Realty Pupil - Secrets of Real Estate

I learn agents don’t need math!

This was another lesson on the basics of real estate. Perhaps the most surprising part was the inordinate amount of time discussing timeshares. I have always held a rather negative view on Timeshares, given that:
1. They are NOT investments
2. They don’t just depreciate, they have next to NO resale value.
3. They use high pressure and often immoral sales practices to trick, con and pressure others into buying them.
The discussion of Timeshares was quite positive, and the instructor glowed about how as agents, we can work through his brokerage and offer our clients 3 nights free at many timeshare holdings throughout the United States, by merely paying $20. What a wonderful gift to a client! Require them to attend a timeshare sales meeting under the guise of a vacation!

It amazes me that these are even discussed, let alone the amount of class time wasted on them.

We were then introduced further to the requirements of the course. We were again cautioned against hiding, or failing to disclose any past felonies or misdemeanors. We are subject to a complete background check before we can receive our licenses, and it would appear that I will have to officially obtain Utah residency in order to qualify for a license here. So long California.

The tests sound rather simple, we’re allowed to take them as often as we can afford, providing at least 3 days notice to the State before we can take it the first time. The national test is supposedly pretty simple, and we were reassured that we would have less than ten questions requiring any math. The instructor glowed that we will be blessed in this, and that since the state only requires 70% on the test, if we know the rest, we can just skip the math problems. The instructor asked the class what a 70% would mean at a local university, and I was amazed at the serious responses the class gave which ranged from “B+” to “An F!”. Again with those confusing numbers. It’s a good thing that real estate agents won’t be required to do anything with math in the real world! Otherwise all the agents who just skip the math section will be in trouble when it comes to tasks like making a good offer, or calculating a home’s true value.

So basically, I can take the licensing test as much as I like, and only need a 70% to get my license. Surprisingly, the instructor even told us that the majority of the answers are either C or D. He laughed and asked the class “How many of you are D students? You’re in luck! That’s your secret letter. I don’t know what to say to you A students, except, maybe try to be D students!”

So the class concluded with the instructor confessing to us that it would be impossible to cheat on the test, as the state takes rather strict precautions against allowing us to play dirty. Too bad for us, that means we’re left with only our guessing abilities to get that stellar 70% score. Thank goodness we can take it as many times as it takes!

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