Here is the scene this morning from RE BarCamp South Florida 2011, which is an all-day workshop held at The Boca Beach Club (Penthouse 2), a luxurious oceanfront location in Boca Raton, Florida.

What’s RE BarCamp, exactly?

REBarCampSouthFL.com explains it best:

“Essentially it’s a day full of technology-driven break out sessions led by other REALTORS® and industry professionals. The topics are put together as the attendees register. You walk in we hand you a piece of paper and if you think you have something interesting to talk about, you just write the topic down and place it on the board in an open time slot.”

It’s a great networking experience, as well as a great opportunity to learn from local professionals and pass along important industry information that we have gleaned at Foreclosure.com and our sister companies such as QuickSale.com, among others.

And with a view a view like this, it’s impossible to not feel inspired:

Yes, I actually took that picture this morning with my iPhone!

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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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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The power of good marketing can never be underestimated.

In a market that is full of supply and short on demand, a strong marketing plan is the only way to attract buyers to your listings and close those deals.

The distressed property business presents unique challenges because you have to help buyers, in many cases, see beneath the veneer to embrace the underlying value.

This market also offers unique opportunity — with such a large inventory out there, there has never been a better time for agents who embrace the new climate to generate impressive commissions.

This month’s real estate agent-focused newsletter is all about giving you the tools you need to fast-track your REO and short sale businesses, plus tips and tricks to make your listings stand out from the rest.

To view the July 2010 Agent University free newsletter right now CLICK HERE.

Let’s make the last half of 2010 a super-profitable one, starting now!