swayed that decision. The first is that there is additional training once you get your license that isn’t necessarily offered online. That meant I needed a school that I could drive to easily from where I live. Mountain Home is a pleasant drive from Harrison, AR. The second reason I chose Camp Real Estate is because a number of our agents received their degrees from the same school. Since I like them that was reason enough for me.
I’m happy to say that I have successfully completed my online course work. Whew! Of course, if I had it to do it over, I would opt for classroom study versus online. When deciding on a course and where to study, keep in mind how best you learn. That is the one thing that I didn’t necessarily consider. I am both an audible and a visual learner. Classroom discussion is a large contributor to how I best remember course work. Since this is my first internet course, hind sight is 20/20. When I do future trainings, I will happily go that extra mile and drive there.
However, when I go, I will go for more than just classroom chat. There is another aspect that I didn’t consider when choosing a program-networking. Being in a classroom with other potential salespersons is a great way to build those relationships that can make or break you in a community. Now granted a majority of the individuals in that class would have been in a different area, but that doesn’t mean they can’t send referrals your way and vice versa.
So here is your current homework. Evaluate the schools you have available to you. Determine how you learn and what you are looking for in the program. Then make a decision and tally ho. As always, please leave comments. You can let us know what you think by scrolling further down the page. Please let me know if any of this is helpful in your quest to sell real estate. Thanks for reading.