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Secrets to Real Estate Success for Newbies

Getting started in real estate can be tough is almost like trying to learn a brand, new game. It comes with its very own set of special rules, laws, systems, standards and guidelines that you must learn. While you are trying to become more competitive in an already over-saturated field where everyone knows someone who is a real estate agent or broker, you must be able to figure out a way to hustle and be different than your competition.

As you try to balance your new career and all the responsibilities that come with us, the real test of success is seeing if you can really juggle everything in the air at once, keep it moving smoothly so you don’t drop any balls and come out making enough money to maintain the lifestyle that you desire.

All of this is possible and I know because I’ve “been there, done that” myself. I’ve been a new real estate agent and quickly learned how to carve out a niche for myself so that I could not only stay in real estate and keep practicing it but also to see to it that I was thriving in my career. The same is possible for you, even though nothing is promised to you, you have the same opportunities to succeed as everyone else, IF you are willing to work for it, learn how to play the game and keep up with your duties on a daily basis.

For me, I found out about a way to make supplemental my income by doing CMA types of reports for banks called, broker price opinions. It saved me in more ways than one, in fact it helped pull me out of poverty as a single Mom to a young, bright-eyed and very loveable boy. And I’ve never looked back!

I’m very vocal about the BPO industry and I’m in love with it. I live to help real estate professionals around this great nation of ours that want to also carve out a niche for themselves in their real estate business by doing BPO’s. I also live for coaching and teaching, it’s what makes me happiest at my core on a professional level.

If you are curious to learn more about anything related to BPO’s, I’d love to be your guide, your coach and hopefully someone that you look up to.

Learn more about my newly updated “Broker Price Opinion Basics 101” video course here:

http://bpo-university.com/courses.html

If you already know the basics about BPO’s then I’d like to invite you to learn more about how to double and triple your BPO income by using BPO AutoFill software here:

http://bpo-automation.com

Your BPO Coach,

Nicole Ocean

BPO Automation Group

Phone: (360) 223-2482 E-mail: sales@bpo-automation.com 495 Grand Boulevard Suite #206 Miramar Beach, FL 32550 www.bpo-automation.com

Continuing Education Classes start as low as $29.95 for 3 hours of continuing education credit. Some classes we offer are BPO Simplified, and REO Simplified. If you need CE credit for your license, why not get it through us? To learn more, visit REOPro's Continuing Education tab and follow the directions.

Visit REOPro Default Professionals at: http://reopro.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Posted by: James A.Browning, Course developer and creator for BPO and REO Simplified.

Submitting your Broker Price Opinion two hours before the 24, 48, or 72 deadline is very important!! The reason: if the BPO Company/Outsourcer has Quality Control Department has issues with your BPO for accuracy, distances from the subject or whatever the reason may be. If you submit your BPO early, this will give you time to fix any issues and then send it back before the BPO Company flags you for being late!!

REOCertified @ www.BrowningRealEstateSchool.com

Sincerely,

Tim Ventura Marketing Director Harris Real Estate University Real Estate Insider News

What does a land surveyor actually do? It depends who you ask. “What is a Land Surveyor” is an entertaining video which answers that question from different perspectives: our moms, clients and the world often have different ideas about how we get our job done every day. Whether mapping floodplains, clarifying boundaries for property disputes or advising land developers, land surveyors play an important role. But do people really know what they do? This entertaining, meme-inspired video takes a comedic look at the profession.

McKissock, the creator of the video, is a trusted resource for state-specific, state-approved land surveying, engineering and home inspection courses, regulation information and compliance. This video is aimed at land surveying professionals who can laugh at the different perceptions of their career; check it out at www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoAF5sLn-Ys.

“This video is a fun way to look at an important profession that is often behind the scenes,” says Annie Creek, Business Development Manager. “No matter the career, parents and clients see us with different sets of eyes, but only people in our own area of expertise know the truth.”

For people less familiar with land surveying, it is a diverse career that requires a lot of knowledge and skills. A day in the life may look like:

- Measuring properties and pieces of land to determine boundaries;
- creating maps, land descriptions and reports;
- presenting information for legal matters, maybe even in a courtroom;
- using and understanding GPS equipment and programs;
- and much more.

Land surveyors are required to hold a state land surveyor license and keep up their continuing education. Because rules and regulations vary across the country, it can be confusing to know what is required for license renewal, including how long it will take, what forms are needed and the related fees. McKissock serves as a comprehensive resource about continuing education requirements and more. For license- and education-related questions, contact 1-800-328-2008.

For busy land surveying professionals who need a reminder for license renewal (because they are too busy climbing a mountain with heavy gear or whistling in convertibles, as you will see in the video), McKissock offers a free reminder service that will notify you when your license renewal date is approaching. Visit http://reminder.mckedu.com to sign up.

“We provide reminders, coursework and compliance information so over-burdened professionals don’t have to worry,” adds Creek. “We have a deep understanding of the lives of people who spend a lot of time in the field and don’t want to be concerned about license deadlines and paperwork.”

McKissock has affiliations directly with many associations to better assist professionals in receiving their continuing education credits.  For land surveyors, McKissock has met the standards and requirements of Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP), provider number 127505.

From the McKissock website, state-licensed professionals have access to all they need to fulfill state requirements, including governing agency information, any mandatory topic needed for license renewal and they can begin taking required coursework immediately. McKissock offers customizable packages or individual land surveyor, professional engineer and home inspector courses. For more information, visit www.mckissock.com and search for your specific profession.

The end of the year is sneaking up and McKissock, a leader in continuing education for state-licensed professionals, is issuing a reminder to home inspectors, land surveyors and professional engineers to renew their licenses. While renewal dates differ by state and association, a large portion of licenses expire at the end of the calendar year. McKissock is a trusted resource for state-specific, state-approved land surveying, engineering and home inspection courses, regulation information and compliance.

License lapses and expirations are more than just a hassle – they can be a costly mistake. To help remove the potential of license lapse or expiration, McKissock recently set up a free reminder service that will notify you when your license renewal date is pending. Visit http://reminder.mckedu.com to sign up. 

“When professionals are out and about, they aren’t always focused on deadlines and licenses,” says Annie Creek, Market Research and Compliance Specialist at McKissock. “We are the go-to resource for reminders, coursework and compliance information so home inspectors, land surveyors, and engineers don’t miss a beat.”

Rules and regulations vary by state and industry, so it can be confusing to know what is required for license renewal, such as processing time, applicable forms and related fees. However, McKissock serves as a comprehensive resource about continuing education requirements and more. If you have any questions, contact 1-800-328-2008.

“It’s important to plan ahead and ensure you have the time to meet state and association renewal requirements,” adds Creek. “However, McKissock offers a wide variety of home inspection, land surveying and engineering courses that can be taken immediately so you can get back to work.”

McKissock also has affiliations directly with associations to help professionals understand requirements and receive continuing education credits, including: the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. (NAHI), and California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA).

From the McKissock website, state-licensed professionals have access to all they need to fulfill state requirements, including governing agency information, and can begin taking required coursework immediately. McKissock offers customizable packages, individual courses and affordable webinars.  For more information, visit http://www.mckissock.com.

McKissock, a leader in continuing education for real estate-related professionals, has outlined five ways to keep home inspectors on the job. Rookies and veterans alike have the same things to consider as the industry changes; this list is applicable for anyone who needs to keep their income flowing. McKissock is a trusted resource for state-specific, state-approved home inspection courses, regulation information and compliance.

The following tips are important home inspector requirements:

1. Don’t Compromise Safety. Although obvious, there are safety precautions that every home inspector should never ignore. It may be as simple as ensuring that you have the correct safety clothing and equipment, but this is the foundation of the home inspection profession. 

2. Make sure your license and insurances are up to date. It’s absolutely critical to have a current license and insurance. Even if your state does not require licensing, insurance should be a “must have.” Know your renewal date and schedule continuing education classes early enough so you are not in fear of a license lapse. 

3. Know Local Laws and Legislation. Each state and local jurisdiction has their own laws that pertain to the home inspection industry and they do tend to change. Make it your responsibility to understand local laws and ensure you are not putting your license and career in jeopardy.  

4. Practice Practical and Successful Reporting. How home inspectors take notes, document findings and present results to clients is of paramount importance. There are always ways to improve these reports and increase the potential for repeat business. In addition, all records need to be maintained as required by state regulations.

5. Stay on Top of New Trends.  Whether it is the increase in green building practices, the usage of dangerous construction practices or materials, or any other new construction trends, it’s a home inspector’s duty to know about the latest-and-greatest materials and techniques.

“Home inspectors are busy professionals who provide an important service,” says Annie Creek, New Market and Compliance Specialist at McKissock. “We are committed to helping home inspectors deliver up-to-date knowledge to their customers and have the confidence that they are complying with their state or association’s regulations.”

Some areas that McKissock’s Home Inspection courses cover include:

• Attic Ventilation
• Codes of Ethics and Standards of Practice
• Construction Details and Trends
• Electrical Systems
• Exterior: Walls, Windows, Roof and Foundation
• FHA 203K Inspections
• Foundation and Footing
• Home Energy Inspection
• Home Inspection Safety
• HVAC Ductwork
• Plumbing Cross Connections
• Pools and Spas
• Pre-Drywall and Drywall
• Radon Detection and Mitigation
• Reactive Chinese Drywall
• Reporting
• Residential Cooling Systems and Heating Pumps

From the McKissock website, home inspectors have access to all they need to fulfill state requirements, including governing agency information, and can begin taking required coursework immediately. McKissock offers customizable packages, individual courses and affordable webinars.  For more information, visit http://www.mckissock.com.

McKissock, a leader in continuing education for real estate-related professionals, now has more state-specific, state-approved home inspector courses and land surveyor education. From the McKissock website, they have access to all they need to fulfill state requirements, including governing agency information, and can begin taking required coursework immediately. McKissock offers customizable packages, individual courses and webinars that are easy to access and affordable.

In addition to understanding the requirements of state regulatory boards, McKissock has affiliations or communicates directly with associations to help professionals receive continuing education credits. Those associations include: the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. (NAHI), International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA).

“McKissock’s courses are dependable, accessible, low-cost and compliant, which is the formula for success for busy professionals,” says Annie Creek, New Market and Compliance Specialist at McKissock. “Since each state has different requirements, it’s reassuring to know that McKissock can verify what’s necessary to keep your license from lapsing.”

The state-specific core Home Inspection courses include:

• Connecticut
  • Connecticut Home Inspection Laws and Legislation
    
    
• Illinois
  • Electrical Service Inspections
  • Exterior Pre-Drywall Inspection
  • Foundation and Footing Construction Inspection
  • Interior Pre-Drywall Inspection
  • Plumbing Cross Connections
• New Jersey
  • Obey the Law: Standards of Practice for New Jersey Home Inspectors

• Nevada
  • Nevada Home Inspection Safety for IOS (Inspector of Structures)
  • Nevada Home Inspector Law

(Note to Nevada professionals: To renew an active certificate, a certified inspector must complete 20 hours of approved education, including, without limitation: (a) At least 3 hours of instruction on issues relating to the safety of any inhabitants of a structure being inspected and the inspector conducting the inspection; AND (b) At least 2 hours of instruction on the provisions of this chapter (laws) and chapter 645D or NRS.)

The state-specific core Land Surveying courses include:

• Alabama
  • Alabama Standards of Practice
• Arkansas
  • Standards of Practice for Arkansas Land Surveyors
• Florida
  • Florida Minimum Technical Standards and Ethics
• Idaho
  •  Idaho Minimum Standards of Practice
• Illinois
  • Standards of Professional Conduct for Illinois Land Surveyors
• Louisiana
  • Minimum Standards for Property Boundary Surveys in Louisiana
  • Professional Ethics for Louisiana Land Surveyors and Engineers
• Missouri
  • Missouri Minimum Standards
• Mississippi
  • Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Mississippi Land Surveyors and Engineers
• Montana
  • Montana Ethics for Land Surveyors
• North Carolina
  • Standards of Conduct for Land Surveyors and Professional Engineers in North Carolina
• North Dakota
  • Rules of Professional Conduct for North Dakota Land Surveyors and Engineers
• Nebraska
  • Standards for Nebraska Land Surveyors
• New Mexico
  • New Mexico Ethics and Professional Conduct for Land Surveyors and Engineers
• Ohio
  • Standards and Code of Ethics for Ohio Land Surveyors 
• Oregon
  • Rules of Professional Conduct for Land Surveyors and Engineers in Oregon
• South Carolina
  • Rules of Professional Conduct for South Carolina Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
• Wyoming
  • Code of Ethics for Wyoming Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors  

McKissock is an education company that educates, empowers and enriches professionals in real estate, appraisal, home inspection, land surveying and engineering. McKissock gives specialists a place to go to access relevant, easy-to-use and high-quality courses that provide the hours and information necessary to meet state compliance and regulation requirements. Founded in 1990, McKissock offers more than 100 courses and serves thousands of professionals daily. The company is focused on providing a superior customer experience that will help professionals move their career forward. To learn more, visit www.mckissock.com. 

I like to watch the HBO show True Blood, in that show vampires are open in our society and they have human friends or lovers or companions who protect them when they are asleep and provide blood for them, those humans are called fang bangers 

It seems that so many companies out there now have conferences, special memberships for REO agents, REO colleges or programs that would make you a powerhouse, etc. 

I was very surprise that with less active inventory, increase amount of agents trying to break into the REO industry and still lenders being very conservative with their loans, some companies that were closed to agents in the recent past are not opening for new membership. I keep getting emails from new AM or REO clubs, programs, education etc. promising to help me get to the top of REO and become the next power REO agent on the planet.

I am sure some agents will fall for that and will pay to "play, learn or network" I used to do the same, when I started in the REO industry I wanted to learn from the experts, I paid for classes from someone who didn't know much about REO, but knew how to hype and sell their crappy education. I paid some AM who after a while disappeared and I loss some money, I paid to go to conferences with thousands of agents to learn more in overcrowded classrooms or to hear some AM about their procedures,etc. Actually I met some great agents and some clients at those conferences, but not at the classes.

At the last conference that I attended I saw agents paying $500 to go party with "asset managers" I wonder if it is worth to do an investigation if those "asset managers" were getting a kick back from the party organizers, or if in fact they are asset managers at all. 

I see too many REO "Vampires" out there, they need their fresh blood to live and there are so many REO fang bangers out there giving it to them. We have to be careful and do our research, that is one of the beauties of this forum, we can come here and learn about new companies, new programs, share our experiences, etc. 

Unfortunately lately we haven't seen many of that going on, except for few regulars, then it has become a place to repost Activerain blogs, to advertise agents and products, etc.

There are legit products and legit education companies, we have to learn which designations are the ones that most reputable, which designations will help us to open doors, I know at the end is up to us how we develop and do business, but we need to help each other to save money, time and effort,. that is the garlic that keeps the Vampires away.

Hi there everybody,

As a certified real estate instructor that specializes strictly in broker price opinion education, I try to stay on top of industry trends. As such, I have been following a company for the last few months called, StreetLinks. They are a major AMC provider and soon to be provider of BPO orders nationwide.

I have had the great fortune of connecting with a fantastic representative from their company and have gain a lot of valuable information to help you guys save time and to assist you in being able to make an informed about if you should sign up with this company.

I would HIGHLY recommend taking the 15-20 minutes it takes to register to be a BPO agent or broker for them right away! And no I am not affiliated with them or getting paid by them to endorse their organization! It isn't every day that a new company pops up that is not only credible, but I think will quickly be a force to be reckoned with when compared to the top major BPO mills. From my research, Streetlinks should be able to offer decent volume across the U.S. right out of the gate, and if everything goes well I foresee that they will see huge growth in order volume because of having an already solid client base.

So, as BPO order volume is down across the nation, smart BPO agents and brokers branch out and sign up with more quality companies to increase their likelihood of receiving more work. Do yourself a favor and click on the link below to sign up with them, I strongly believe that you will thank me in a few months!

Today I spent about 15 minutes signing myself up at their website, here's a link for you to do the same: https://www.streetlinks.com/solutions/agents_brokers

Also, feel free to pass along this info to others in the business that you think will benefit from it!

Lastly, to wrap up this blog post I want to point out some important points of how this company operates, what you can expect from them and what requirements they have of their new BPO agents and brokers. Please take a few minutes to read through the short list below:

StreetLinks Price Opinion Panel members benefit from:

• Rapid Payment - Payment direct deposited to your account with 72 hours of report completion
• No Cost to You- No fees for signup, membership or marketing!
• Fast Order Submission - Get a free and easy to use online account to complete and submit orders
• Fair Order Assignment - Assignment based on proximity and your historical performance
• Exemplary Support- Full support services and training from our BPO support team
• NABPOP Membership Discount- Join NABPOP at a special discounted rate! StreetLinks offers preferred assignment status to NABPOP certified members.

(The above paragraph was taken from StreetLinks website. All Rights Reserved © 2011 StreetLinks LLC.)

Let me know if you have any questions too! Email me at: nicole@bpo-university.com

Warmly,

Nicole Ocean

Certified R.E. Instructor (WA State)

www.bpo-university.com

360-224-6988

  Yep, it ROCKS!

I have made so many wonderful contacts and friends here.  Read some stuff, send some emails.  If you are truly looking to connect and not to just *GET SOMETHING* from someone you will be happy you found this group!

I am also a member of WinDS (charter member) and I am member of NAHREP AZ and NAHREP Vegas and also AREAA AZ and AREAA Vegas.  I also highly recommend all of these listed groups for the great connections and educational opportunities.

I have found that being in the BPO and REO business is much like playing a competitive sport when you were a youngster. Whether your favorite sport is football, basketball, baseball, soccer or any other sport, one of the first things you were taught was offensive skills, which of course was soon followed by defensive skills. The better you were at both, the more likely that you would be successful at beating your opponent, right?

The same scenario and expectations applies within anyone's BPO and REO business, the only difference is that we are now all grown up and more is on the line and at stake.

When I got started in the BPO business in Sept. of 2006 the phrase, 'Broker Price Opinions' was something that a very select group of people in the real estate business knew about. I'm guessing that the percentage was very low at the time.

I was able to put together a BPO Manual for others (in Jan 2008) who wondered what a BPO was, what it involved and every possible question under the sun as it applied to broker price opinions. Sales of my BPO Manual really took off in early to mid 2007. I had to presume that at this point the 'secret' was out of the bag. So, it had to be a matter of time before everyone jumped on the bandwagon. I was right!

For those that heard about and saw the tremendous opportunity they benefited greatly if they dove into doing BPO's. For many REO listing became the next logical product of the vast amount of BPO work they did. For the next two years, I saw more and more people jumping into the BPO and REO business.

During this time I also talked to lots and lots of people in the business. They came from all walks of life, backgrounds, time in the real estate business and everyone had own their opinions about the BPO business. I appreciated each and every phone call, email and letter that I shared with my fellow peers. They helped me understand so much about the business that I would never have been able to figure out on my own. I owe a lot to these countless number of fine folks. If you are one of them, thank you very much for everything! :-)

I guess a good secret can't stay hidden for long though, huh! Thank goodness. This business is filled to the brim with open-ended possibilities.

And in the end, if you have found or are finding that many in this business stay very guarded and extremely secretive about their own BPO and REO business (I can respect and understand the need behind this) there are a few others that will share their knowledge and expertise with you. Me being one!

Feel free to drop me a line sometime, I'd be more than happy to help in anyway I can!

Keep your chin up and keep shooting for the stars!

Warmly,

Nicole Ocean

I just attended the WinDS conference in Las Vegas last week... what an event! This group was founded by Marla Webb, Shelley Kaye, Arna Friedman, and Shelia Blockson. The first day was packed with Keynote speakers, forming of committees, and networking. The second day we joined with the Asian Real Estate Association of America, conducted a question/answer session with an asset manager panel, and ended the day with a charity poker tournament at the Hard Rock Hotel.

There are several reasons to become a member of WinDS:

• Get noticed by asset managers
• Make connections with other REO professionals
• Learn from the pro's
• Increase your knowledge of the business
• Be available to service providers

I would encourage everyone to check out this powerhouse group of professionals. Learn more about WinDS, or to join this dynamic force in the default industry, please click here! Men are always welcome as members .

If you end up joining, please mention my name!