45-Hr. FL Sales Post-Licensing Package Plus Professional Development

If sitting down to write a business plan seems like a waste of time, consider how children bowl. Often the bowling alley will place bumper guards along the side of the lanes to prevent the ball from veering into the gutter. These keep the ball in the lane. And while they don’t guarantee a strike, they do increase the likelihood of some pins falling, and they keep the ball headed in the right direction. Having a plan also avoids the frustration of miss after miss, because it makes it much more likely that your efforts—because they’re focused—will pay off.

In this course, you'll explore various strategies for successfully and strategically building your business through the use of business plans, innovative marketing strategies, real estate-specific systems and software, and the latest technology and social media trends.

In separate modules, this course looks at everything from developing a budget that will help you achieve your goals to creating a mobile office. More specifically:

• In Business Planning, we will discuss how to create a detailed business plan—your ultimate roadmap to success.
• In Building Your Sphere of Influence, we will explore different strategies for growing your business, with an emphasis on building relationships, not leads. We will also look at how to build a sphere of influence business plan that will work in tandem with the broader business plan you will be creating in the first module.
• In Assisting Buyers and Sellers, we will look at best practices for client service to help you work more efficiently and effectively in meeting the goals you set for yourself in your business plan.
• We also cover successfully Closing Transactions, and the intersection of Real Estate and Technology.

Course highlights include:

• Detailed instructions for creating a well-crafted, personalized business plan
• Tips for calculating how much revenue you will need to generate each year in order to achieve your goals
• Techniques for managing your time to better support your business goals and serve your clients
• Strategies for branding and marketing yourself through various different channels
• Techniques for growing your sphere of influence and increasing your number of referrals
• Tips for writing listings that comply with fair housing, advertising, and anti-trust regulations
• An overview of how technology can help real estate professionals perform their jobs more efficiently
• Information on how the latest software can streamline essential tasks, saving you time and money
• Tips for keeping data secure--and your reputation intact--online

Finance makes the real estate world go 'round! Florida Post-Licensing: Finance and Economics covers mortgages, home equity lines of credit, credit scoring, the closing process, fraud prevention best practices, taxation and more.

This course is broken down into separate modules:

• Real Estate Finance examines the history and current state of the market, major sources of mortgage loan funding and various loan options.
• Mortgages takes more focused look at the mortgage loan transaction process and the role of the real estate professional.
• In Fraud and Real Estate reviews common types of fraud and how licensees can help safeguard clients.
• In Taxes and Real Estate we look at taxes associated with real estate ownership and sales, and deductibility as your clients buy and sell residential property, engage in like-kind exchanges.

This course covers:

• The current state of the real estate finance market and its impact on the real estate industry as a whole
• Benefits and risks associated with common loan options
• The mortgage process and a licensee's role within it
• The 1003 Uniform Residential Loan Application
• Predatory lending practices and how to protect your clients from becoming victims
• The credit approval process
• The underwriting process
• Calculations for capital gains and losses 

Market Specialties introduces four market segments licensees are likely to encounter. This course will look at an assortment of topics designed to help you find success with a variety of client types, including those who are environmentally conscious, struggling to afford housing, facing a short sale, or interested in real estate as an investment. This course is broken down into separate modules.

• Green Transactions look at how you can capitalize on the “green” trend by helping environmentally minded clients and customers find and list energy efficient, eco-friendly homes.
• Advocating for Short Sale Clients reviews distressed property transactions, the short sale process, and how you can best serve clients who are facing this situation.
• Assisting Low-Income and First Time Home Buyers takes a look at the affordable housing crisis and offers solutions to help those struggling to find affordable housing find homes and financing.
• Working with Real Estate Investors looks at recent and current market trends, and techniques for working with real estate investors to build lasting and mutually beneficial relationships.

Course highlights include:

• Requirements to officially call a property “green” 
• Detailed information on “green” home features and appliances to point out in listings
• Simple ways to “green” up any listing in a matter of minutes
• Questions to ask clients who are considering the short sale option  Tips for working with a lender’s representative on a short sale Process and timeline of a short sale transaction
• Creative living situations and creative financing options for buyers with credit issues and no or little down payment
• Criteria-based investing, including a downloadable Criteria Worksheet for future use with your investor clients
• Tips for protecting yourself should you choose to become a real estate investor