bolts of a transaction, but not the people angle — and real estate is all about people. Of course, there wasn’t agreement on everything. Some audience members thought there wasn’t enough training in at least the basics of specialties such as property management. Others, though, complained about spending time learning things they’ll never use — appraisals and financing were two examples. “It’s good to be smart,” said one, “but we don’t need to be experts.” Whatever the specifics that are missing, the consensus seemed clear: It’s time to look at licensure requirements. The better the quality of real estateschool graduates and new licensees,
the better it is for everyone. Problem: It’s not entirely clear what’s missing. The number one violation found by the Virginia Real Estate Board, said Christine Martine, executive director at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, is “unworthiness and incompetence.” Although the board is working to narrow that definition, it’s clear that too many agents are not quite ready for prime time. Sure, there are always some people who intentionally do the wrong thing, but in the vast majority of cases it’s a case of simple sloppiness, or just not understanding the rules well enough. (Incorrect handling of earnest money deposits is a common problem.) So what’s to be done?
Schools may teach the nuts and bolts of a transaction, but not the people angle — and real estate is all about people.
Virginia licensure education requirements Classroom training required to sit for licensing exam Real estate appraiser (35)
Nail technician (150)
Barber (1500)
plus 50 certified inspections*
Real estate salesperson (60)
Esthetician (cosmetologist) (600)
Auctioneer (80) Surveyor
Real estate appraiser (650)
Graduate of 4-year course
Wax technician (115) Contractor (240) and four years practical experience
Volume 20 ● Issue 2
= 20 hours * Other combinations of classroom training and certified inspections are allowed.
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