The Porch

Important Changes To Your Real Estate License Renewal

Hello, Esteemed Real Estate Licensee:

 

On July 1, 2008 the Division of Real Estate will cease allowing agents access to enter continuing education credits into RELMS (via Promissor). Course providers must exclusively do so on and after July 1, 2008.

 

Class Star is a Utah-based course provider and I always enter your continuing education credits within several hours of course completion, and I can save you some hassle...

 

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State law allows a course provider ten days to "bank" credits.  Sometimes course providers even use the U.S. Mail for portions of this duty.

 

Scenario:  The course provider is allowed ten days to enter your CE credits, and your license renews June 30. You wait until 5:00pm June 30 to log online and take a course, or to drive to a live course. You finish up at 8:30pm-June 30.  Your provider must "bank" your CE credits before midnight June 30 in order to be counted in your renewal cycle.

 

“Banking” your credits on July 6 for example, within the ten day allowable period and indicating the course completion date of June 30--won't cut it anymore.  The Division will still consider you late, and charge a late fee to renew your license.

 

Ouch.

 

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But ... I'll be at the ClassStar computer servers watching for “last-minute” students and banking credits immediately, up until midnight June 30. 

 

 

 

All licensees are affected. I have the core course “The REPC-What You Need to Know" online (and more on the way) at www.classStar.com.   Let your friends know.  Thanks for your past business.

 

 

 

 

Mike B.

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MIKE BALLIF

 

Class _* Star ^® 

The Porch

Division Continuing Ed C.E. Bank Changing Requirements

C.E. Bank Update:  Division Continuing Ed C.E. Bank Changing Requirements.

The Division of Real Estate allows Utah licensees to personally “bank” their own “unbanked” CE hours…which are then later verified by your Course Certificate and/or the C.E. course provider who also must bank your credit hours within ten days of your course completion.

The feature has been available to licensees during a current two year cross-over period… but the two years is up soon.

The Division announced in its March 2008 Newsletter that personally banking your “unbanked” credits is expiring and going away effective July 1, 2008. CE hours can be banked only by the course provider after July 1, 2008.

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Class Star personnel have always banked your CE credits within a few hours of completion of the course, and the course provider is presently refining automatic submission of your credits to the C.E. credit bank.  Try Class Star when you’re at the last minute …

Some online course vendors place all of your CE credit info and certificates in the U.S. Mail—the very slowest method possible.

The reason to be aware of the changing requirement is that your credits must be banked by your license renewal date.  This is not the same as “course completed” by your renewal date. Your CE course vendors still have ten days to get your info reported—reagardiless of when your licnese renews; and so for those of you who wait until the last minute (I think I’m one of them); check with the vendor first to determine how soon your credits will be banked.

Talk to me about CE banking.  I’m happy to help in any way possible.

See you again...

from The Porch…

Mike B.  Class Star^® 

"Live" or Distance Course?

Hi, All:

One of my ClassStar.com students inquired a couple of days ago if my online “REPC – Everything You Need To Know” course qualified as a Division Core course and was considered a “live” course.  The answer is “yes” to both questions. But the student was concerned the course meeting “live” criteria.  She was thinking “live” was a required feature for the course to meet CE Core credits.

It used to be. But the division doesn’t use the criteria of “live” versus “distance” (e.g. computer-based) as a criterion for qualified CE courses.  A course is now certified a “core” course based upon subject matter and can be attended live (traditional classroom,) or attended online.  The Division has discontinued the former video-taped core course programs that we watched in our board offices and elsewhere for the Core Course of the year.

For real estate licensees, the division requires a total of twelve hours of continuing education credits every two years, and six of those continuing education hours must be core course credits—live or computer-based.

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The Utah Division of Real Estate has gone live with a very cool online system of recordkeeping for address changes, change “cards,” company rosters, your license history, and a portal to see what CE courses you have racked up to date. 

Check out the announcement and description of the service here:  Newsletter1107.pdf

... and create your account, or log in here:  utah.gov/relms.

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Tell me what you're thinking...let me know if you have CE questions...

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from The Porch

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Mike B.  Class Star^® 

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Appraiser Registered Trainee Supervision

Appraiser Trainee Supervision ...

Remember ... beginning 2008, only State Certified appraisers in good standing may supervise Registered Trainees. No more than three Registered Trainees may be supervised at any one time by a Certified appraiser.

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See you again.

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from The Porch…

Mike B.  Class Star^® 

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Can I Use the 12-Hour "New Agent" Course to Get All My Credit Hours?

Hi, All:

Last week a caller asked if she could use the 12-hour New Agent Course to fulfill her real estate license renewal requirements for the year.  The 12-hour New Agent course is required for new agents within their first two years of licensure, and is also considered 12 hours of core credit.

The caller, who needed 12 hours of CE credit, including 6 hours of Core Credit to renew her license (and was not a new agent) asked if the New Agent course would fill the state requirements. 

In the Division's July 2007 newsletter, the Division says; "yes, those licensed prior to July 1, 2007 may also take this course to fulfill their entire 12 hour CE requirement including the required Core Topic Courses."

So, that's good news...and a good referral for my competitors as ClassStar.com doesn't offer the 12-hour New Agent course...but several other schools do offer it. 

There are some very good new courses that will be available for the first time in April on ClassStar.com that I think you'll like, too.

Stay tuned...

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from The Porch…

Mike B.  Class Star^® 

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Utah Real Estate Online CE Courses Up and Running

Hi, All:

I know a lot of you are getting used to the idea of taking a class on-line, e.g. over a computer; and it may feel a bit weird at times if you've never done so.  The Division has authorized various courses for delivery over the Internet, including core courses that will help you obtain your six core credit hours (or twelve CE credits if you are a new agent).

There are advantages to on-line CE courses, and disadvantages ... just as live courses have their own advantages and disadvantages.  One delivery method is not meant to replace the other and each can be used at your discretion and convenience.

Try it out.  The state publishes a list of the on-line providers for Utah here:  Utah Division of Real Estate Distance Education Providers.

Let me know what you think...and maybe I can help you with your questions and concerns if you wish to let me know.

My site--that I highly recommend for three CE Core Course hours on the REPC, is Class Star.

It's an excellent class on the REPC, covering those topics and clauses that get the most "wear and tear,"  like "subject to the buyer selling existing residence," and "sold as is."

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Mercy...those clauses can be problematic.

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Tell me what's up...

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See you again.

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from The Porch…

Mike B.  Class Star^® 

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