How Does CE Help Your Real Estate Career?
You’re probably familiar with the mandatory 45-hour continuing education requirement that has to be completed in order to renew your California real estate license. For most salespersons and brokers this is a dreaded task; it may just feel like an unnecessary review of things you already know. But did you know that continuing education can do more to further your career than simply giving you a license to practice real estate for four more years? Here’s how CE can help you in your real estate career!
Stay Up to Date
How we carry out agreements and contracts in real estate is largely governed by rules and regulations implemented by local, state, and federal governments, and it’s not uncommon for old laws to be amended or new laws to be introduced that impact the real estate industry. Even laws passed in related industries like the financial sector can change the way you do business, so it’s important to stay up-to-date on any legislation.
You can’t get out of a speeding ticket just because you didn’t know the speed limit; similarly, you won’t get off the hook for a law or ethics violation by claiming ignorance. It’s up to you to know the law! While you certainly shouldn’t wait until it’s time to do your CE to learn about these new laws, classes can help you better understand the ins and out, how they apply to you, and how you can maintain compliance.
Discover a Niche
It’s impossible to be the best and dominate every area and sphere of real estate. In this industry, finding and working within one particular niche is one key to excelling and finding success in your career. However, there are so many directions to go that it can be hard to find what you’re most passionate about. Condos, single-family homes, apartments, commercial properties, unimproved land, and more— there’s a lot to choose from! Continuing education is one way to dip your toe into the water and learn about subjects that interest you.
Though these types of courses are not required, niche-specific classes can give you an outlet to explore these new areas of real estate. Should you decide that you’ve found your true calling, you can further your education in that one particular area. If you discover that maybe a particular area isn’t for you, you haven’t lost anything and still have that knowledge in the back of your mind.
Be Well Rounded
This may seem to be a direct contradiction to our advice above to find a niche. But just because you decide to stick to one area of real estate doesn’t mean you can completely forget about everything else. If you are already established in one particular area of real estate, continuing education is a great opportunity to brush up on other topics. You don’t have to be an expert on everything, but it doesn’t hurt to know a little something here and there about other things. You never know when it will come in handy!
Develop Leadership Skills
Continuing education classes like the 3-hour Management & Supervision course are designed to help you hone your skills as a leader. With courses geared towards leadership, you’ll learn the characteristics of successful management, how to achieve healthy employer-employee relationships, and good office policies and procedures. If you are a broker, these lessons will help you run a company that is efficient and effective. For salespersons, these management and supervision classes can help you become a leader amongst your peers and in the industry as a whole.
Management courses aren’t the only thing that make a leader. The more knowledge and experience you have on a particular topic, the more likely you’ll be perceived as an expert and authority on the subject. Your peers will look to you for advice, and you’ll be able to use your knowledge to help those around you.
Prepare Yourself for Industry Changes
If there’s one thing certain in this world, it’s change. Real estate agents have been around for a while, but the way that business is conducted has certainly changed over the years. Less than ten years ago, it would have been strange to see a real estate agent do business from a tablet. Now, it’s commonplace! Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with the changing times. Luckily, CE is here to help us prepare for changing landscapes within the industry.
As we move further and further into the digital age, it is becoming harder to resist technology’s role in real estate. It seems like every day there’s a new social media platform to market from or a new must-have app that promises to make your life easier. CE is a great opportunity to teach yourself some of these new skills so you can keep up with the pack.
Pinpoint Weak Areas and Strengthen Skills
It can be hard to see our own flaws. Continuing education (and the examinations that come with it) is a chance to see where we don’t know as much as we think. The great thing about online providers like At Your Pace Online is that you have a chance to work on topics at your own pace. Unlike a classroom setting where an instructor will just move on, if you’re having trouble understanding a particular topic, you can stop and go through the lesson again. CE gives you the opportunity to strengthen weak areas, whether it be simple like a specific math formula or an entire skillset such as management.
Ready to excel in your career with California real estate continuing education?
If you’re looking to take real estate CE, you’ve come to the right place! With At Your Pace Online, you’ll find comprehensive real estate courses that’ll satisfy your California real estate license renewal requirements and arm you with the skills and tools you’ll need to achieve your goals. Use this opportunity to set yourself up for success. If you have any questions about our courses, don’t hesitate to contact At Your Pace Online today!