Boca Raton, Fla. — Jan. 4, 2011 — The Agent University, which is administered through Foreclosure.com, and The CE Shop today announced that the companies have teamed up to offer real estate agents with even easier access to the best online short sale training certification program in the nation.

The Agent University’s Certified Short Sale Agent (CSSA) certification program is now featured on The CE Shop website, which offers real estate professionals online courses that meet their states’ continuing education requirements.

For more information regarding the short sale training and continuing education opportunities available through The Agent University please visit The Agent University or call us at (866) 382-4445.

CSSA training, which has been implemented at more than 300 Realtor® boards nationwide, can earn real estate agents up to six continuing education credits in select states, as well as prepare them to find, negotiate and close short sale transactions in record time.

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Joe Martin — a successful and experienced broker based in Arizona — responds to pressing real estate agent and buyer concerns each month in the “Ask Joe” section of the free Foreclosure.com Agent University newsletter. Below is an excerpt from the July 2010 edition.

My first thought regarding HAFA is one of hope.

I sincerely hope the majority of homeowners who currently allow their homes to go to foreclosure without ever exploring their options to avoid foreclosure will educate themselves and take advantage of the many viable alternatives available to them.

Let’s face it, as easy as it may seem to just walk away from a home, the haunt of a foreclosure goes on for years to come, affecting credit and even employment in some cases. That’s right, many people are not aware that foreclosure can affect their security clearance levels and future employment.

Foreclosure is certainly not the best option … particularly with the advent of HAFA.

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September 8, 2010 — Foreclosure.com today announced that the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC), which administers and enforces real estate license law in the “Sunshine State,” has approved its Certified Short Sale Agent (CSSA) training program, once again validating the exceptional educational opportunities offered through “The Agent University.”

This latest announcement comes on the heels of the Certified Foreclosure Agent program receiving the same stamp of approval from FREC in Nov. 2009.

“We’re thrilled to receive this latest approval,” said Foreclosure.com Director of Education, Linda Yates. “Understanding short sales, especially in today’s volatile market, is critical for agents everywhere. CSSA training is an invaluable career-building opportunity, providing professionals with the tools and resources to capitalize on this ever-evolving trend.”

The CSSA curriculum comprises four modules that take agents from a basic understanding of short sales all the way to developing a business plan to attack the market from a proactive position.

The four modules, which are dynamically updated to reflect the latest trends in the short sale arena, include:

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Boca Raton, Fla. — August 24, 2010 — More than 30 forward-thinking real estate agents from Keller Williams — Weston recently earned Certified Short Sale Agent (CSSA) designations from Foreclosure.com’s “The Agent University” during a full-day informational seminar in Pembroke Pines.

It was among several live real estate agent training sessions that Foreclosure.com is authorized to deliver throughout the “Sunshine State.”

“I gained more practical knowledge on how to identify which listings would sell quickly and actually close than I have in any other classes I have attended,” said Rich Riveros, a Keller Williams agent who is among the top 1 percent of agents nationwide.

The team at Keller Williams — Weston realized that several servicers are gearing up to list a significant volume of properties in their local marketplace. It needed to ensure that its agents were prepared to ride this looming wave of HAFA short sale listing opportunities straight to the closing tables.

In addition, getting the inside-track on earning the listings from the servicers and providing these homeowners access to its highly-trained team of agents was equally as important for Keller Williams — Weston.

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Joe Martin — a successful and experienced broker based in Arizona — responds to pressing real estate agent and buyer concerns each month in the “Ask Joe” section of the free Foreclosure.com Agent University newsletter. Below is an excerpt from the July 2010 edition.

First, let’s define what “staging” is for those who have not heard the term before.

Home staging “is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace.” The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money.

Staging techniques focus on improving a property’s appeal by transforming it into a welcoming, attractive product that anyone might want.

Craig Peck, the designated broker of RE/MAX Diamond in Mesa, Ariz., stated he believed staging could reduce days on market (DOM) by as much as 50 to 70 percent.

It appears he wasn’t far off the mark.

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