Well, its official! I are a Realtor.
The last two weeks of getting my license was tough. I passed the test on a Monday and we left the next day to go to Ryan's graduation from Boot Camp. It was a great graduation. Ryan received a promotion from E2 to E3 and won the highest score for sharpshooting. It was great to see him. You can view pics here.
When we got back I immediately contacted Keller Williams to see what the next steps were. Once you pass the Realtor test you have to get your license. You are "inactive" until you are sponsored by a Broker. Keller Williams is my broker. Once you complete your test and find a Broker, you submit a sponsorship form to TREC. They send the license to your Broker. Lauren at KW helped me fill out the sponsorship form and told me to contact TREC and make sure that they got my test scores and my fingerprint background check.
I called TREC and they told me that the computer system was kinda down. They had done a massive change over and things were still not working correctly. Yikes! They suggested I call the Testing facility to see if they already sent my score, and the DPS to see if my background check is completed. I did that only to find that they were both done the week before.
I called back to TREC and while I was on the phone with them my license became "active" meaning that they received everything and I was a Realtor!
Now I am working on The Tomlin Team with JD Tomlin and Matt Wellborn. We work out of the Frisco Keller Williams office and so far that is great! Check us out at www.thetomlinteam.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tomlinteam. We will have new pics up soon. Please visit our Facebook page and click "Like".
So let me know if I can help you!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Almost Done!
Finally got my token to move ahead. I am scheduled for fingerprints tomorrow (Monday) and hope to take the final next week. Whoo Hooo!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Online Classes Now Complete!
I am proud to say that last night I completed my online courses. Now I have to do the prep work, submit my transcripts, and get a code to take the State Exam.
It was harder than I expected in the area of Law. That is a good thing I think as long as the State Exam also stresses Law.
I can't wait to start working with people to sell or find a home!
It was harder than I expected in the area of Law. That is a good thing I think as long as the State Exam also stresses Law.
I can't wait to start working with people to sell or find a home!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
First Test Completed!
Principles of Real Estate Exam - 98%.
I have several complaints about this online course, but the final exam seemed to be much better than the other quizzes and tests. Seemed more straightforward, no trick questions.
All the study paid off. Now on to the next module...
I have several complaints about this online course, but the final exam seemed to be much better than the other quizzes and tests. Seemed more straightforward, no trick questions.
All the study paid off. Now on to the next module...
Monday, December 6, 2010
Weekend Warrior
Christmas is coming. It's just 21 days away. So, the weekend was filled with all the usual things - decorating, shopping, trimming the tree, and Saturday night church. Oh, and online Real Estate course work.
It's hard to stay focused on the task at hand when there are much more fun things to do, like baking cookies (or eating them), decorating, and shopping. But I was the hermit and glued myself to my computer, plugging through the online Real Estate modules faithfully. And after completing more than half of the modules I have an observation.
At first, it seemed too easy. Kinda like an open book test. Click though the pages, take copious notes, then when the quiz comes up just check your notes and get 100%, right? Wrong. Obviously the designers of the course know this is the case so they create some very tricky questions.
When I missed my first couple of questions, it took me by surprise. One question I missed used a term in the answer that was not in my notes. My first thought: I need to take better notes. But as the modules have progressed I have found errors in the teaching materials. And, it is clear that some of the questions are like trick questions. This weekend there was a question on material we had not even covered yet. I got it right, but I answered through deduction, not because I had been exposed to the answer.
Of course I reported my findings to the school, and they seem much less concerned than I expected or wanted them to be. The attitude seems to be, "The answers are there if you look hard enough" meaning, "We might not cover the material, but if you can make some educated guesses you could make a perfect score." So, I thought to myself, this is how they make the open book format more difficult. Ah. They are practically guaranteeing that you will miss one or two questions. That makes the course appear more challenging, not as simple as read it, write it, test it.
Well, for me it is not more challenging, but more frustrating. But I set my frustration aside, and forged ahead working with that assumption. It has seemed to prove itself each quiz. So, I am fine with that, and have let go of the vision of me acing this online course. I will pass most assuredly, but I will not be Valedictorian.
It's hard to stay focused on the task at hand when there are much more fun things to do, like baking cookies (or eating them), decorating, and shopping. But I was the hermit and glued myself to my computer, plugging through the online Real Estate modules faithfully. And after completing more than half of the modules I have an observation.
At first, it seemed too easy. Kinda like an open book test. Click though the pages, take copious notes, then when the quiz comes up just check your notes and get 100%, right? Wrong. Obviously the designers of the course know this is the case so they create some very tricky questions.
When I missed my first couple of questions, it took me by surprise. One question I missed used a term in the answer that was not in my notes. My first thought: I need to take better notes. But as the modules have progressed I have found errors in the teaching materials. And, it is clear that some of the questions are like trick questions. This weekend there was a question on material we had not even covered yet. I got it right, but I answered through deduction, not because I had been exposed to the answer.
Of course I reported my findings to the school, and they seem much less concerned than I expected or wanted them to be. The attitude seems to be, "The answers are there if you look hard enough" meaning, "We might not cover the material, but if you can make some educated guesses you could make a perfect score." So, I thought to myself, this is how they make the open book format more difficult. Ah. They are practically guaranteeing that you will miss one or two questions. That makes the course appear more challenging, not as simple as read it, write it, test it.
Well, for me it is not more challenging, but more frustrating. But I set my frustration aside, and forged ahead working with that assumption. It has seemed to prove itself each quiz. So, I am fine with that, and have let go of the vision of me acing this online course. I will pass most assuredly, but I will not be Valedictorian.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Leasing and Showing
Today in training we discussed leasing. That was interesting. I wonder, of course, how many properties I would end up leasing once I become an agent. Hmmm.
JD Tomlin, my fearless team leader, invited me to show 2 houses to a new prospect. We met at the first property, greeted the prospect and then toured the house. I watched closely as JD confidently discussed the features of the house being very candid. the house was very nice except for the grey carpet in the front room and the stairway. Obviously the beige and warm colored walls (guys can never seem to correctly name a color different than beige so I won't even try) were something else and the carpet was never changed to match. Overall though it was a nice house, showed well, and seemed homey, smelled nice, and was clean.
Then we visited a foreclosure/short sell property (I am only just beginning to understand these terms) and the contrast was amazing! Distressed is the only word that could adequately describe this home. Yes, it could be a good investment property, even a future leasae property (intersting we learned about leases just this monring).
Our prospect went back to the first house and asked JD to let her in again. I'm thinking that is the one that she and her husband will choose...we shall see if I am able to read the situation. Interesting day...
JD Tomlin, my fearless team leader, invited me to show 2 houses to a new prospect. We met at the first property, greeted the prospect and then toured the house. I watched closely as JD confidently discussed the features of the house being very candid. the house was very nice except for the grey carpet in the front room and the stairway. Obviously the beige and warm colored walls (guys can never seem to correctly name a color different than beige so I won't even try) were something else and the carpet was never changed to match. Overall though it was a nice house, showed well, and seemed homey, smelled nice, and was clean.
Then we visited a foreclosure/short sell property (I am only just beginning to understand these terms) and the contrast was amazing! Distressed is the only word that could adequately describe this home. Yes, it could be a good investment property, even a future leasae property (intersting we learned about leases just this monring).
Our prospect went back to the first house and asked JD to let her in again. I'm thinking that is the one that she and her husband will choose...we shall see if I am able to read the situation. Interesting day...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Welcome to the Tomlin Team Blog
Over the past few weeks I have considered becoming a Real Estate Agent. When I bought my first house in Utah as a single guy, I had wanted to invest in real estate and one day get my Real Estate license. I'm not getting any younger, and now that my children, Ryan and Kara, are in their teens, I think its time to start preparing for what I want to do during "retirement".
We all know that it is difficult to genuinely "retire" like our parents did in this day and age. And frankly, I don't want to sit around the house when I retire. I want to be busy, using my God given talents to hopefully help others as well as provide for myself and my wife. Being a Realtor affords me the flexibility to run my software business while growing another business over the next few years.
I was asked by a friend, J.D. Tomlin to join the Tomlin Team and after looking into things I decided that his offer was too good to pass up. After deciding that this is what I really wanted to do, I enrolled in an online study course to prepare for my Realtor license test. This blog will cover my study, testing, failures and successes. Join me on this journey.
We all know that it is difficult to genuinely "retire" like our parents did in this day and age. And frankly, I don't want to sit around the house when I retire. I want to be busy, using my God given talents to hopefully help others as well as provide for myself and my wife. Being a Realtor affords me the flexibility to run my software business while growing another business over the next few years.
I was asked by a friend, J.D. Tomlin to join the Tomlin Team and after looking into things I decided that his offer was too good to pass up. After deciding that this is what I really wanted to do, I enrolled in an online study course to prepare for my Realtor license test. This blog will cover my study, testing, failures and successes. Join me on this journey.
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