West Virginia Real Estate Continuing Education Courses

• Review the history of agency law, common law and the development of the agency relationships 
• Explore key elements of fiduciary responsibility 
• Identify the different ways an agency relationship may be formed and terminated

ABRIDGED DESCRIPTION: 

Continuing education in ethics is a requirement for all real estate licensees and the NAR also requires its members to complete and approved ethics course every three years. The three-hour Charting Your Success: The Code of Ethics, Buyer Representation, and Your Value Proposition is designed to meet the continuing education in ethics curriculum requirements as well as the NAR Code of Ethics requirement. The chapters cover the purpose, structure, and applicability of the Code of Ethics with an in-depth look at Articles 1 and 3 against the backdrop of recent litigation aimed at the real estate industry’s cooperative compensation model. The course demonstrates how buyer representation and ethical practice are part of a licensee’s value proposition and provides perspective on how high ethical standards can be used when adapting to market changes. Case studies and examples help bring the content to life and help licensees apply ethics to their real estate practice.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS: 

• The purpose of the National Association of REALTORS®, and the overall structure of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
• How the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice aligns with and yet differs from general business codes of conduct.
• Aspirational concepts contained within the Preamble to the Code of Ethics.
• The role of the professional standards enforcement process of NAR boards and association when an ethics complaint is lodged.
• An overview of Articles applying to duties to clients, customers, the public, and REALTORS® and their Standards of Practice.
• An in-depth look at Article 1, violations of Article 1, and its applicability to today’s real estate landscape.
• An in-depth look at Article 3, cooperation, possible violations of Article 3, and its applicability to today’s real estate market.
• A review of the ethics of buyer representation.

Do you feel prepared for a cyber attack? This course will help you to identify scams and how cybercriminals gain access to organizations’ network systems with the intention of stealing data or holding files hostage. You will learn why real estate organizations are targeted, preventative measures to protect your data, and guidelines for establishing a cybersecurity policy manual.

Course Highlights

•    Learn about types of cybersecurity attacks
•    Understand why cybersecurity is necessary
•    Explore why real estate organizations are targeted for cyber crimes
•    Gain knowledge on how to prevent cyber attacks
•    Learn how to establish a cybersecurity policy
 

• Gain confidence teaching buyers about the buying process 
• Learn to show buyers how to get their finances to purchase a home
• Know how to help buyers systematically search for a home in in their current market 
• Understand how to teach buyers how to negotiate like a pro 

• Discuss fair housing law developments through the years
• Examine advertising policies and exemptions through case studies
• Pocket useful tips on how to stay clear of discriminatory practices in sales, rentals, and financing of real estate

• Learn how homebuyers can reduce their environmental footprint 
• Examine the costs of sustainable materials 
• Explore pros and cons to eco-friendly materials and homes

This course will cover a brief history of the mortgage industry and introduce the players. We will discuss financing, security instruments, and legal clauses commonly included in these instruments. We’ll look at various loan types, including government-backed mortgage programs and discuss mortgage fraud and predatory lending. Finally, we will examine the loan process, qualifying standards for borrowers, and mortgage laws.

• Learn about the types of properties managed.
• Identify the factors examined in a market analysis.
• Know the steps in a risk assessment
• Know how to develop a maintenance program.

• Explore the Millennial generation and how they affect the real estate market 
• Uncover their wants and fears when it comes to homeownership 
• Learn strategies for recruiting Millennials to your brokerage

This course covers information to aid real estate licensees in better understanding how to comply with the laws the govern real estate property condition disclosure. This course covers the obligations of sellers, buyers, and agents in the discovery and disclosure of residential property conditions. Focus is given to requirements for making environmental hazard disclosures and handling stigmatized property disclosure exceptions.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

•    Recall material facts and defects that require seller disclosure is most states.
•    Describe the obligations of sellers and seller agents in providing property condition disclosures to potential buyers.
•    Describe the obligations of buyer agents in ensuring clients understand the seller’s disclosure process and important steps in buyer due diligence.
•    Learn about the health risks and disclosure requirements for potential internal and external environmental hazards.
•    Review how to handle inquires and disclosure exceptions related to stigmatized property, HIV/AIDs exposure, and sex offenders.
•    Read case information to learn how courts have ruled in different states and under different circumstance in handling complaints related to the property disclosure obligations and liabilities of individuals involved in a real estate sales transaction.
 

• Narration
• Learn how to use an investment property worksheet to analyze a property 
• Explore how to determine a property’s investment value quickly and effectively 
• Uncover the ins and outs of the passive loss rules 
• Examine how to maximize the tax-savings benefits of depreciation through a bifurcation strategy

This course provides an overview of various forecasts and predictions made for the real estate market in 2023 and describes adaptive reuse and accessory dwelling units. Additionally, it provides a review of economic cycles and the economic theory of supply and demand, which is the backbone of real estate markets.

It is intended to enhance the knowledge and effectiveness of real estate licensees and is approved for 3 hours of continuing education.

Most people have questions about taxes in a real estatetransaction. It may not be apparent, but taxation is an indirect—yetimportant—factor affecting the value of property. In this course, we will seehow taxes impact buying and selling real property. As a student, use this unitfor general knowledge about real estate taxation; however, always refer yourclients and customers to an expert for their own tax information as well ascurrent tax laws.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn the tax-saving benefits of owning real estate.
• Differentiate the deductions and the capital gains exclusion for main and second homes
• Gain an understanding of 1031 exchanges. 

An appraisal is an inevitable part of buying a home foranyone who needs a mortgage and, like it or not, it can make or break thetransaction. Real estate agents should understand the appraisal process. Eventhough you may prepare a competitive market analysis (CMA) for your clients,CMAs are not as detailed, nor do they serve the same purpose as an appraisal.This course provides a review of the sales comparison, cost, and income approachesin appraising real estate. 

Real estate professionals need to stay aware of demographic shifts that impact consumers’ home buying and selling. This course focuses on the demographics and home buying and selling trends for six generation groups: Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and Generations X, Y, Z, and A. Based on four important generation home buying trends, specific focus is given to environmentally-friendly home features, multi-generational home solutions, planned unit developments, and first-time home buyer preparedness. 

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn the birth dates that define each generation group and gain an understanding of the major life experiences that shaped the attitudes and behaviors of group members.
• Discover current home buying and selling trends for each generation group.
• Review detailed information about features that make a home energy-efficient and resources for helping your buyer-clients assess if a home satisfies their environmentally-friendly needs.  
• Learn why and how accessory dwelling units may be a solution for clients seeking multi-generational home solutions.
• Be better prepared to guide first-time Gen Xer and Millennial home buyers through the complex home purchase process with a focus on preparedness for mortgage loan approval. 

The purpose of this course is to provide real estate licensees a foundational understanding of workforce housing. This course first defines workforce housing and its purpose. Licensees learn about creative workforce housing projects initiated and funded by employers and other stakeholders. Focus is given to financing options available to low- and middle-income homebuyers.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain an understanding of how workforce housing is defined and how it can improve current worker shortage and affordable housing challenges.
• Learn about creative and diverse methods that have been used by employers to provide affordable housing options that attract and retain workers.
• Discover why and how real estate developers, nonprofits, and other key stakeholders have worked together to offer affordable housing solutions in areas where home prices are out of reach for middle-income workers.
• Gain an understanding of different types of mortgage loan programs that are structured to provide affordable home financing options to homebuyers who have low or moderate income, including how buyers qualify for a loan and key loan features and benefits.