How to Get Continuing Education in Real Estate
Businesses are continually evolving and it’s quite easy to be left behind in trend changes, and the real estate industry is no exception. To your bottom line, that can be detrimental. Real estate continuing education is necessary to keep us up to date with the latest developments, skills and new technologies needed so that we do not stagnate. To add, real estate continuing education is required to comply with laws, remain licensed or accredited, or remain a member of an organization or regulatory body.
Three Reasons Why Real Estate Continuing Education Are Important
You need to realize that real estate continuing education will actually increase your potential for earnings and career prospects. Consider these other benefits:
- Keeping up with legalities and trending topics. Do you know what future real estate has in store? Are you up to speed with avenues related to sustainable housing and environment-friendly alternatives? The laws often shift, and continued training means that real estate agents will avoid finding themselves in a legal pickle.
- Establishing your credibility. When your clients are aware that you are taking part in real estate continuing education, they can feel confident that they can lead them in the right direction. When it’s time to make life-changing choices, the more informed you are about different real estate subjects, the more clients can trust your judgment.
Most of all –
- State requirements mandate continuing education. Continuing education in real estate, for instance, is a prerequisite in states like North Carolina. To ensure that you keep up with professional standards, it is critical that you review the requirements.
Staying Current In Real Estate Laws
Every year, agents and brokers need to participate in defined amounts of continuing education (CE) or recurring periods to maintain their real estate licenses in the state(s) where they operate.
According to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC), you must complete eight (8) hours of real estate continuing education to renew your active status license. Also, —
- For brokers who DO NOT HAVE BIC Eligible Status, four (4) of the required CE credit hours must be obtained by completing the General Update course prescribed by the Commission. The subject matter of this course will be changed by the Commission each license year.
- For brokers who HAVE BIC Eligible Status, four (4) of the required CE credit hours must be obtained by completing the Broker-in-Charge Update (BICUP) course each license period.
- The remaining four (4) CE credit hours may be obtained by taking a Commission-approved elective course. Elective courses may address a wide variety of real estate topics.
Note that when you renew your license without meeting the criteria for real estate continuing education, your license will be automatically placed on inactive status before you meet the license activation provision of the CE.
For inactive licenses of more than two years, you will be required to complete the current year’s CE (update course and 4-hour elective) plus two 30-hour post-licensing courses to be able to restore your license to active status.
Where To Go For Real Estate Continuing Education
Seacoast Real Estate Academy is the perfect place to complete your continuing education requirements. With courses through Seacoast Real Estate Academy, you can easily complete programs that not only allow you to keep working but also give your career a much-needed boost. Find a class near you!
