Courses

Current Issues in Real Estate I
Current Issues in Real Estate II
Diversity and Doing Business
Electronic Transactions in Real Estate
Environmental Issues in Your Real Estate Practice
Ethics and Real Estate
Introduction to Commercial Real Estate Sales
Investment Property Practice and Management
Property Management and Managing Risks
Real Estate Finance Today
Red Flags Property Inspection Guide
Risk Management
Understanding 1031 Tax-Free Exchanges

Current Issues in Real Estate I

Instructor: Fred Southwell
Developed by the Connecticut Real Estate Commission, this continuing education elective explores the issues related to the practice of real estate sales and brokerage. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Broker/Salesperson Relationship
• Agency Representation
• Misrepresentation/Nondisclosure
• Advertising
• Broker Lien Rights

Current Issues in Real Estate II

Instructor: Fred Southwell
Developed by the Connecticut Real Estate Commission, this continuing education elective explores the issues dealing with recent changes in laws and regulations related to real estate. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Fair Housing
• Offers and Contracts
• Deposits
• RESPA
• Electronic Signatures
• Commercial Real Estate
• Legislative and Court Case Update

Diversity and Doing Business

Instructor: Fred Southwell
Originally written by a leading educator with more than twenty-five year's experience in real estate sales, Diversity and Doing Business defines diversity and its related issues for a real estate audience while giving agents the practical advice they need to work with buyers and sellers of all backgrounds and cultures. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Perceptions Defined and Recognized
• Diversity and Consumer-Agent Rapport
• Thinking Styles, Decision Making and Negotiating
• Case Studies

Electronic Transactions in Real Estate

Instructor: Fred Southwell
This first-of-its-kind continuing education class explores e-signatures, digital signatures and security issues. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Notarization and Acknowledgement Issues
• Transferring, Storing and Accessing Electronic Documents
• Steps Involved with Various Types of Electronic Transactions
• Suggestions for Using Electronic Transactions

Environmental Issues in Your Real Estate Practice

Instructor: Fred Southwell
To sell to today's more safety-conscious consumer, the real estate agent must do more than just disclose known hazards. He or she should be able to recognize hidden hazards and advise the client on how best to deal with these problems. This course teaches agents what to look for when evaluating a property, how to perform “due diligence” regarding environmental issues and how to avoid legal liability. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Lead-Based Paint, Radon Gas, Asbestos, Formaldehyde and Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs)
• Water Supply and Wetlands
• Storage Tanks
• Environmental Consultants
• Case Studies

Ethics and Real Estate

Instructor: Fred Southwell
In the day-to-day practice of real estate, agents are required to make decisions that involve ethical reasoning. This course not only explains the issues surrounding real estate ethics in simple terms, it gives agents the blueprint they need to evaluate a situation and make the ethical decision - the right decision - for all involved parties. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Satisfies NAR Requirement
• Introduction to Ethics
• A Blueprint for Decision Making
• Ethics and the Real Estate Business
• Ethical Dilemmas in Real Estate

Introduction to Commercial Real Estate Sales

Instructor: Linda St. Peter
This popular continuing education elective provides a comprehensive introduction to the potentially lucrative field of commercial real estate. Introduction to Commercial Real Estate Sales discusses the categories of commercial property and the financial elements involved in real estate investments. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Essential Elements of Commercial Investment Real Estate
• The Financial Anatomy of a Real Estate Investment
• Establishing Market Value and Return for the Real Estate Investment
• Listing and Marketing the Real Estate Investment

Investment Property Practice and Management

Instructor: Linda St. Peter

This combination course incorporates the topics covered in Introduction to Commercial Real Estate Sales and Property Management and Managing Risks. This user-friendly, interactive course explores the nature of commercial real estate, classifications of real property, lease types, market value, and rate of return analysis. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Essential Elements of Commercial Investment Real Estate
• The Financial Anatomy of a Real Estate Investment
• Establishing Market Value and Return for the Real Estate Investment
• Listing and Marketing the Real Estate Investment
• Introduction to Professional Property Management
• The Manager-Owner Relationship
• The Management Plan
• Leases and Tenant Issues
• Managing Residential Properties
• Managing Emergency and Tenant Safety Issues

Property Management and Managing Risks

Instructor: Linda St. Peter
This practical approach to property management explores the major functions of practitioners. Property Management and Managing Risks helps real estate professionals juggle property management and sales with managing liability in today's litigious society. (Three Hours)

Real Estate Finance Today

Instructor: Fred Southwell
Building on strong finance principles, this new edition introduces residential real estate financing basics and mortgage lending trends. Real Estate Finance Today discusses new affordable loan products, government influences on real estate finance and special financing alternatives, including seller financing and loans for self-employed borrowers. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Basics of Real Estate Finance
• Government Influences on Real Estate Finance
• Current Trends in Mortgage Lending
• Conventional Mortgage Loans
• Government Insured or Guaranteed Loans
• Special Financing Alternatives
• Glossary
• Answer Key

Red Flags Property Inspection Guide

Instructor: Fred Southwell
Recent legislation has charged real estate agents with the responsibilities of inspecting property for "red flags" (visual signs or indications of a defect). Brokers and agents who understand and comply with their state's disclosure laws stand a better change of avoiding legal liability or having a sale fall through. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Red flags - what are they and what causes them?
• Inspecting for red flags inside and outside the home
• Red flags associated with environmental hazards and hazardous materials
• Case studies

Risk Management

Instructor: Fred Southwell
With the risk of legal liability an increasingly serious problem for real estate brokers and agents, this text provides the essentials of risk management that every sales professional must know to avoid legal problems and give their clients the best service possible. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Misrepresentation, Non-Disclosure and the Unauthorized Practice of Law
• Disclosure of Environmental Hazards
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Federal Fair Housing
• Agency
• Antitrust Laws
• Case Studies

Understanding 1031 Tax-Free Exchanges

Instructor: Linda St. Peter
The class explores the history, evolution, rules and forms of the strategy used to defer tax liability until a later date. Loaded with real-life examples and calculations, the class helps agents learn the vocabulary and application of tax-free exchanges so they are better able to answer client questions. (Three Hours)

Highlights:

• Discussion of Capital Gains Taxes
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Installment Sales
• Detailed Descriptions of Exchanges
• Guide to the Current 1031 Law and Regulations
• Discussion of Key Forms for Executing a 1031 Transaction