Class Catalog
Jan Ellingson
Michael Smith
The overall goals of the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation course are to: Prepare real estate professionals to represent buyer-clients in real estate transactions and provide the quality of service and degree of fidelity to buyers that sellers have customarily enjoyed. Offer ideas and methods for building a buyer representation business. Develop a self-customized tool for conducting a buyer counseling session. Topics include: Buyer Representation Understanding Types of Agency Relationships Creating an Agency Relationship Client and Customer Relationships, Duties, and Responsibilities How We Work with Buyers Buyer Services The Buyer Counseling Session Offers and Negotiations Building a Buyer Representation Business
You are the listing agent and seller failed to pump the septic prior to closing. Buyer and buyer's broker claim it is your responsibility to pump the system now, since seller cannot be found. What do you do? You are buyer's agent but met with seller when seller was interviewing potential listing brokers. As a result, you know seller is soft on the price. Can you tell your buyer? The Agency Law answers these questions, and this class will empower brokers to understand and use the Agency Law to answer these and other questions that come up every day in the sale of real estate. No longer will you have to approach one of these difficult situations weakly, hoping to avoid liability. With a decisive understanding of your requirements under the Agency Law, you will be able to boldly resolve challenging, but often distracting issues, and move forward to the productive work of assisting buyers and sellers in reaching their goals.
Recent NWMLS rules changes have made it more important than ever to be able to effectively and confidently present your professional value to clients. Join us for a lively conversation and walk away with tips and tricks that will help you clearly distinguish yourself from the competition. In this class, we'll discuss: What it means to deliver value to your clients How your 'why' can inform your value as an agent How to identify client needs and tailor your value proposition to each situation What you can say in specific situations when someone challenges you on your value Role play hypothetical "real life" scenarios in overcoming client objections
Course Description and Outline REALTORS® know the importance of adapting and remaining relevant in today’s marketplace. By developing a business practice rooted in inclusion and equality, REALTORS® can help buyers of all cultural backgrounds achieve the dream of homeownership. The At Home With Diversity® (AHWD) certification course covers how to work effectively with diverse populations so you can build business success in today’s multicultural real estate market. Course Learning Outcomes: • Develop an increased awareness of cultural and personal biases that may inhibit you from fully embracing diversity and creating a successful multicultural real estate business. • Learn inclusive, multi-cultural marketing and advertising strategies to broaden your client base. • Formulate an inclusive business plan to help you create an enduring business that is able to adapt and evolve to an ever-changing marketplace.
The Best of the Legal Hotline is a fun, interactive course designed to address YOUR questions and concerns from your real estate practice. The course content is always current, because it changes from class to class based on the topics that are relevant to the students in attendance. You will receive pointers and tips that you can apply immediately to your practice to reduce your own liability and to improve the quality and success of the transactions you put together. You will gain tools to assist you in creating a more pleasant and professional experience in all of your transactions for your clients, other industry professionals and yourself. The class routinely provides information beneficial to REALTORS® of all experience levels, because all REALTORS® are well served to know the latest legal issues and how to handle them.
Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing helps real estate professionals interrupt stereotypical thinking so they can avoid fair housing pitfalls and provide equal professional service to every customer or client. Participants will examine the history of bias in real estate, learn about the mind science of identity, study how implicit bias can result in fair housing violations, and engage in interactive exercises to enhance communication skills and business relationships with clients of all backgrounds
There is too much involved with the provision of RE Brokerage Services for brokers to learn everything they need to know in classes. Thus, brokers will learn much about how to practice RE sales from their mentors and peers, including brokers on the “other side” of the transaction. Often, best practices and other industry truths are handed down from one broker to another by oral instruction or through modeling the behavior of a broker who is thought to know more. This can be productive and helpful in creating competent, well-educated brokers. However, it also tends to perpetuate bad, erroneous practices. “We’ve always done it this way” is a refrain that illustrates resistance to change even when change is appropriate. This class will dismantle common myths within the industry by demonstrating their falsity and explaining a correct approach.
The “myths” identified below are set out in no particular order and could be substituted for other “myths” that appear to be more timely or to be causing more trouble within the current industry.
Would you like to have buyers that are more confident, look at fewer homes and write more successful offers? Learn how to get clarity and commitment with your buyers through repeatable systems. How to conduct a successful Buyer Strategy Session Identify buyer pains & goals Determine client's purchase power based on lender pre approval Strategize how and where to source buyers Buyer Agency How to setup buyers for success in any market (This class is a shortened version of the ABR class)
Get tips & tricks from an industry Insider who works with credit every day!
If you have ever played a board game with a friend - and they know the rules and you don't? They OBLITERATE you every time.
That's what credit is like - You get a score with little or no understanding how to use it.
Get a deep understanding of credit in this Masterclass
We will cover:
- Dos and Don’ts to get the best score you can... fast
- Away to remove yourself from harassing junk mail once and for all
- “ How to raise your credit score up to 100 points in 45 days” You have the power to make fast changes when you need to use credit.
- Understand Credit requirements for different loan types (yes, they DO vary from Lender to Lender - find out WHY)
- Timelines needed for major credit items like Bankruptcy and Foreclosure
- And HOW IN THE WORLD can we do a loan for a client with no credit at all?!?
The Washington State Real Estate Commission and the Department of Licensing have adopted rules that require the completion of a minimum 3.0 clock hours of prescribed core curriculum. The mandatory clock hours must be included in the 30 hours required for all active licensees. Topics included: National and State Legislative Issues, Legal Updates, Business Practice, Residential Real Estate Practices and Real Estate Advertising.
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
This class will go over Firm Policies, Audit Preparation and Other current topics.
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
Would you like to spend a few hours discussing super-fun, upbeat, exciting topics? If so, then you don't want to miss this class! We will discuss the always exhilarating trifecta of: death, divorce and disgruntled clients! Okay ... so maybe the topics don't sound super-fun but won't it be fun to know how to handle the title issues when your client needs to sell grandma's house, now that grandma has passed? Wouldn't you like to know what to say to the buyer who tells you that he/she is ready to purchase and the divorce will be final in a month or two? How fun would it be to know what to say to that buyer (or buyer's agent) who calls you after closing to tell you that the refrigerator is missing and you owe them a new fridge? In this class, we will discuss all of these topics and arm you with the knowledge to handle these situations professionally, with a confident smile, putting your client (and you) at ease.
Instructor: Amy Remington
Appraisal reports can be one of the most confusing things to read...
until you have someone walk you through it.
Once you take this class, you will be able to swiftly and easily read and understand any residential appraisal!
Learn from a mortgage insider everything you need to know about appraisal reports and valuation data.
Get all your questions answered about how the appraisal is written, what to look for, and how to effectively navigate a low appraisal.
Bonus section:
***New Appraisal Changes Effective April 1st 2022*** Get the inside scoop on the New ANSI measuring changes and how it will affect your business! A must attend event.
Join us for a very informative, lighthearted, and surprisingly entertaining deep dive into appraisal land.
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
Brokers should learn from recent DOL disciplinary trends and that inattention to detail is often a violation of law and the basis for license suspension. Brokers will be advised of current DOL trends and reminded of the importance to adhering to state laws and regulation.Instructor: Jan Ellingson
Expanding Housing Opportunities (EHO) is an NAR course designed to educate real estate professionals on the range of affordable housing opportunities and clients seeking them.Course participants will learn how to:
Identify and explain the range of affordable housing opportunities and their benefits to clients.
Describe how affordability affects the housing market, their clients, their business, and their community.
Better analyze affordable financing options, including local, state, federal, and nonprofit assistance programs for buyers and renters.
Build partnerships to expand housing opportunities through advocacy, workforce housing initiatives, and green building concepts.
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
Form 22C, the Seller Financing Addendum seems to include rules up front that eliminate my seller from using the form! How do I handle that? What are we supposed to do with Form 35R when there is not enough room to write seller's counteroffer or buyer's reply? My buyer wants to write an offer without a financing contingency but Form 21 forces my buyer to represent that buyer is NOT relying on a contingent source of funds. How can I follow my buyer's instructions and use the statewide forms? And what about the escalation addendum?! The price calculation makes NO sense! If you've heard yourself say any of these things, attend "Forms We Love to Hate But Have to Use" and make sense of these and other forms conundrums.Instructor: Amy Remington
Students will be given an overview of Government Financing with corresponding lending guidelines including an understanding of basic qualifications, what lenders look for in a file when granting a government mortgage loan, and little known ways to use government financing.Instructor: Michael Smith
This course will teach you how to guide your buyers through the mortgage preapproval process by, for example, creating a mortgage application checklist with all the documents they’ll need. The course also covers resources for addressing low credit scores, alternative financing options like first-time homebuyer assistance or low-down payment programs, and how to avoid the most common mortgage sticking points in a transaction. For example, the mortgage preapproval—not just prequalification—has become key for buyers competing against multiple offers in today’s market.Instructor: Jan Ellingson
This class will take students though home staging basics, signs of hoarding, indoor & outdoor staging, and how to do all of this on a budget. This class will help you hone in on techniques that help your listings sell!Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
Upon completion of this course, the student will have been introduced to current real estate fraud schemes being carried out through internet activities, dating services, phone solicitations and other means. The student will be taught simple practices that will protect not only themselves, but when implemented and shared with consumers, will derail fraud schemes and protect clients and consumers as well.Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
This 3 hour class is an intense look at the forms in the 35 series of forms, including the inspection addendum and all associated forms and the escalation addendum. How should you use these forms to best serve your client? What risks lurk below the surface when using these forms? How do you draft the Form 35R to accomplish the buyer's goals without inadvertently waiving buyer's inspection contingency? Does the escalation addendum lead to the best price for the seller? For the buyer? Attend this class and learn everything you always wanted to know about the Inspection Addendum and the Escalation Addendum ... and maybe a few things you didn't know you wanted to know!Instructor: Lee Nguyen
Through the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification course, you will learn how to help current and former military service members find housing that best meets their needs. You’ll understand what military benefits and support they are eligible for, along with how to access them. Thie MRP certification course will equip you to provide the real estate services—at any stage in the service member’s military career—that meet the needs of this market and win future referrals. After completion of the course, you'll be on your way to earning the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Certification.Instructor: All Instructors
This course provides agents with the latest in high customer service standards through a look at the Code of Ethics and the changes that have been implemented for the current year. Learn how to avoid the pitfalls of an ethics violation and what the process is when a violation does occur. Learn the options for settling disputes with clients, customers and other practitioners. Learn how to run your business ethically! This day is filled with real-life experiences, practices and exercises, and thought-provoking information.Instructor: Marissa Beach
This course features a dynamic panel discussion designed to introduce real estate professionals to the growing influence of Latino/a/Hispanic buyers and commercial clients in Washington State. Participants will explore the unique cultural and economic factors shaping this demographic’s impact on the housing and commercial real estate markets. Foundational data and insights are drawn from the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals’ (NAHREP) State of Hispanic Homeownership Report and State of Hispanic Wealth Report, as well as from Freddie Mac research.
The course emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural communication, with each learning unit focused on helping professionals build the awareness and skills necessary to effectively engage and support Latino/a clients in both residential and commercial transactions.
Section 1: Understanding Demographic Trends and Market Growth
Students will analyze population growth data and market trends within Washington State’s Hispanic/Latino/a communities, using research from Freddie Mac and NAHREP.
Cross-Cultural Relevance: This unit builds foundational awareness of demographic shifts, fostering cultural competence and helping professionals understand the implications for real estate outreach and engagement strategies.
Section 2: Supporting Homeownership Through Cultural Insight
Students will identify culturally relevant homebuying practices and learn about available programs that align with the values and needs of Hispanic/Latino/a clients.
Cross-Cultural Relevance: Students will gain insight into how cultural norms, language preferences, and family structures influence real estate decisions—improving their ability to communicate effectively and provide inclusive services.
Section 3: Professional Practices in Latino/a Commercial Real Estate
Students will explore the business and legal considerations when representing Latino/a clients in commercial transactions, with input from a bilingual international corporate attorney and nonprofit leaders.
Cross-Cultural Relevance: This unit emphasizes culturally aware client representation and partnership development, highlighting strategies for building trust and rapport within diverse business communities.
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
On October 3, 2022, there will be a forms change that will unquestionably change the way you do business. The change will impact how you are paid and "if" you are paid. You will be unprepared if you are not fully aware of the forms change and if you do not start changing your practices prior to October 3. The forms change bears directly on buyer broker compensation. In this class, we will discuss the facts that are driving this significant evolution within the industry, why it is important and what brokers need to do now, to be prepared and what brokers will need to do on and after October 3, 2022.Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
This class will review the following forms in depth. Form 35, From 35E, Form 22A, Form 22AD, Form 21 and Computation of time and FIRPTA.Instructor: Jan Ellingson
Planning and zoning serve as the basis for all communities—the communities of your past and present, as well as communities of the future. This course will teach you the basic components and processes of the planning and zoning phases of real estate development, and how these phases must lead us to a better way of developing communities through the application of smart growth principles. You will learn how to not only strengthen your business but also become an advocate for smart, sustainable, equitable growth in your community. In effect, by the time this course is complete, you will see the future of your community, and your business, in a whole new way!
Instructor: Jan Ellingson
Many factors impact a determination of procuring cause, but no one factor is by itself determinative. Procuring cause is in fact the interplay of factors which together demonstrate that the unbroken efforts of a specific broker were responsible for the buyer making the decision to consummate the sale on terms which the seller found acceptable. This class will help students better understand relationships in a transaction and help avoid messy outcomes regarding commissions.Instructor: Jan Ellingson
This class is an “express” version of Regional Professional Standards. Learn the options for settling disputes with clients, customers and other practitioners. Learn how to run your business ethically! This day is filled with real-life experiences, practices and exercises, and thought-provoking information.Instructor: Karene Loman
This a 7.5 CE Course focusing on the current purchase and sale forms used to write a residential contract. The PSA contract is the foundation of the transaction between buyers and sellers in real estate and this class will help you with these type of transactions.Instructor: Michael Smith
Who is it for? The Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) certification is for real estate professionals who want to sharpen their negotiation skills. The RENE certification program gives REALTORS® the tips and tools they need to be skillful advocates for their clients. What You Gain Improve your negotiating skills Learn about behind-the-scenes issues and how to deal with them Learn how to handle a wide range of personalities and situations Learn to sort out the competing objectives of the parties involved in a transaction.Instructor: Michael Smith
Who Is It For? The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designation is the premier credential in seller representation. It is designed to elevate professional standards and enhance personal performance. The designation is awarded to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate Business Institute (REBI) who meet specific educational and practical experience criteria. What You Gain The SRS Course will redefine your "normal" and reinvent the way you represent sellers. It provides a comprehensive foundation of skill development, training and resources to help real estate professionals represent the interests of sellers in today’s marketplace. Students learn to: Increase listings and grow their business Demonstrate and communicate their value package to seller clients Understand and apply the Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice Understand and comply with state license laws when representing sellers Understand and apply methods, tools, and techniques to provide support and services that sellers want and need Additional Member Benefits Include: Membership in an elite group of trained seller client advocates Access to a wealth of member-only education, resources and services. “Find An SRS” Online Directory for the public to access and for direct member to member referral opportunities Subscription to the bi-monthly digital Real Estate Business Magazine(link is external) SRS social media community – Facebook(link is external), LinkedIn(link is external) and Twitter(link is external)Instructor: Michael Smith
The Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) designation is for REALTORS® who want to be able to meet the special needs of maturing Americans when selling, buying, relocating, or refinancing residential or investment properties. By earning the SRES® designation, REALTORS® are prepared to approach mature clients with the best options and information for them to make life-changing decisions. What You Gain: Access to the online SRES® member database; Access to the members-only section of the SRES® web site; Consumer marketing materials; Quarterly newsletter; Marketing letters; Scripts and concepts for contacting clients age 50+Instructor: Michael Smith
Taught from the investor’s standpoint, the real estate professional will learn the history of the vacation rental market, how to research various markets, purchase options, STR restrictions, set up (furnishings), marketing, hosting and management. Diversifying one’s real property equity can be challenging but very lucrative if your systems and processes are set up beforehand.
Topics include:
Second Home or Investment Property
Financing the purchase
Insurance / Liability
Preparing your property
Marketing your property
Renting your property
Accounting
Management
Emergency Resources (on-call)
Instructor: Michael Smith
Students will learn about the following:- NWMLS Updates
- Legal Context of the Buyer Agency Agreement
- Negotiating on Behalf of Buyers
- Concerns for Listing
- Negotiating on Behalf of Sellers
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
In every transaction, brokers, buyers and sellers have disclosure obligations. These obligations arise from statutory law and from case law. How do you know what to disclose and what not to disclose? This class attempts to answer this question by studying actual court decisions and analyzing what made the court rule the way it did. The difference between liability and no liability may be surprising to you!Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet
From REALTOR® to Instructor. This dynamic 2-day class will help train and prepare you to effectively instruct adult learners, provide techniques on how to deliver information, show how to organize your content, give you tips on what is needed for a successful class and create great learning experiences. This 15.0 clock hour course satisfies the Department of Licensing requirement for Instructor Certification Approval.
Day One Goal: Instructor License. Understanding of what makes a great course. How to write a course "they" will want to attend. Learning Presentation style and platforms. Explore the learning styles of students. Managing your environment.
Day Two Goal: CE's & You. Certificates & Record Keeping. Marketing and PR. Before you Teach- It's all in the prep. Self-examination- prepare, practice and present. Your presentation- 8-10 minutes of passion
Instructors: Annie Fitzsimmons, Mark Kitabayashi, Jan Ellingson, Karene Loman, Mike Wallen
DOL has implemented Substitute Senate Bill 5378. The bill requires education on Fair Housing for new licensees and renewals. It applies to real estate brokers and managing brokers and went into effect June 1st, 2022. This is part of the required 30-hour continuing education instruction.
The first active renewal after June 1st, 2022, must include the 6-hour Washington Real Estate Fair housing class. With every renewal afterward, licensees must complete a 3-hour course.
The purpose of this course is to introduce real estate brokers and managing brokers to the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.) and the Washington Law Against Discrimination (chapter 49.60 RCW) as it relates to real estate transactions.
The course will teach real estate brokers and managing brokers the historical and societal context of housing discrimination, legal framework intended to prevent housing discrimination, and steps to take to prevent housing discrimination.
Topic Area I: Historical and Societal Context
Topic Area II: Legal Framework
Topic Area III: Role of the Broker and Managing Broker
Instructor: Bill Clarke
This class focuses on water rights and water supply issues involved in real estate transactions and development projects, an increasingly complex issue in both urban and rural areas. The existing Seller’s Disclosure Form, which includes a number of questions on water supply issues, is used as a tool to help REALTORS® understand key issues, and to identify and preserve opportunities and minimize risks for their clients. (Approved for Appraiser hours)Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
Upon completion of this course, the student will have confronted a variety of problems that typically challenge brokers in the handling of a transaction. Prior to the presentation of each scenario, the brokers will be given/reminded of some background information they should know about the Agency Law, License Law, Forms, Fair Housing, Drafting Principles, Disclosure, Advertising, Earnest Money, Unauthorized Practice of Law and other issue of significance to the provision of Real Estate Brokerage Services. The students will have to synthesize background information and knowledge and apply it to resolution of issues. Resolution will require students to employ good communication skills, problem solving skills, hone quick decision-making resources (who can a broker reliably call for fast assistance), recognize high pressure bullying from the other side of the transaction and develop a response, and collaborate to develop solutions to real problems faced by real brokers.
Instructor: Jan Ellingson
This class will help you navigate your way through online technologies and create strategies that conform to Article 12of the Code of Ethics.
Instructor: Jan Ellingson
A home should be a place free from environmental hazards, yet many homes have hidden problems lurking beneath the surface. Seller Disclosure Statements are only the beginning of the disclosure process. It is important that real estate licensees know their obligations and responses to these potential dangers.Course Objectives
• Recognize possible environmental hazards in a home
• Create strategies for working with sellers to correct hazards
• Identify the statutes related to the Seller Disclosure Statement
• Develop a dialogue to educate sellers on their obligations for disclosure
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
This class merges the best of both worlds from Annie's popular "Wow… What Just Happened & the Best of Legal Hotline," classes and bridges the two seamlessly. Students will review the most significant issues facing real estate practitioners as well as address questions and concerns from your real estate practice. The course content is always current, because it changes from class to class based on the topics that are relevant to the students in attendance. You will receive pointers and tips that you can apply immediately to your practice to reduce your own liability and to improve the quality and success of the transactions you put together.
Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons
Holy smokes! Did you get the license plate off that bus? Sometimes that is the way this industry feels. In the last several years, issues of huge significance have rocked the peaceful foundation of our industry and created turbulence out of what many of us knew, for decades, to be still waters. This class examines the most weighty and significant issues of the last 12 months and places them in perspective. How do those issues affect brokers in their day to day sales? What can brokers do to avoid problems created by recent statutory case law? Sometimes, understanding the underpinnings of a problem can make the solution more manageable. This class studies current issues and problems and reveals the most effective solutions and strategies in easy to understand language.