Broker CE Live Course Calendar

NEW! Millennials: Challenging the Traditional Real Estate Model (3.75 Credits)

This course examines the factors driving today’s real estate market, beyond the newspaper headlines. Facts, trends, and hard data illustrate how the foremost factors for Baby Boomers no longer apply. You will learn how Millennials, today’s largest real estate client group, prefer to buy, sell, rent, strategize, and communicate with you. After this course, you will have a better understanding of how to represent these clients.

This course will challenge your approach to working with today’s buyers and sellers, and educate you about their specific preferences, including how builders and the real estate industry are responding to Millennials. Essential client expectations and patterns are explored, so you can re-tool your skill set of knowledge and practices, as well as reposition your branding and image to reflect an understanding of the new model. This course prepares you to work effectively and productively with Millennials, resulting in helping them achieve their real estate goals. Join us for this compelling look into the future of real estate.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• Traditional versus Millennial real estate model
• Defining the market
• Wants, needs, and deal breakers
• Motivation
• The affected real estate market and model
• Effective strategies for working with Millennials

Take the guesswork out of the adjustment process by following these simple but proven sales comparison approach strategies. The sales comparison approach to value is essential to the real estate appraisal process, yet it has often been a source of uncertainty for many appraisers. The adjustment calculation process leads many appraisers to just throw their hands up in frustration. Trying to prove, or even offer support for, an adjustment can be a daunting task. And for the readers of the report, it can be even more frustrating because there may not be enough information available to understand how the appraisers arrived at their adjustment conclusion.

We all understand that the premise associated with the sales comparison approach is that an appraiser can establish market value through a study of the subject property and other competing properties. Then the appraiser makes allowances for differences between the subject property and the comparable properties. These allowances will be applied in the form of adjustments. Therefore, the formation of adjustments is essential to the accuracy of the sales comparison approach. Furthermore, the explanation of how the adjustment was realized is essential information that allows the reader to fully understand the logic and not be misled.

This course will unlock the mystery behind making adjustments and give you a fundamental understanding of how to make adjustments for the sales comparison approach to value.

Topics Include:

• Identifying when an adjustment is required
• How to properly determine an adjustment amount
• To what degree must an adjustment be applied
• Using appraiser judgment and experience
• Types of transactional adjustments
• Types of property adjustments
• Units of comparison
• Elements of comparison
• Strategies applied to both residential and commercial appraising

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Ever wonder the difference between mediation, arbitration, and litigation and when each is best suited for the situation?

In this class, you will learn the features, advantages, benefits, and limitations of each of these three dispute resolution types in order to help you educate your clients concerning their choices at critical and often tense decision making junctures.

Each of the three dispute resolution types are examined and explained in simple yet comprehensive terms to enable your understanding and increase your confidence in communicating the specifics clearly to your clients when they need it most. Learn the difference between binding and non-binding arbitration, the defining elements and consequences of both, as well as the potential for an arbitration appeal.  Many situations and questions, such as: “Should a single arbitrator be selected or a panel?” are considered for each of the dispute resolution options.

You will also examine what your specific role is in each type of resolution, including what is NOT your role and when consulting an attorney is vital. You’ll learn what happens when one dispute resolution method fails and what choices remain.  You may be surprised to learn where each of these resolutions takes place and how that can influence the accuracy and outcome of the decision. Real life situations illustrate each dispute resolution option to help you gain relevant and applicable knowledge to use in future situations, limit you chances of being sued, and prepare you for the real estate world of today.

Topics Include:

• Mediation
• Arbitration
• Litigation
• Sellers Property Disclosure Statement
• Inspection
• Case Study
• Lawsuits
• Title Insurance

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Finally, a course that tells you everything you need to know about legitimate value that matters in today's rigorous appraisal world.

Calling all real estate agents, contractors, builders and appraisers...our expert instructor takes you from the glitzy showroom to covert back alleys of valuing products and features of homes with the focal lens of an appraiser, contractor/builder AND real estate professional in mind.

You'll learn the universal language used by appraisers that contractors and real estate agents can translate to knowledge that pays when advising clients on everything from product selections to appropriate offers on property or identifying an appropriate listing price for selling a property. You’ll acquire an insider's view of how value is defined and assigned by the appraiser. Also, you'll understand the consumer criteria of price, longevity, performance, aesthetics, and resale for a variety of property elements. Learn what does and does not have monetary value in an appraiser’s eyes with a snapshot of the essential tools and assessment methods used to establish the ultimate value of a property. Also, learn where value lies from a cost approach so you can help your clients identify poor quality in spite of acceptable appearance. Find out what the six surprising low-cost, high-value materials are, what type of siding lasts the longest, and which foundation type will save you the most money in the long run.

Learn about the real differences in construction quality, what has monetary value and what has aesthetic value alone. The instructor translates otherwise confusing terms and definitions into useful information you can communicate with your clients. Whether your interest is in existing property, new construction or proposed renovations, you’ll pick up essential information to increase your professional competence, evident in your next client conversation.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education and 3.75 hours of appraisal continuing education.

This course has been approved for real estate, appraisal, and contractor continuing education for 7.5 hours of continuing education credit. Includes one hour mandatory energy for contractors.

Topics Include:

• Appraisal 101 - what they do and why it matters to you
• What the new quality numbers mean to your clients
• Differentiating characteristics
• Products and materials that create value
• Architectural styles and features
• Communicating quality distinctions to clients to improve knowledge and selection

Residential Report Writing and Case Studies establishes the foundation of best practices and standards for writing residential appraisal reports.

The student can expect to gain a clear understanding of the USPAP rules and reporting options permitted in Standard 2 which will be universally pertinent for most residential appraisal assignments. In addition, the course describes basic writing skills with an emphasis on using reasoning to draw conclusions that can be clearly understood by the reader.

Common reporting issues are discussed along with a walk through the most common reporting forms used by the residential appraiser. Through several examples and interactive case studies the student will gain the knowledge necessary to write a clear and concise appraisal report that will be easily understand by its readers.

Topics:

• Standards and best practices when writing appraisal reports
• USPAP and the appraisal report
• Using reasoning to formulate written conclusions
• Five critical reporting issues
• General use requirements of Fannie Mae’s 1004 Uniform Residential Appraisal Report (URAR) including Uniform Appraisal Dataset requirements
• Guidelines for using Fannie Mae’s 1004 Market Conditions Addendum
• Several interactive case studies to apply knowledge learned

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 15 hours of real estate continuing education.

This year’s 3.75 hour course introduces us to real estate transactions involving special entities.  You’ll discover the laws, requirements, and practices that affect licensees and clients in transactions with a special entity. You will learn vocabulary and real estate transaction basics involving;

• Powers of Attorney
• Trusts
• Estates
• Guardianships and Conservatorships for those lacking capacity
• Divorces
• Corporate entities

This course will deepen your understanding of agency law and fair housing.  An overview of the history and foundation of Minnesota agency law will strengthen your knowledge of agency relationships in a real estate transactions.  You’ll gain perspective by learning the history of federal Fair Housing law, from Lincoln’s bellwether Civil Rights Act of 1866 through today’s regulations and prohibitions under the federal Fair Housing Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act. After attending this class, you will:

• Know what the law requires in real estate transactions involving special entities
• Recognize issues related to these specialcircumstances and what to do when they arise
• Understand the legal duties and obligations regarding agency relationships in real estate transactions
• Relate the history of fair housing in America to today’s housing issues
• Identify prohibited acts under Fair Housing law and Minnesota Human Rights Act
• Be better equipped to serve buyers and sellers in today’s complex real estate transactions

NOTE: In addition to satisfying the annual Salesperson & Broker Required Module, completion of this course will satisfy ALL of the following requirements: 1-hour Fair Housing, 1-hour Agency Law, and the 1-hour Broker Module Requirement.

This is the required module effective July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Here are 20 cost-effective home improvements that add value and enjoyment for every homeowner.

Homeowners are spending more time and money on fixing up their places than ever before. In fact, U.S. Census Bureau statistics indicate that maintenance and repairs make up about 30 percent of the expenditures. The other 70 percent is spent for alterations, major replacements, additions, and outside additions and alterations.

Here is your guide to 20 home improvements that maximize resale value. You’ll learn where the money goes in a typical remodeling job, and how much is spent on kitchen and bathroom remodeling, plumbing, HVAC, roofing and more.

You’ll get many ideas to help you communicate with clients and customers about value-added improvements.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• Trends in remodeling spending
• Setting spending priorities
• Maintenance and repairs
• Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
• Avoiding hidden mechanical costs
• Roofing and siding
• Window upgrades that save energy
• Environmental concerns
• Cost vs. value analysis

When there’s nowhere to go but up, here’s how you do it.

Turmoil in the financial markets and depressed real estate values has had a dramatic impact on everyone’s financial picture. The result is that countless Americans and their families are facing complex real estate and financial challenges.

This course will give you tips to analyze and solve today’s problems, while also building a strong financial future. Timing is everything when considering your options: bankruptcy, foreclosure, short sale, loan modification, debt settlement, and credit counseling. When it seems like there isn’t enough money, learn about what options are still available and best fit your situation. Learn how building and managing a workable budget puts you back on the stable track.

Topics Include:

• Taking inventory of your finances
• What to do when there isn’t enough money
• What can I keep and what must I give up
• Making the hard decisions
• Establishing critical timelines
• Building a comprehensive budget
• Contingency plans for the future

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

This year’s 3.75 hour course introduces us to real estate transactions involving special entities.  You’ll discover the laws, requirements, and practices that affect licensees and clients in transactions with a special entity. You will learn vocabulary and real estate transaction basics involving;

• Powers of Attorney
• Trusts
• Estates
• Guardianships and Conservatorships for those lacking capacity
• Divorces
• Corporate entities

This course will deepen your understanding of agency law and fair housing.  An overview of the history and foundation of Minnesota agency law will strengthen your knowledge of agency relationships in a real estate transactions.  You’ll gain perspective by learning the history of federal Fair Housing law, from Lincoln’s bellwether Civil Rights Act of 1866 through today’s regulations and prohibitions under the federal Fair Housing Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act. After attending this class, you will:

• Know what the law requires in real estate transactions involving special entities
• Recognize issues related to these specialcircumstances and what to do when they arise
• Understand the legal duties and obligations regarding agency relationships in real estate transactions
• Relate the history of fair housing in America to today’s housing issues
• Identify prohibited acts under Fair Housing law and Minnesota Human Rights Act
• Be better equipped to serve buyers and sellers in today’s complex real estate transactions

NOTE: In addition to satisfying the annual Salesperson & Broker Required Module, completion of this course will satisfy ALL of the following requirements: 1-hour Fair Housing, 1-hour Agency Law, and the 1-hour Broker Module Requirement.

This is the required module effective July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

This is the 7-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Update Course, as developed by The Appraisal Foundation. The course focuses on changes to USPAP for 2018-19 and on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice. It is unique in that the Course is developed by The Appraisal Foundation and is revised on a periodic basis to stay current with the latest edition of USPAP.

Course Objectives

• Present and explain the new revisions to USPAP adopted in 2017 and effective from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
• Present the current changes to USPAP in a variety of scenarios for class discussion.
• Present scenarios that challenge participants to apply USPAP to situations they encounter in their daily practice.

In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion illustrations that show how USPAP applies in situations that appraisers may encounter in everyday practice. These examples primarily address issues frequently experienced by appraisers as professionals in the appraisal of real property.

This course is designed to assist appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in USPAP, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

USPAP has been endorsed and adopted by major appraisal organizations in the United States. As required by federal law, USPAP must be used by states in their real property appraiser licensing and certification programs.

This course provides at least 7 hours of instruction in USPAP. There is no accompanying exam for the classroom course; however, some states may require an examination for distance education.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of appraisal continuing education.

Learn how to protect yourself, your tenants, and the property.

Increasingly, agents find the responsibilities of property management thrust upon them. As accidental landlords, they may lack the knowledge, tools, and resources to safeguard the property, the owner’s investment, the tenants, and themselves.

This course will teach the novice or experienced property manager to handle safety and security issues in rental property. You’ll learn how to request quality background checks and minimize risk via the rental agreement. The course reviews prickly issues related to property access by the owner/ manager. Learn to recognize possible illegal activity. While many landlords address the property’s security concerns, they may overlook their personal safety. A few simple precautions will help ensure you don’t get caught off guard. Fast-paced and compelling, this course will provide you with the tools necessary to protect the property, tenants, and yourself.

Topics Include:

• Rental agreements and background checks
• Recognizing the red flags
• Monitoring the property
• Access rights
• Risk management tools

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

The odds of experiencing business identity theft are ever-increasing. The risks your business faces are bigger yet.

From a criminal’s perspective, it is significantly more cost-effective to steal business identities than individual identities. Learn how not to let your clients or your business fall victim! One step beyond A Day in the Life of an Identify Thief, learn how business ID theft spells potential disaster for your livelihood and your clients’. Learn how to respond if your clients’ information or yours is compromised. Plus, learn how to spot and address the warning signs.

True stories reveal the methods thieves use and what red flags suggest. Learn how to protect your business from a potential data-breach disaster. There’s never been more opportunity for identity thieves to strike your business. You’ll get the tools and information you need to diminish the havoc of business ID theft.

 Topices Include:

• How business information is hijacked
• Red flags and appropriate actions
• How easy it is to get and misuse your business information
• Data breach prevention

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Join us for a journey through some of the weird, wild, and wonderful real estate trends in the industry today. We will examine your clients’ interests reflected in emerging trends, including design and product selection. You will see some non-traditional shelters and learn about a variety of the unusual products used as building materials, including recycled and reused products, and the potential and surprising hazards associated with them.

Next, you will take a walk on the wild side, exploring some new trends in living arrangements and how Mother Nature can affect real estate. This course teaches you how to recognize potential dangers, as well as what to do if a property has sustained damage from forces such as wind, water, and pest infestation. You will leave this class with an understanding of how weird and wild industry trends affect the real estate market and your clients’ preferences. Finally, you will learn about some wonderful new alternatives that will help you work with today’s clients like never before!

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Weird shelters in the market today
• Unusual building products and potential hazards
• Unique recycled and reused products
• Wild factors affecting real estate
• Wonderful energy efficiency advancements
• Alternative energy sources
• Air and water quality to improve occupant’s health
• Creative solutions to satisfy your clients’ requests and needs
• How real estate professionals can help clients with special considerations

Most appraisers have faced a difficult or distinctive residential property appraisal at some point in their careers.

These appraisal problems can take many twists and turns and create numerous challenges in reaching an opinion of value. In this course, we will look at some of the areas that provide these challenges and discuss the different directions available to the appraiser to problem solve. This class looks at how to use all three appraisal methods to assist in developing adjustments and explores how techniques used in one method can support a conclusion in a different method. Students will discuss distinctive property assignments and various solutions that may be available to determine value.

Topics Include:

• Problem identification and solving
• USPAP rules
• Client and user considerations
• Challenges in appraising distinctive properties
• Case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Find clarity in a haze of misconceptions and false expectations regarding appraisal inspection.

“If you don’t have all the facts correct, you can’t apply judgment.”  G.N. Bloedow.

The appraiser’s ability to gather facts essential to the property has a direct coorelation to the integrity of valuation results. To complicate matters, appraisers, real estate agents, and clients all have  misconceptions and false expectations of the appraiser's role and responsibilities during the appraisal inspection.

This class sets the record straight and details the inspection from many points in the process, such as preparing for the inspection, neighborhood observations, expectations while at the property, comparable observations, and so much more. In this course, the instructor clearly articulates what an appraiser does and doesn't do during the inspection of a property when developing an appraisal. Together, the instructor and students will sort through how assignment conditions affect the appraiser’s inspection. Through instructor-led discussions, case studies, videos, and pictures, the students will leave this course with a complete understanding of real estate appraisal inspections.

Topics include:

• The appraisal inspection process: preparation, discovery, and comparable observations
• Understanding appraiser obligations and client expectations
• Five common measuring mistakes
• Legal access: a crucial consideration during the inspection
• Identifying a property’s use during inspection
• Understanding appraisal conditioning during the inspection
• Inspection misconceptions clarified

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Learn the language and techniques of how to accurately classify and measure residential property from a pro!

Real estate licensees, appraisers, assessors, builders, and contractors have specific methods used to measure and describe residential real property. In this engaging course, we’ll clarify the standards and pinpoint common mistakes made in measuring property. You’ll also learn the proper terminology and definitions that agents, appraisers, and lenders use concerning a property. Learn to talk the same talk while more accurately representing the home, as well as enhancing the value you bring to your client with this knowledge.

It begins with the proper way to measure a house—where to start and what to include. You will learn the distinctions between above-grade and below-grade floor areas and other often misunderstood and miscalculated areas. The challenges of calculating attics, lofts, and low ceilings will be addressed, as well as caclulations and regulations for condominiums, townhomes, rowhouses, and commercial or industrial buildings. You’ll also learn how to deal with detached rooms, sunrooms, and other “hard to classify and measure” rooms. The course will also explain the industry standards for qualifying room counts, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• Property measurement language and definitions
• Geometry for big kids: size, shape, formulas, and math
• Nuances of styles and designs
• What to measure and how to measure it
• The best tools for the job, in the field and the office
• How to measure unusual structures, commercial buildings, and industrial spaces

Learn how to make technology work for you in this informative class…beneficial for any appraisal or real estate professional. From online basics to the most cutting-edge applications, this course offers tech tips for nearly every stage of the appraisal process. Topics include blog basics, accounting software, cloud storage, and apps for pulling comps. It also discusses recordkeeping technology, the advantages of going paperless, and specific apps for improving photography. Covering the latest innovations with an eye to established practices, this course offers a valuable education for the tech-adverse, as well as the most digitally inclined.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Principles of Real Estate Appraisal
• Marketing and Blog Basics
• Spreadsheets and Accounting Software
• Management Software and Cloud Storage
• MLS Software and Other Apps for Pulling Comps
• Tech Items For use in the Field
• Going Paperless
• More Apps for Completing an Apprasal
• Open-Source Apps
• Apps for Photographs
• Digital Recordkeeping
• Passwords
• Workstations

This is the 7-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Update Course, as developed by The Appraisal Foundation. The course focuses on changes to USPAP for 2018-19 and on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice. It is unique in that the Course is developed by The Appraisal Foundation and is revised on a periodic basis to stay current with the latest edition of USPAP.

Course Objectives

• Present and explain the new revisions to USPAP adopted in 2017 and effective from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
• Present the current changes to USPAP in a variety of scenarios for class discussion.
• Present scenarios that challenge participants to apply USPAP to situations they encounter in their daily practice.

In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion illustrations that show how USPAP applies in situations that appraisers may encounter in everyday practice. These examples primarily address issues frequently experienced by appraisers as professionals in the appraisal of real property.

This course is designed to assist appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in USPAP, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

USPAP has been endorsed and adopted by major appraisal organizations in the United States. As required by federal law, USPAP must be used by states in their real property appraiser licensing and certification programs.

This course provides at least 7 hours of instruction in USPAP. There is no accompanying exam for the classroom course; however, some states may require an examination for distance education.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of appraisal continuing education.

Alternate types of valuations are more common than ever with the appraisal shortage and changes in the regulatory requirements from the federal agencies. Dodd-Frank eliminated BPOs and AVMs as file documentation for residential lending in many loan packages. Discover when alternate valuations are being used, how to complete them, and how to remain compliant with appraisal reporting requirements. Understand how the Uniform Standards of Appraisal Practice (USPAP) view evaluations under the federal banking guidelines. You will discuss restricted reporting options and view sample report forms.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Identifying alternate valuations
• Federal agency appraisal and evaluation guidelines
• USPAP Advisory Opinion 13 relating to evaluations
• Sample forms and report options

Here are 20 cost-effective home improvements that add value and enjoyment for every homeowner.

Homeowners are spending more time and money on fixing up their places than ever before. In fact, U.S. Census Bureau statistics indicate that maintenance and repairs make up about 30 percent of the expenditures. The other 70 percent is spent for alterations, major replacements, additions, and outside additions and alterations.

Here is your guide to 20 home improvements that maximize resale value. You’ll learn where the money goes in a typical remodeling job, and how much is spent on kitchen and bathroom remodeling, plumbing, HVAC, roofing and more.

You’ll get many ideas to help you communicate with clients and customers about value-added improvements.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• Trends in remodeling spending
• Setting spending priorities
• Maintenance and repairs
• Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
• Avoiding hidden mechanical costs
• Roofing and siding
• Window upgrades that save energy
• Environmental concerns
• Cost vs. value analysis

This class is designed to dispel the usual excuses as to why the cost approach is seldom completed by some appraisers. It starts by viewing the approach as outlined by the FNMA form. Then it builds on the concept and provides methodology by which the amounts that are usually “guestimates” can become logically calculated estimates. By using these techniques, the approach can provide logical and supported estimates of value for virtually any single family home. This can be very helpful, especially in small markets where sufficient closed sales are often difficult or impossible to find without crossing the expected guidelines regarding distance, style, or other criteria—thus making the market approach less viable.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 8 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• USPAP implications
• Interaction between approaches
• Using the FNMA 1004 report
• Other site improvements
• Land value methods
• Market approach
• Land residual method
• Allocation method
• Extraction method
• Depreciation calculations age-life
• Breakdown method
• Modified age-life method
• Component cost derivations
• Aggregated paired sales method
• Remaining economic life equation

Congratulations! We have survived the recent economic crisis, and many indicators show that the housing market has rebounded and continues to grow. So what has changed in the last ten years in terms of the house and its components? What are homeowners expecting when building or remodeling a property?

This class will help both real estate agents and contractors achieve business success by understanding how the physical house has changed and what their clients are looking for when making housing decisions.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• How has new construction changed?
• How has the remodeling industry changed?
• What are other living styles that people are embracing?
• What housing components are considered “old” and what are considered “new”?
• What are the latest technical offerings in housing?
• How are occupant health and well-being being addressed?
• What are other considerations and how can obstacles be avoided?

Don’t miss your EPA lead-safe certification renewal and lose your EPA Certified Renovator status. Secure your seat and enroll today!

Attention all everyone who became an EPA Certified Renovator in year 2010 or earlier. That certification will expire after 5 years. You must complete this new 4-Hour EPA Certified Renovator Refresher Training Course in order to maintain your Certified Renovator status. Kaplan offers this EPA-approved 4-hour refresher course that will add an additional 5 years to your Certified Renovator status. This new course satisfies all the refresher requirements and includes a hands-on training session on testing for lead and cleaning verification. At the end of this course, you will receive an EPA certification showing your successful completion of the course, including photo ID. Remember that the EPA is finding and fining uncertified contractors for not being certified or for not following the RRP rules and procedures. The fines are up to $37,500 per occurrence per day. Don’t take a chance—take this fast-paced hands-on course and renew your EPA lead-safe certification.

Topics include:

• RRP rules and procedures
• Lead and cleaning verification

EPA accreditation to Virginia College, LLC DBA Brightwood Career Institute for the purpose of certification under section 402 of TSCA for the renovator - refresher discipline.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for 4 hours for contractor continuing education.
This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 4 hours of real estate continuing education.

Many appraisers are expanding their client base—wouldn’t you like to be one of them?

With the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and Appraisal Management Companies controlling much of the residential appraisal side of the industry, many appraisers are expanding their client base. This course will introduce the appraiser to clients other than lenders and AMCs, as well as explain the nuances of completing these appraisals. Other clients include homeowners, real estate agents, lawyers, accountants, tax consultants, and small investors. Learn how things differ in the development and reporting process for non-lending clients, including reporting, engagement, payments, and terms of payment.

Topics include:

• Divorce appraisals
• Estate appraisals
• Property tax appeal appraisals
• IRS appraisals
• Case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

In this course, you will learn more about Minnesota making the contractor registration program permanent, as well as the details of this program. You’ll also explore universal design and how contractors can achieve new certifications, which are part of this rapidly growing market. In addition, you will review eight energy-related sales opportunities and receive an hour of energy focusing on an energy-conscious remodel.

Topics include:

• Minnesota contractor registration program
• Universal design
• Eight energy-related sales opportunities
• Energy hour on an energy-conscious remodel

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3 hours of real estate continuing education.

Appraisers have recently taken a lot of heat for the downfall of the real estate market. Much of the blame is unfounded, but some complaints are valid and could have been avoided if only the appraiser had followed some very simple steps.

This course will outline the most common complaints filed against appraisers and detail the very simple steps appraisers should follow to avoid finding themselves in hot water with state or other regulatory bodies. Students will learn how to avoid errors in the appraisal process and what supportive material must be retained in workfiles to be compliant for state or other investigations.

Review topics from investigations are included to highlight common issues in the investigation process. These review topics are analyzed to determine what the appraiser could have done to avoid discrepencies and what the proper procedures are. This is followed by a class discussion on what appraiser peers would do in similar situations. A brief review of the new national complaint hotline will also be discussed.

Note: The author of this course is an AQB Certified USPAP Instructor and a Certified Residential Appraiser in Colorado. She is also an approved work product reviewer for the State of Colorado. As a work product reviewer, confidentiality is required under USPAP as a peer reviewer and state confidentiality. Examples and case studies provided in the text have been modified to ensure confidentiality but maintained to provide students with a look into the process. Several appraisers who were under investigation were surveyed about the process. They agreed to respond, knowing their responses would remain anonymous. These appraisers are willing to share their experiences to help other appraisers avoid similar fates.

Topics include:

• Complaints about appraisers and who files them
• How the investigation process works
• Complaint statistics
• The most serious USPAP violations
• Common areas found to be noncompliant
• Case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

This class satisfies Wisconsin’s 13-hour education requirement to obtain a real estate salesperson license by endorsement. You qualify for this class if: A) you currently hold an active license in a state other than Wisconsin; or B) your license held in another state expired no more than two years ago. Minnesota students who complete this class also will receive 7.5 hours of Minnesota CE.

Now, in just two days you can complete your Wisconsin pre-licensing education requirements AND get 7.5 hours of Minnesota continuing education.
Are you one of the many Minnesota real estate licensees who have considered obtaining your Wisconsin real estate license, but haven’t wanted to deal with the hassle? Well, we have good news: The Wisconsin licensing process is a snap for Minnesota licensees!

Regulations in Wisconsin allow currently licensed Minnesota brokers and salespersons to obtain a Wisconsin license of the same level by attending approved education and passing the Wisconsin Real Estate Licensing Exam. To obtain a salesperson or broker license by endorsement (for applicants who have been licensed in another state within the past two years):

• Salespersons AND brokers must complete a board-approved 13-hour pre-license education program for salespersons. (Brokers must complete an additional six hours of education.)
• Pass the salesperson exam. (Brokers must complete the salesperson exam AND the broker exam.)
• Submit an application.

Complete Your Wisconsin Salesperson Education Requirements in Just Two Days
That’s right—just two days. Prepared, scheduled, and presented to meet the needs of busy Minnesota real estate professionals who want to obtain a Wisconsin license, this two-day program will teach you exactly how to comply with Wisconsin laws... and it will prepare you for success on test day.

Experienced Wisconsin Instructors Cover the Laws
Your instructors are experienced Wisconsin trainers. They cover all of the topics required by the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing and included in the exam.

Your Completion Certificate
Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a completion certificate showing 13 credit hours of Wisconsin Salesperson licensing education. Individuals seeking a broker license will need to complete an additional 6 hours of education.

BONUS! Also Approved for 7.5 Hours of Minnesota Continuing Education
If you currently hold a Minnesota salesperson or broker license, you’ll be happy to know that you can complete the hours to obtain a Wisconsin license and fulfill 7.5 hours of Minnesota continuing education requirement at the same time.

Topics Include:

• Wisconsin Licensing Legislation and Rules
• Agency
• Ownership and Transfer of Property
• Land Use Controls and Regulations
• Valuing and Financing Property; Calculations
• Disclosures
• Contract Law and Approved Forms
• Business Ethics
• Fair Housing
• Federal Antitrust Law
• Trust Accounts, Responsibilities, and Leasing

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

In this course, residential appraisers get a look into the world of the non-residential appraising.

The processes, data sources, appraiser peer actions, and reporting in commercial appraising is very different from residential appraisers. This course will provide the residential appraiser a look into these differences, including analyzing leases, the engagement process, highest and best use, capitalization rate derivation, and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act that impact the appraisal of commercial properties.

Topics Include:

• Sources for commercial sales
• Research techniques
• Complex highest and best use analyses
• Cap rate derivation
• Narrative report formats
• Real-life case studies and examples

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

This is the 7-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Update Course, as developed by The Appraisal Foundation. The course focuses on changes to USPAP for 2018-19 and on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice. It is unique in that the Course is developed by The Appraisal Foundation and is revised on a periodic basis to stay current with the latest edition of USPAP.

Course Objectives

• Present and explain the new revisions to USPAP adopted in 2017 and effective from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
• Present the current changes to USPAP in a variety of scenarios for class discussion.
• Present scenarios that challenge participants to apply USPAP to situations they encounter in their daily practice.

In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion illustrations that show how USPAP applies in situations that appraisers may encounter in everyday practice. These examples primarily address issues frequently experienced by appraisers as professionals in the appraisal of real property.

This course is designed to assist appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in USPAP, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

USPAP has been endorsed and adopted by major appraisal organizations in the United States. As required by federal law, USPAP must be used by states in their real property appraiser licensing and certification programs.

This course provides at least 7 hours of instruction in USPAP. There is no accompanying exam for the classroom course; however, some states may require an examination for distance education.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of appraisal continuing education.

Join us for a journey through some of the weird, wild, and wonderful real estate trends in the industry today. We will examine your clients’ interests reflected in emerging trends, including design and product selection. You will see some non-traditional shelters and learn about a variety of the unusual products used as building materials, including recycled and reused products, and the potential and surprising hazards associated with them.

Next, you will take a walk on the wild side, exploring some new trends in living arrangements and how Mother Nature can affect real estate. This course teaches you how to recognize potential dangers, as well as what to do if a property has sustained damage from forces such as wind, water, and pest infestation. You will leave this class with an understanding of how weird and wild industry trends affect the real estate market and your clients’ preferences. Finally, you will learn about some wonderful new alternatives that will help you work with today’s clients like never before!

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Weird shelters in the market today
• Unusual building products and potential hazards
• Unique recycled and reused products
• Wild factors affecting real estate
• Wonderful energy efficiency advancements
• Alternative energy sources
• Air and water quality to improve occupant’s health
• Creative solutions to satisfy your clients’ requests and needs
• How real estate professionals can help clients with special considerations

What’s all the hype about?

Witness this emerging market segment as you learn about the new world of tiny house living. In The Tiny House: Is it a Phase or Craze?, you’ll learn the origin of the tiny house, different types of tiny houses, the structural elements, costs and considerations, valuation of property, and when a tiny house is considered real property. We’ll also identify financing options specific to the tiny house and introduce you to tiny house communities developing across the country. The tiny house is a reflection of expressed values by a growing number of buyers today: simple living in natural surroundings and smaller more-efficient living spaces. 

This course will reveal a client group whose needs may be unclear, until now. This course will prepare you to be knowledgeable of the construction and informed about market needs as well as provide you with options to discuss with your clients who are seeking this type of real estate.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• Emerging Values Increase Demand for Tiny Houses
• Real Estate Solutions Addressing New Needs of Clients
• Momentum of Demand
• Concerns and Obstacles
• What A Tiny House Is and Is Not
• Basic Structural Elements
• Valuation and Financing the Tiny House
• Explosive Markets of Tiny House Communities across the U.S.

Alternate types of valuations are more common than ever with the appraisal shortage and changes in the regulatory requirements from the federal agencies. Dodd-Frank eliminated BPOs and AVMs as file documentation for residential lending in many loan packages. Discover when alternate valuations are being used, how to complete them, and how to remain compliant with appraisal reporting requirements. Understand how the Uniform Standards of Appraisal Practice (USPAP) view evaluations under the federal banking guidelines. You will discuss restricted reporting options and view sample report forms.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Identifying alternate valuations
• Federal agency appraisal and evaluation guidelines
• USPAP Advisory Opinion 13 relating to evaluations
• Sample forms and report options

This is the 7-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Update Course, as developed by The Appraisal Foundation. The course focuses on changes to USPAP for 2018-19 and on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice. It is unique in that the Course is developed by The Appraisal Foundation and is revised on a periodic basis to stay current with the latest edition of USPAP.

Course Objectives

• Present and explain the new revisions to USPAP adopted in 2017 and effective from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
• Present the current changes to USPAP in a variety of scenarios for class discussion.
• Present scenarios that challenge participants to apply USPAP to situations they encounter in their daily practice.

In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion illustrations that show how USPAP applies in situations that appraisers may encounter in everyday practice. These examples primarily address issues frequently experienced by appraisers as professionals in the appraisal of real property.

This course is designed to assist appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in USPAP, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

USPAP has been endorsed and adopted by major appraisal organizations in the United States. As required by federal law, USPAP must be used by states in their real property appraiser licensing and certification programs.

This course provides at least 7 hours of instruction in USPAP. There is no accompanying exam for the classroom course; however, some states may require an examination for distance education.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of appraisal continuing education.

Appraisers have recently taken a lot of heat for the downfall of the real estate market. Much of the blame is unfounded, but some complaints are valid and could have been avoided if only the appraiser had followed some very simple steps.

This course will outline the most common complaints filed against appraisers and detail the very simple steps appraisers should follow to avoid finding themselves in hot water with state or other regulatory bodies. Students will learn how to avoid errors in the appraisal process and what supportive material must be retained in workfiles to be compliant for state or other investigations.

Review topics from investigations are included to highlight common issues in the investigation process. These review topics are analyzed to determine what the appraiser could have done to avoid discrepencies and what the proper procedures are. This is followed by a class discussion on what appraiser peers would do in similar situations. A brief review of the new national complaint hotline will also be discussed.

Note: The author of this course is an AQB Certified USPAP Instructor and a Certified Residential Appraiser in Colorado. She is also an approved work product reviewer for the State of Colorado. As a work product reviewer, confidentiality is required under USPAP as a peer reviewer and state confidentiality. Examples and case studies provided in the text have been modified to ensure confidentiality but maintained to provide students with a look into the process. Several appraisers who were under investigation were surveyed about the process. They agreed to respond, knowing their responses would remain anonymous. These appraisers are willing to share their experiences to help other appraisers avoid similar fates.

Topics include:

• Complaints about appraisers and who files them
• How the investigation process works
• Complaint statistics
• The most serious USPAP violations
• Common areas found to be noncompliant
• Case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Many appraisers are expanding their client base—wouldn’t you like to be one of them?

With the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and Appraisal Management Companies controlling much of the residential appraisal side of the industry, many appraisers are expanding their client base. This course will introduce the appraiser to clients other than lenders and AMCs, as well as explain the nuances of completing these appraisals. Other clients include homeowners, real estate agents, lawyers, accountants, tax consultants, and small investors. Learn how things differ in the development and reporting process for non-lending clients, including reporting, engagement, payments, and terms of payment.

Topics include:

• Divorce appraisals
• Estate appraisals
• Property tax appeal appraisals
• IRS appraisals
• Case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Join us for a journey through some of the weird, wild, and wonderful real estate trends in the industry today. We will examine your clients’ interests reflected in emerging trends, including design and product selection. You will see some non-traditional shelters and learn about a variety of the unusual products used as building materials, including recycled and reused products, and the potential and surprising hazards associated with them.

Next, you will take a walk on the wild side, exploring some new trends in living arrangements and how Mother Nature can affect real estate. This course teaches you how to recognize potential dangers, as well as what to do if a property has sustained damage from forces such as wind, water, and pest infestation. You will leave this class with an understanding of how weird and wild industry trends affect the real estate market and your clients’ preferences. Finally, you will learn about some wonderful new alternatives that will help you work with today’s clients like never before!

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Weird shelters in the market today
• Unusual building products and potential hazards
• Unique recycled and reused products
• Wild factors affecting real estate
• Wonderful energy efficiency advancements
• Alternative energy sources
• Air and water quality to improve occupant’s health
• Creative solutions to satisfy your clients’ requests and needs
• How real estate professionals can help clients with special considerations

Find clarity in a haze of misconceptions and false expectations regarding appraisal inspection.

“If you don’t have all the facts correct, you can’t apply judgment.”  G.N. Bloedow.

The appraiser’s ability to gather facts essential to the property has a direct coorelation to the integrity of valuation results. To complicate matters, appraisers, real estate agents, and clients all have  misconceptions and false expectations of the appraiser's role and responsibilities during the appraisal inspection.

This class sets the record straight and details the inspection from many points in the process, such as preparing for the inspection, neighborhood observations, expectations while at the property, comparable observations, and so much more. In this course, the instructor clearly articulates what an appraiser does and doesn't do during the inspection of a property when developing an appraisal. Together, the instructor and students will sort through how assignment conditions affect the appraiser’s inspection. Through instructor-led discussions, case studies, videos, and pictures, the students will leave this course with a complete understanding of real estate appraisal inspections.

Topics include:

• The appraisal inspection process: preparation, discovery, and comparable observations
• Understanding appraiser obligations and client expectations
• Five common measuring mistakes
• Legal access: a crucial consideration during the inspection
• Identifying a property’s use during inspection
• Understanding appraisal conditioning during the inspection
• Inspection misconceptions clarified

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Learn how to make technology work for you in this informative class…beneficial for any appraisal or real estate professional. From online basics to the most cutting-edge applications, this course offers tech tips for nearly every stage of the appraisal process. Topics include blog basics, accounting software, cloud storage, and apps for pulling comps. It also discusses recordkeeping technology, the advantages of going paperless, and specific apps for improving photography. Covering the latest innovations with an eye to established practices, this course offers a valuable education for the tech-adverse, as well as the most digitally inclined.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Principles of Real Estate Appraisal
• Marketing and Blog Basics
• Spreadsheets and Accounting Software
• Management Software and Cloud Storage
• MLS Software and Other Apps for Pulling Comps
• Tech Items For use in the Field
• Going Paperless
• More Apps for Completing an Apprasal
• Open-Source Apps
• Apps for Photographs
• Digital Recordkeeping
• Passwords
• Workstations

Learn the language and techniques of how to accurately classify and measure residential property from a pro!

Real estate licensees, appraisers, assessors, builders, and contractors have specific methods used to measure and describe residential real property. In this engaging course, we’ll clarify the standards and pinpoint common mistakes made in measuring property. You’ll also learn the proper terminology and definitions that agents, appraisers, and lenders use concerning a property. Learn to talk the same talk while more accurately representing the home, as well as enhancing the value you bring to your client with this knowledge.

It begins with the proper way to measure a house—where to start and what to include. You will learn the distinctions between above-grade and below-grade floor areas and other often misunderstood and miscalculated areas. The challenges of calculating attics, lofts, and low ceilings will be addressed, as well as caclulations and regulations for condominiums, townhomes, rowhouses, and commercial or industrial buildings. You’ll also learn how to deal with detached rooms, sunrooms, and other “hard to classify and measure” rooms. The course will also explain the industry standards for qualifying room counts, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• Property measurement language and definitions
• Geometry for big kids: size, shape, formulas, and math
• Nuances of styles and designs
• What to measure and how to measure it
• The best tools for the job, in the field and the office
• How to measure unusual structures, commercial buildings, and industrial spaces

This is the 7-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Update Course, as developed by The Appraisal Foundation. The course focuses on changes to USPAP for 2018-19 and on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice. It is unique in that the Course is developed by The Appraisal Foundation and is revised on a periodic basis to stay current with the latest edition of USPAP.

Course Objectives

• Present and explain the new revisions to USPAP adopted in 2017 and effective from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
• Present the current changes to USPAP in a variety of scenarios for class discussion.
• Present scenarios that challenge participants to apply USPAP to situations they encounter in their daily practice.

In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion illustrations that show how USPAP applies in situations that appraisers may encounter in everyday practice. These examples primarily address issues frequently experienced by appraisers as professionals in the appraisal of real property.

This course is designed to assist appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in USPAP, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

USPAP has been endorsed and adopted by major appraisal organizations in the United States. As required by federal law, USPAP must be used by states in their real property appraiser licensing and certification programs.

This course provides at least 7 hours of instruction in USPAP. There is no accompanying exam for the classroom course; however, some states may require an examination for distance education.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of appraisal continuing education.

The Fast Track to Real Estate Agent Success! 

Real Estate Accelerator is a two-day intensive boot camp that will bridge the gap between earning a license and developing a robust book of business.

This course is designed to arm you with business building skills and critical operating activities utilized by the nation's most successful real estate agents. You will leave this course prepared to implement the following tools immediately in your practice of real estate: 

• Business Plan
  • Writing SMART goals
  • Develop an actionable lead generation strategy
  • Understand a successful P&L statement and money management plan
  • Formulate a budget that accounts for taxes and insurance
• Marketing Plan
  • Develop a unique value proposition
  • Create an effective online persona
  • Learn to strategically use search engine marketing, Zillow/Trulia, and Realtor.com
  • Understand the value of a solid personal brand and logo
  • Determine and implement appropriate marketing strategies that align with your personality type, market, and budget
• Develop an Economic Plan
  • ​Set your financial goals
  • Calculate total lead generation and closing activities required to support your financial goals
  • Determine your work and vacation schedule
• 6-month CRM subscription to IXACT Contact and the skill to build your database and launch activities
• Sales Skills Best Practices checklist
• 6 weeks of access to KnowledgeDNA Goal Tracker
• 4 weeks of continued coaching and accountability to ensure your success

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

169735

Congratulations! We have survived the recent economic crisis, and many indicators show that the housing market has rebounded and continues to grow. So what has changed in the last ten years in terms of the house and its components? What are homeowners expecting when building or remodeling a property?

This class will help both real estate agents and contractors achieve business success by understanding how the physical house has changed and what their clients are looking for when making housing decisions.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• How has new construction changed?
• How has the remodeling industry changed?
• What are other living styles that people are embracing?
• What housing components are considered “old” and what are considered “new”?
• What are the latest technical offerings in housing?
• How are occupant health and well-being being addressed?
• What are other considerations and how can obstacles be avoided?

Most appraisers have faced a difficult or distinctive residential property appraisal at some point in their careers.

These appraisal problems can take many twists and turns and create numerous challenges in reaching an opinion of value. In this course, we will look at some of the areas that provide these challenges and discuss the different directions available to the appraiser to problem solve. This class looks at how to use all three appraisal methods to assist in developing adjustments and explores how techniques used in one method can support a conclusion in a different method. Students will discuss distinctive property assignments and various solutions that may be available to determine value.

Topics Include:

• Problem identification and solving
• USPAP rules
• Client and user considerations
• Challenges in appraising distinctive properties
• Case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Mold is everywhere; why does it affect one house and not the next? The exact same question can be asked of radon!

Attending this full-day course will give you a sound insight into why mold and radon occur in some houses and not in others. You will also learn what steps to take to overcome what appears to be a major problem at minimal cost.

Whatever your view on mold or radon, you will come away from this class with a more balanced view of the issues and understand how to achieve physical control of these two concerns.

Brightwood's instructors are fully qualified to teach these subjects with skill and humor. Mold and Radon: Cause & Effect is an interesting way to cover these two subjects in a manner that will excite, educate, and entertain you.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• MN Energy Hour
• What are mold and radon
• How to control mold and radon
• How code addresses the problem
• Cost-effective solutions

What’s all the hype about?

Witness this emerging market segment as you learn about the new world of tiny house living. In The Tiny House: Is it a Phase or Craze?, you’ll learn the origin of the tiny house, different types of tiny houses, the structural elements, costs and considerations, valuation of property, and when a tiny house is considered real property. We’ll also identify financing options specific to the tiny house and introduce you to tiny house communities developing across the country. The tiny house is a reflection of expressed values by a growing number of buyers today: simple living in natural surroundings and smaller more-efficient living spaces. 

This course will reveal a client group whose needs may be unclear, until now. This course will prepare you to be knowledgeable of the construction and informed about market needs as well as provide you with options to discuss with your clients who are seeking this type of real estate.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• Emerging Values Increase Demand for Tiny Houses
• Real Estate Solutions Addressing New Needs of Clients
• Momentum of Demand
• Concerns and Obstacles
• What A Tiny House Is and Is Not
• Basic Structural Elements
• Valuation and Financing the Tiny House
• Explosive Markets of Tiny House Communities across the U.S.

Alternate types of valuations are more common than ever with the appraisal shortage and changes in the regulatory requirements from the federal agencies. Dodd-Frank eliminated BPOs and AVMs as file documentation for residential lending in many loan packages. Discover when alternate valuations are being used, how to complete them, and how to remain compliant with appraisal reporting requirements. Understand how the Uniform Standards of Appraisal Practice (USPAP) view evaluations under the federal banking guidelines. You will discuss restricted reporting options and view sample report forms.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics Include:

• Identifying alternate valuations
• Federal agency appraisal and evaluation guidelines
• USPAP Advisory Opinion 13 relating to evaluations
• Sample forms and report options

Statistical methodology has rapidly become an appraiser’s primary tool to support market analysis, adjustments, and valuation opinions!

This course provides a basic understanding of a statistical method known as regression analysis. Regression modeling is a tool used to interpret consumer motivations, develop adjustments for the sales comparison approach, and reconcile the value of a property. This extra support for analyses and adjustments will aid appraisers in creating well-supported reports. The author of this course is a Certified General Real Property Appraiser with over 20 years of experience. Students will be presented with straightforward and clear examples, illustrations, and case studies to help students understand the content of the course and translate it into their day-to-day appraisal practice.
It is recommended that students bring an HP12C calculator to class.

Topics:

• Regression analysis: what is it?
• Using regression analysis in the market analysis process
• Hand-in-hand analysis: quantitative and qualitative
• Using regression analysis to identify and support adjustments
• Valuation opinions supported through regression analysis

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Also approved for 7.5 hours of Appraiser CE.

Take the guesswork out of the adjustment process by following these simple but proven sales comparison approach strategies. The sales comparison approach to value is essential to the real estate appraisal process, yet it has often been a source of uncertainty for many appraisers. The adjustment calculation process leads many appraisers to just throw their hands up in frustration. Trying to prove, or even offer support for, an adjustment can be a daunting task. And for the readers of the report, it can be even more frustrating because there may not be enough information available to understand how the appraisers arrived at their adjustment conclusion.

We all understand that the premise associated with the sales comparison approach is that an appraiser can establish market value through a study of the subject property and other competing properties. Then the appraiser makes allowances for differences between the subject property and the comparable properties. These allowances will be applied in the form of adjustments. Therefore, the formation of adjustments is essential to the accuracy of the sales comparison approach. Furthermore, the explanation of how the adjustment was realized is essential information that allows the reader to fully understand the logic and not be misled.

This course will unlock the mystery behind making adjustments and give you a fundamental understanding of how to make adjustments for the sales comparison approach to value.

Topics Include:

• Identifying when an adjustment is required
• How to properly determine an adjustment amount
• To what degree must an adjustment be applied
• Using appraiser judgment and experience
• Types of transactional adjustments
• Types of property adjustments
• Units of comparison
• Elements of comparison
• Strategies applied to both residential and commercial appraising

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Appropriately preparing trainee appraisers is imperative for ensuring the integrity and quality of the industry is upheld.

The recent rebound of the real estate market has been a welcome sight for the appraisal profession. It is the crucial responsibility of supervisory appraisers to train, develop, and mentor these new professionals. This mentor relationship will produce competent, ethical appraisers to enhance public trust. The 2015 AQB Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria requires that both supervisory and trainee appraisers be educated regarding the expectations for these roles.

This course meets the national, AQB-required content and outline for supervisory and trainee appraisers. Minnesota has adopted criteria that exceed the minimum AQB requirements, and this course addresses the specific criteria that have been adopted by Minnesota with regard to supervisory appraisers and trainee appraisers. Discussions revolve around the requirements, expectations, and responsibilities of both types of appraisers in order for trainees to gain experience credit. A short history of the profession is followed by the structure of the entities that oversee appraisers, including The Appraisal Foundation, The Appraisal Subcommittee, and state regulatory bodies.

Students will understand the requirements for licensing levels and the use of trainees for Fannie Mae, FHA, and lender assignments. Also addressed are the USPAP requirements that apply to assignments involving more than one appraiser.

Topics Include:

• The AQB and its role in the profession
• 2015 AQB Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria
• Minnesota-specific trainee license requirements
• Minnesota-specific supervisory appraiser requirements
• Minnesota-specific requirements that exceed AQB minimums
• Trainee and supervisory appraiser expectations
• Significant assistance—what it is and how to report it

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 6 hours of real estate continuing education.

Discover the things all supervisor and trainee appraisers should consider.

Aside from the AQB requirements and any state rules, there are other considerations in becoming a supervisor or trainee appraiser. For example, the appraiser must decide if the trainee will be an employee in the supervisor’s office, or if the trainee will be an independent contractor. Other practical office and personnel management best practices will be discussed in this course as well. In addition, case studies will be reviewed to aid the supervisor and trainee in understanding these best practices.

Topics include:

• Trainee and supervisory appraiser skill sets
• Limiting liability during training
• Compensating trainees and supervisors
• Applying the recommendations to case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 2 hours of real estate continuing education.

This is the 7-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Update Course, as developed by The Appraisal Foundation. The course focuses on changes to USPAP for 2018-19 and on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice. It is unique in that the Course is developed by The Appraisal Foundation and is revised on a periodic basis to stay current with the latest edition of USPAP.

Course Objectives

• Present and explain the new revisions to USPAP adopted in 2017 and effective from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
• Present the current changes to USPAP in a variety of scenarios for class discussion.
• Present scenarios that challenge participants to apply USPAP to situations they encounter in their daily practice.

In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion illustrations that show how USPAP applies in situations that appraisers may encounter in everyday practice. These examples primarily address issues frequently experienced by appraisers as professionals in the appraisal of real property.

This course is designed to assist appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in USPAP, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

USPAP has been endorsed and adopted by major appraisal organizations in the United States. As required by federal law, USPAP must be used by states in their real property appraiser licensing and certification programs.

This course provides at least 7 hours of instruction in USPAP. There is no accompanying exam for the classroom course; however, some states may require an examination for distance education.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of appraisal continuing education.

This class is designed to dispel the usual excuses as to why the cost approach is seldom completed by some appraisers. It starts by viewing the approach as outlined by the FNMA form. Then it builds on the concept and provides methodology by which the amounts that are usually “guestimates” can become logically calculated estimates. By using these techniques, the approach can provide logical and supported estimates of value for virtually any single family home. This can be very helpful, especially in small markets where sufficient closed sales are often difficult or impossible to find without crossing the expected guidelines regarding distance, style, or other criteria—thus making the market approach less viable.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 8 hours of real estate continuing education.

Topics include:

• USPAP implications
• Interaction between approaches
• Using the FNMA 1004 report
• Other site improvements
• Land value methods
• Market approach
• Land residual method
• Allocation method
• Extraction method
• Depreciation calculations age-life
• Breakdown method
• Modified age-life method
• Component cost derivations
• Aggregated paired sales method
• Remaining economic life equation

In this course, residential appraisers get a look into the world of the non-residential appraising.

The processes, data sources, appraiser peer actions, and reporting in commercial appraising is very different from residential appraisers. This course will provide the residential appraiser a look into these differences, including analyzing leases, the engagement process, highest and best use, capitalization rate derivation, and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act that impact the appraisal of commercial properties.

Topics Include:

• Sources for commercial sales
• Research techniques
• Complex highest and best use analyses
• Cap rate derivation
• Narrative report formats
• Real-life case studies and examples

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Don’t miss your EPA lead-safe certification renewal and lose your EPA Certified Renovator status. Secure your seat and enroll today!

Attention all everyone who became an EPA Certified Renovator in year 2010 or earlier. That certification will expire after 5 years. You must complete this new 4-Hour EPA Certified Renovator Refresher Training Course in order to maintain your Certified Renovator status. Kaplan offers this EPA-approved 4-hour refresher course that will add an additional 5 years to your Certified Renovator status. This new course satisfies all the refresher requirements and includes a hands-on training session on testing for lead and cleaning verification. At the end of this course, you will receive an EPA certification showing your successful completion of the course, including photo ID. Remember that the EPA is finding and fining uncertified contractors for not being certified or for not following the RRP rules and procedures. The fines are up to $37,500 per occurrence per day. Don’t take a chance—take this fast-paced hands-on course and renew your EPA lead-safe certification.

Topics include:

• RRP rules and procedures
• Lead and cleaning verification

EPA accreditation to Virginia College, LLC DBA Brightwood Career Institute for the purpose of certification under section 402 of TSCA for the renovator - refresher discipline.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for 4 hours for contractor continuing education.
This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 4 hours of real estate continuing education.

In this course, you will learn more about Minnesota making the contractor registration program permanent, as well as the details of this program. You’ll also explore universal design and how contractors can achieve new certifications, which are part of this rapidly growing market. In addition, you will review eight energy-related sales opportunities and receive an hour of energy focusing on an energy-conscious remodel.

Topics include:

• Minnesota contractor registration program
• Universal design
• Eight energy-related sales opportunities
• Energy hour on an energy-conscious remodel

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3 hours of real estate continuing education.

This class satisfies Wisconsin’s 13-hour education requirement to obtain a real estate salesperson license by endorsement. You qualify for this class if: A) you currently hold an active license in a state other than Wisconsin; or B) your license held in another state expired no more than two years ago. Minnesota students who complete this class also will receive 7.5 hours of Minnesota CE.

Now, in just two days you can complete your Wisconsin pre-licensing education requirements AND get 7.5 hours of Minnesota continuing education.
Are you one of the many Minnesota real estate licensees who have considered obtaining your Wisconsin real estate license, but haven’t wanted to deal with the hassle? Well, we have good news: The Wisconsin licensing process is a snap for Minnesota licensees!

Regulations in Wisconsin allow currently licensed Minnesota brokers and salespersons to obtain a Wisconsin license of the same level by attending approved education and passing the Wisconsin Real Estate Licensing Exam. To obtain a salesperson or broker license by endorsement (for applicants who have been licensed in another state within the past two years):

• Salespersons AND brokers must complete a board-approved 13-hour pre-license education program for salespersons. (Brokers must complete an additional six hours of education.)
• Pass the salesperson exam. (Brokers must complete the salesperson exam AND the broker exam.)
• Submit an application.

Complete Your Wisconsin Salesperson Education Requirements in Just Two Days
That’s right—just two days. Prepared, scheduled, and presented to meet the needs of busy Minnesota real estate professionals who want to obtain a Wisconsin license, this two-day program will teach you exactly how to comply with Wisconsin laws... and it will prepare you for success on test day.

Experienced Wisconsin Instructors Cover the Laws
Your instructors are experienced Wisconsin trainers. They cover all of the topics required by the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing and included in the exam.

Your Completion Certificate
Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a completion certificate showing 13 credit hours of Wisconsin Salesperson licensing education. Individuals seeking a broker license will need to complete an additional 6 hours of education.

BONUS! Also Approved for 7.5 Hours of Minnesota Continuing Education
If you currently hold a Minnesota salesperson or broker license, you’ll be happy to know that you can complete the hours to obtain a Wisconsin license and fulfill 7.5 hours of Minnesota continuing education requirement at the same time.

Topics Include:

• Wisconsin Licensing Legislation and Rules
• Agency
• Ownership and Transfer of Property
• Land Use Controls and Regulations
• Valuing and Financing Property; Calculations
• Disclosures
• Contract Law and Approved Forms
• Business Ethics
• Fair Housing
• Federal Antitrust Law
• Trust Accounts, Responsibilities, and Leasing

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

This is the 7-Hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Update Course, as developed by The Appraisal Foundation. The course focuses on changes to USPAP for 2018-19 and on appraisal issues that affect daily appraisal practice. It is unique in that the Course is developed by The Appraisal Foundation and is revised on a periodic basis to stay current with the latest edition of USPAP.

Course Objectives

• Present and explain the new revisions to USPAP adopted in 2017 and effective from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
• Present the current changes to USPAP in a variety of scenarios for class discussion.
• Present scenarios that challenge participants to apply USPAP to situations they encounter in their daily practice.

In addition to lectures, the course includes discussion illustrations that show how USPAP applies in situations that appraisers may encounter in everyday practice. These examples primarily address issues frequently experienced by appraisers as professionals in the appraisal of real property.

This course is designed to assist appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in USPAP, including those subject to state licensing or certification and continuing education requirements imposed by professional organizations, client groups, or employers.

USPAP has been endorsed and adopted by major appraisal organizations in the United States. As required by federal law, USPAP must be used by states in their real property appraiser licensing and certification programs.

This course provides at least 7 hours of instruction in USPAP. There is no accompanying exam for the classroom course; however, some states may require an examination for distance education.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7 hours of appraisal continuing education.

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of even-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

This course is approved for Agency Law credit.

Topics Include:

• Agency
• Listing Contracts
• Duty to Cooperate
• Protected Buyers (WB Listing Contract)
• Amendment
• Licensee as a Seller
• Delivery
• As-Is Listing
• Marketing and Advertising

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of even-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

Topics Include:

• As-Is Transactions
• Pre/Post-Closing Occupancy
• Fees Related to Transfer
• Closing Documents For Seller And For Buyer
• Secondary Offers
• Closing of the Buyer’s Property Contingency
• Financing the Transaction
• Disclosure of Relationship with Buyer
• Insurability
• “Fake Buyers”/Scams
• Safety of Licensees and Consumers
• Licensee as Buyer

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of even-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

Topics Include:

• Wisconsin forms revisions
• Wisconsins laws/code/Attorney General opinions
• Wisconsin cases
• Proposed changes to Wisconsin rules, statutes, forms

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of odd-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

This course is approved for Fair Housing credit.

Topics Include:

• Maintain and improve standards of practice
• Competency, fairness, and integrity
• Protecting clients’ interests
• Honesty with all parties
• Cooperating with other agents to advance client interests
• Timely communication
• Equal services to all clients and customers
• Fair housing
• REALTOR® Code of Ethics Preamble and Golden Rule
• Complaint process at the Department of Safety and Professional Services
• Code of Ethics Article 17—REALTORs® disputes to arbitration
• REALTOR® professional standards enforcement process

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

New Construction provides continuing education credit for both Minnesota and Wisconsin licensees. The course meets the Wisconsin state-required outline for this elective title by reviewing pertinent Wisconsin forms and statutes related to new construction.

The course begins with WB-13 Vacant Land Offer to Purchase form, specifically the proposed use contingency, perc testing per Wisconsin statute, and architectural approval boards. Next, the instructor covers Wisconsin laws pertaining to land use planning, zoning, and deed restrictions. The important line items in the WB-3 Vacant Land Listing form are covered, as well as Wisconsin laws pertaining to occupancy permits, inspections, and building codes. Then, the instructor moves into a discussion about building contracts, approved forms, and basic construction information, including roofing, siding, wells, septic, and surveys. The instructor will cover important aspects of Wisconsin’s contractor licensing law, as well as Wisconsin builder warranty information. The course concludes with Wisconsin lien law, construction loans, the role of the title company, insurance, and right to cure.

Topics Include:

• WB-13 Vacant land offer to purchase
• Proposed use contingency
• Perc testing Wis. Stat. 145.20, Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 383-SPS 391)
• Architectural approval boards
• Land use planning and zoning
• Deed restrictions
• WB-3 Vacant land listing
• Occupancy permits
• Inspections
• Building codes (Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 320-325)
• Building contracts and approved forms (WB Offers to Purchase)
• Basic construction info (roof, siding, wells, septic, surveys etc.)
• Contractor licensing law (Wis. Stat. § 101.654, Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 305.31)
• Builder warranty (WB Offers to Purchase, Wis. Stat. § 706.10(7))
• Lien law (Wis. Stat. Chapter 779)
• Construction loans
• Role of the title company
• Insurance
• Builders have right to cure

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Wisconsin Investment Property and Property Management provides continuing education credits for both Minnesota and Wisconsin licensees. The course meets the Wisconsin state-required outline for this elective title by reviewing pertinent Wisconsin forms and statutes related to investment property and property management.

The course begins with an overview of selling and leasing rental property, including pricing strategy and IRC 1031 tax-deferred exchanges. Next, important sections of the WB-36 Buyer Agency Tenant Representation Agreement and the WB 37 Residential Listing Contract—Exclusive Right to Rent are reviewed. The unit on buying rental property covers real estate investment concepts including income, tax benefits, principal reduction, and appreciation. Wisconsin requirements for trust accounts and leases are covered next, including a sample Wisconsin Residential Lease form. The instructor will walk through how to value investment property. Then, Wisconsin regulations regarding registration, permitting, and lead-based paint disclosure will be covered. The course concludes with Wisconsin eviction procedures, requirements for disposal of abandoned property, and Wisconsin state law preemption of local ordinance.

Topics Include:

• Selling rental property
• Leasing rental property
• Tenant representation agreement
• Listings for lease or rental (WB 37Residential Listing Contract – Exclusive Right to Rent)
• Buying rental property
• Trust accounts (Wis. Admin. Code Ch. REEB 18)
• Leases (Wis. Admin. Code Ch. REEB 16)
• Valuing investment property
• Registration and permitting
• Lead based paint disclosure obligations (42 USC 4852d)
• Eviction procedure (Wis. Stat. Chapter 704, Wis. Stat. Chapter 799, Wis. Admin. Code § ATCP 134)
• Disposal of abandoned property (Wis. Stat. § 704.05)
• State law preemption of local ordinance

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

The Fast Track to Real Estate Agent Success! 

Real Estate Accelerator is a two-day intensive boot camp that will bridge the gap between earning a license and developing a robust book of business.

This course is designed to arm you with business building skills and critical operating activities utilized by the nation's most successful real estate agents. You will leave this course prepared to implement the following tools immediately in your practice of real estate: 

• Business Plan
  • Writing SMART goals
  • Develop an actionable lead generation strategy
  • Understand a successful P&L statement and money management plan
  • Formulate a budget that accounts for taxes and insurance
• Marketing Plan
  • Develop a unique value proposition
  • Create an effective online persona
  • Learn to strategically use search engine marketing, Zillow/Trulia, and Realtor.com
  • Understand the value of a solid personal brand and logo
  • Determine and implement appropriate marketing strategies that align with your personality type, market, and budget
• Develop an Economic Plan
  • ​Set your financial goals
  • Calculate total lead generation and closing activities required to support your financial goals
  • Determine your work and vacation schedule
• 6-month CRM subscription to IXACT Contact and the skill to build your database and launch activities
• Sales Skills Best Practices checklist
• 6 weeks of access to KnowledgeDNA Goal Tracker
• 4 weeks of continued coaching and accountability to ensure your success

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

169735

Don’t miss your EPA lead-safe certification renewal and lose your EPA Certified Renovator status. Secure your seat and enroll today!

Attention all everyone who became an EPA Certified Renovator in year 2010 or earlier. That certification will expire after 5 years. You must complete this new 4-Hour EPA Certified Renovator Refresher Training Course in order to maintain your Certified Renovator status. Kaplan offers this EPA-approved 4-hour refresher course that will add an additional 5 years to your Certified Renovator status. This new course satisfies all the refresher requirements and includes a hands-on training session on testing for lead and cleaning verification. At the end of this course, you will receive an EPA certification showing your successful completion of the course, including photo ID. Remember that the EPA is finding and fining uncertified contractors for not being certified or for not following the RRP rules and procedures. The fines are up to $37,500 per occurrence per day. Don’t take a chance—take this fast-paced hands-on course and renew your EPA lead-safe certification.

Topics include:

• RRP rules and procedures
• Lead and cleaning verification

EPA accreditation to Virginia College, LLC DBA Brightwood Career Institute for the purpose of certification under section 402 of TSCA for the renovator - refresher discipline.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for 4 hours for contractor continuing education.
This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 4 hours of real estate continuing education.

In this course, you will learn more about Minnesota making the contractor registration program permanent, as well as the details of this program. You’ll also explore universal design and how contractors can achieve new certifications, which are part of this rapidly growing market. In addition, you will review eight energy-related sales opportunities and receive an hour of energy focusing on an energy-conscious remodel.

Topics include:

• Minnesota contractor registration program
• Universal design
• Eight energy-related sales opportunities
• Energy hour on an energy-conscious remodel

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3 hours of real estate continuing education.

Appropriately preparing trainee appraisers is imperative for ensuring the integrity and quality of the industry is upheld.

The recent rebound of the real estate market has been a welcome sight for the appraisal profession. It is the crucial responsibility of supervisory appraisers to train, develop, and mentor these new professionals. This mentor relationship will produce competent, ethical appraisers to enhance public trust. The 2015 AQB Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria requires that both supervisory and trainee appraisers be educated regarding the expectations for these roles.

This course meets the national, AQB-required content and outline for supervisory and trainee appraisers. Minnesota has adopted criteria that exceed the minimum AQB requirements, and this course addresses the specific criteria that have been adopted by Minnesota with regard to supervisory appraisers and trainee appraisers. Discussions revolve around the requirements, expectations, and responsibilities of both types of appraisers in order for trainees to gain experience credit. A short history of the profession is followed by the structure of the entities that oversee appraisers, including The Appraisal Foundation, The Appraisal Subcommittee, and state regulatory bodies.

Students will understand the requirements for licensing levels and the use of trainees for Fannie Mae, FHA, and lender assignments. Also addressed are the USPAP requirements that apply to assignments involving more than one appraiser.

Topics Include:

• The AQB and its role in the profession
• 2015 AQB Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria
• Minnesota-specific trainee license requirements
• Minnesota-specific supervisory appraiser requirements
• Minnesota-specific requirements that exceed AQB minimums
• Trainee and supervisory appraiser expectations
• Significant assistance—what it is and how to report it

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 6 hours of real estate continuing education.

Discover the things all supervisor and trainee appraisers should consider.

Aside from the AQB requirements and any state rules, there are other considerations in becoming a supervisor or trainee appraiser. For example, the appraiser must decide if the trainee will be an employee in the supervisor’s office, or if the trainee will be an independent contractor. Other practical office and personnel management best practices will be discussed in this course as well. In addition, case studies will be reviewed to aid the supervisor and trainee in understanding these best practices.

Topics include:

• Trainee and supervisory appraiser skill sets
• Limiting liability during training
• Compensating trainees and supervisors
• Applying the recommendations to case studies

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 2 hours of real estate continuing education.

This class satisfies Wisconsin’s 13-hour education requirement to obtain a real estate salesperson license by endorsement. You qualify for this class if: A) you currently hold an active license in a state other than Wisconsin; or B) your license held in another state expired no more than two years ago. Minnesota students who complete this class also will receive 7.5 hours of Minnesota CE.

Now, in just two days you can complete your Wisconsin pre-licensing education requirements AND get 7.5 hours of Minnesota continuing education.
Are you one of the many Minnesota real estate licensees who have considered obtaining your Wisconsin real estate license, but haven’t wanted to deal with the hassle? Well, we have good news: The Wisconsin licensing process is a snap for Minnesota licensees!

Regulations in Wisconsin allow currently licensed Minnesota brokers and salespersons to obtain a Wisconsin license of the same level by attending approved education and passing the Wisconsin Real Estate Licensing Exam. To obtain a salesperson or broker license by endorsement (for applicants who have been licensed in another state within the past two years):

• Salespersons AND brokers must complete a board-approved 13-hour pre-license education program for salespersons. (Brokers must complete an additional six hours of education.)
• Pass the salesperson exam. (Brokers must complete the salesperson exam AND the broker exam.)
• Submit an application.

Complete Your Wisconsin Salesperson Education Requirements in Just Two Days
That’s right—just two days. Prepared, scheduled, and presented to meet the needs of busy Minnesota real estate professionals who want to obtain a Wisconsin license, this two-day program will teach you exactly how to comply with Wisconsin laws... and it will prepare you for success on test day.

Experienced Wisconsin Instructors Cover the Laws
Your instructors are experienced Wisconsin trainers. They cover all of the topics required by the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing and included in the exam.

Your Completion Certificate
Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a completion certificate showing 13 credit hours of Wisconsin Salesperson licensing education. Individuals seeking a broker license will need to complete an additional 6 hours of education.

BONUS! Also Approved for 7.5 Hours of Minnesota Continuing Education
If you currently hold a Minnesota salesperson or broker license, you’ll be happy to know that you can complete the hours to obtain a Wisconsin license and fulfill 7.5 hours of Minnesota continuing education requirement at the same time.

Topics Include:

• Wisconsin Licensing Legislation and Rules
• Agency
• Ownership and Transfer of Property
• Land Use Controls and Regulations
• Valuing and Financing Property; Calculations
• Disclosures
• Contract Law and Approved Forms
• Business Ethics
• Fair Housing
• Federal Antitrust Law
• Trust Accounts, Responsibilities, and Leasing

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 7.5 hours of real estate continuing education.

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of even-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

This course is approved for Agency Law credit.

Topics Include:

• Agency
• Listing Contracts
• Duty to Cooperate
• Protected Buyers (WB Listing Contract)
• Amendment
• Licensee as a Seller
• Delivery
• As-Is Listing
• Marketing and Advertising

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of even-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

Topics Include:

• As-Is Transactions
• Pre/Post-Closing Occupancy
• Fees Related to Transfer
• Closing Documents For Seller And For Buyer
• Secondary Offers
• Closing of the Buyer’s Property Contingency
• Financing the Transaction
• Disclosure of Relationship with Buyer
• Insurability
• “Fake Buyers”/Scams
• Safety of Licensees and Consumers
• Licensee as Buyer

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of even-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

Topics Include:

• Wisconsin forms revisions
• Wisconsins laws/code/Attorney General opinions
• Wisconsin cases
• Proposed changes to Wisconsin rules, statutes, forms

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Licensed real estate brokers and salespersons in Wisconsin must satisfy continuing education requirements during each licensing period: December 15 of odd-numbered years to December 14 of even-numbered years. As one of six approved courses, this course fulfills 3 hours of the required 18 hours of continuing education in each biennium.

This course is approved for Fair Housing credit.

Topics Include:

• Maintain and improve standards of practice
• Competency, fairness, and integrity
• Protecting clients’ interests
• Honesty with all parties
• Cooperating with other agents to advance client interests
• Timely communication
• Equal services to all clients and customers
• Fair housing
• REALTOR® Code of Ethics Preamble and Golden Rule
• Complaint process at the Department of Safety and Professional Services
• Code of Ethics Article 17—REALTORs® disputes to arbitration
• REALTOR® professional standards enforcement process

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

New Construction provides continuing education credit for both Minnesota and Wisconsin licensees. The course meets the Wisconsin state-required outline for this elective title by reviewing pertinent Wisconsin forms and statutes related to new construction.

The course begins with WB-13 Vacant Land Offer to Purchase form, specifically the proposed use contingency, perc testing per Wisconsin statute, and architectural approval boards. Next, the instructor covers Wisconsin laws pertaining to land use planning, zoning, and deed restrictions. The important line items in the WB-3 Vacant Land Listing form are covered, as well as Wisconsin laws pertaining to occupancy permits, inspections, and building codes. Then, the instructor moves into a discussion about building contracts, approved forms, and basic construction information, including roofing, siding, wells, septic, and surveys. The instructor will cover important aspects of Wisconsin’s contractor licensing law, as well as Wisconsin builder warranty information. The course concludes with Wisconsin lien law, construction loans, the role of the title company, insurance, and right to cure.

Topics Include:

• WB-13 Vacant land offer to purchase
• Proposed use contingency
• Perc testing Wis. Stat. 145.20, Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 383-SPS 391)
• Architectural approval boards
• Land use planning and zoning
• Deed restrictions
• WB-3 Vacant land listing
• Occupancy permits
• Inspections
• Building codes (Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 320-325)
• Building contracts and approved forms (WB Offers to Purchase)
• Basic construction info (roof, siding, wells, septic, surveys etc.)
• Contractor licensing law (Wis. Stat. § 101.654, Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 305.31)
• Builder warranty (WB Offers to Purchase, Wis. Stat. § 706.10(7))
• Lien law (Wis. Stat. Chapter 779)
• Construction loans
• Role of the title company
• Insurance
• Builders have right to cure

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.

Wisconsin Investment Property and Property Management provides continuing education credits for both Minnesota and Wisconsin licensees. The course meets the Wisconsin state-required outline for this elective title by reviewing pertinent Wisconsin forms and statutes related to investment property and property management.

The course begins with an overview of selling and leasing rental property, including pricing strategy and IRC 1031 tax-deferred exchanges. Next, important sections of the WB-36 Buyer Agency Tenant Representation Agreement and the WB 37 Residential Listing Contract—Exclusive Right to Rent are reviewed. The unit on buying rental property covers real estate investment concepts including income, tax benefits, principal reduction, and appreciation. Wisconsin requirements for trust accounts and leases are covered next, including a sample Wisconsin Residential Lease form. The instructor will walk through how to value investment property. Then, Wisconsin regulations regarding registration, permitting, and lead-based paint disclosure will be covered. The course concludes with Wisconsin eviction procedures, requirements for disposal of abandoned property, and Wisconsin state law preemption of local ordinance.

Topics Include:

• Selling rental property
• Leasing rental property
• Tenant representation agreement
• Listings for lease or rental (WB 37Residential Listing Contract – Exclusive Right to Rent)
• Buying rental property
• Trust accounts (Wis. Admin. Code Ch. REEB 18)
• Leases (Wis. Admin. Code Ch. REEB 16)
• Valuing investment property
• Registration and permitting
• Lead based paint disclosure obligations (42 USC 4852d)
• Eviction procedure (Wis. Stat. Chapter 704, Wis. Stat. Chapter 799, Wis. Admin. Code § ATCP 134)
• Disposal of abandoned property (Wis. Stat. § 704.05)
• State law preemption of local ordinance

This course has been approved by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce for 3.75 hours of real estate continuing education.