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.

“Having this industry-leading certification program online with the added benefit of also earning continuing education credits will make agents more profitable,” says The Agent University Director of Education, Linda Yates.

Real estate agents are required to accumulate a set number of continuing education credits to meet their state licensing requirements, making CSSA an ideal option that also helps grow business exponentially.

The CSSA course is self-paced with exams, activities, tips and forms available all at the touch of a mouse. Upon completion of the course, agents are featured in a national broker network with visibility to millions of buyers, sellers and asset managers throughout the United States.

Business-building CSSA course highlights include, but are not limited to:

1. Strategies that will improve your chances of receiving the most commission from each transaction.
2. Forms and documents that will significantly increase the profitability of your short sale business.
3. A detailed explanation of the short sale transaction process and how it differs from traditional sales transactions.
4. Directions on putting together short sale packages that will generate more closings.
5. Tips on automating and streamlining your short sale process using the latest technology.
6. Powerful short sale marketing strategies that will help you reach more buyers for a fraction of your current budget.

“Serious real estate agents and brokers understand the value of timely education on the latest industry trends,” says Yates. “Getting a specialized certification along with continuing education credits and marketing all in one makes sense. In this unpredictable market, education is critical to staying ahead of the competition and providing clients with the most accurate information.”

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.

-end-

About The Agent University
The Agent University offers serious real estate professionals the best selection of training opportunities and certification programs available in the industry today. Our designations are universally recognized as the standard of excellence. Certified agents stand out among their peers, closing more deals and earning higher commissions. We provide agents with invaluable knowledge, skills and tools that ensure consistent success … even in the most challenging markets. Our industry-leading certification programs, Certified Foreclosure Agent, Certified Short Sale Agent, Certified Commercial Foreclosure Agent and REDC Certified Auction Agent, offer varying degrees of participation at the lowest possible prices.

About The CE Shop
The CE Shop Inc. was founded with the mission to serve the licensed real estate professional with high quality, hassle-free and simple online continuing education. Headquartered right in the middle of it all in Fargo, N.D., The CE Shop team includes real estate industry experts from across the country as well as knowledgeable content and curriculum designers, marketing and sales professionals, compliance and operation specialists, distance learning technologists, financial and legal experts and our outstanding customer service team.

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.

“Certified short sale agents learn everything about the process, from a basic understanding all the way to developing a business plan to attack the market from a proactive position,” said Foreclosure.com Director of Education, Linda Yates. “What’s more, our CSSA program positions agents to obtain bank-approved short sale listings through our proprietary broker network, which is unlike the majority of other short sale training programs.”

In fact, agents who earn their CSSA designations automatically become members of Broker Management Services’ industry-leading nationwide broker network (www.brokermanagementservices.com). Each of these referral sources will be using the CSSA-trained agents featured in Broker Management Services’ network to handle their HAFA inventory.

“In times like these, it is always the early bird who gets the worm,” said Bruce Benenfeld, a Keller Williams broker who also serves as president of Title Express, which saw the opportunity to earn the title business on these transactions by continuing to build their relationship through offering value-added services to their own real estate network. “We want to make sure that our agents are in a position to win the day,” he concluded.

For more information regarding the Foreclosure.com Certified Short Sale Agent program offered through “The Agent University” please visit agentuniversity.foreclosure.com/cssa/index.html or call (866) 382-2439.

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.

Based upon a survey conducted by The International Association of Home Staging Professionals® and StagedHomes.com® of more than 1,000 homes (62 percent vacant, 38 percent occupied) throughout the United States and Canada, it was revealed that 94.6 percent of Accredited Staging Professionals (ASP®)-staged homes sold, on average, in 33 days or less, compared to 196 days on non-staged homes, from Jan. 2010 through May 2010.

Personally, I believe in staging homes, and have always educated my traditional sellers on the advantages of doing so.

Foreclosure staging begins after the property has been vacated and the “initial services” are ordered. An outside vendor comes into the home and performs what is termed a “trash-out” or “clean-out.” The vendor removes all the trash and debris and “broom cleans” the home. The cupboards and cabinets are emptied, counters wiped down, carpets vacuumed, floors swept (sometimes mopped) and all contents (if any) are removed.

All that said, foreclosures are not in the traditional resale market and typically don’t have homeowners or tenants living in them. Accordingly, they are not generally staged on the interior with furnishings, plants and pictures on the wall, as traditional home staging would include.

Foreclosure staging begins after the property has been vacated and the “initial services” are ordered. An outside vendor comes into the home and performs what is termed a “trash-out” or “clean-out.” The vendor removes all the trash and debris and “broom cleans” the home. The cupboards and cabinets are emptied, counters wiped down, carpets vacuumed, floors swept (sometimes mopped) and all contents (if any) are removed.

Also included in the “initial services” is the yard and pool cleanup, which involves basic lawn mowing, debris removal and either securing or starting up the pool, depending on the client. Recurring yard and pool service, along with monthly maid cleaning services are typically ordered to keep the home in selling “show-ready” condition.

Any further staging in foreclosures is going to vary, depending on the marketing strategy chosen by the asset management company or servicer client and the agent in charge of the property. The client chooses between an “as-is” strategy or “repaired” strategy.

Either strategy will include the “initial services” mentioned earlier, but a “repaired” marketing strategy will also include paint, carpet, replacing outlet covers, repairing the landscaping up to installing a new lawn (some HOAs require this and impose fines if not done) or some light rehab in some cases (even extensive rehab on some, but rare).

Some of the little things many REO brokers do, including ourselves, to stage our homes is to install room deodorizers, change the air filters and make sure the entryway is always inviting to the home.

Sometimes, we dress up the entrance with flowers to provide additional ambiance. We also make sure the fan blades are wiped down, top of light fixtures are clean, toilet seats are down and stoves and microwaves are clean inside.

We even carry brooms and cleaning supplies in our cars, just in case any of the homes need sprucing up! In addition, we place property fliers on the counters for potential buyers and provide a toll-free number for all buyers to get information 24/7 on the property.

It appears staging has become more popular lately — real estate agents realize that it shortens the DOM and brings top dollar for the home. More and more staging companies are popping up, too. There are even certifications available to be a staging consultant!

One interesting service has popped up called HomeTending. The service it provides is to stage the home with furnishings to be move-in ready and provide screened short-term cooperative “caretakers” to live in the vacant staged homes.

The “caretakers” pay the utilities. The HomeTender service pays for the pool, lawn service and pest control. If there is an alarm, they will activate and pay for that, too. The HomeTender caretakers are not tenants, but rather a subcontractor who pays a monthly participation fee.

Caretakers are required to carry renters insurance and have the home in “show ready” condition between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET every day. When homes sell, the caretakers have to move out, but will have at least 10 days to pack up their belongings.

On the surface, it appears to have advantages on both sides. As long as the liability issues are handled properly, the staging of the home could very well shorten the DOM and bring in top dollar for the home.

Typically, bank-owned homes are left vacant and unstaged because of the risk of vandalism and extra costs involved.

If you have a burning question for Joe, please email him at AskJoe@foreclosure.com. Joe may just select your question to answer in an upcoming newsletter!

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!

Websites alone are no longer enough to shepherd today’s real estate agents through the ever-changing market.

In this current age of social media, applications such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn (among others) have come center stage as very successful marketing techniques.

Yes, you still need a great website; but you need more, too. Whether you like it or not, the Internet is now at the heart of the best agents’ marketing campaigns.

If you aren’t “Facebooking” and “Tweeting” yet, the time to start is now. This month’s newsletter contains helpful tips and tricks to get the social aspect of your business up to speed.

Agent University’s monthly newsletter (read it right here) is jam-packed with helpful information, training opportunities and marketing tips that will help you make the most of your social strategy. And it’s free.

Sign up to receive the newsletter today! Click here

(Note that the email newsletter sign up is located on the top-left of the page).

Boca Raton, Fla. — June 15, 2010 — Foreclosure.com today announced that it has added another dynamic training program to the agent-focused certification opportunities that it offers through The Agent University.

The REDC Certified Auction Agent program will help agents — and their buyers — capitalize on the many foreclosed home auctions held by Real Estate Disposition, LLC (REDC) each year. In fact, REDC — one of the most reputable and successful real estate auction companies in the nation — is on pace to hold more than 500 events throughout the United States in 2010 alone.

“Certified REDC auction agents will promote confidence among their buyers that they understand the auction process and know how to get the best deals possible,” says Foreclosure.com Director of Education, Linda Yates. “It’s a strategic move that agents and brokers need to add to their businesses — the potential is off the charts.”

In addition to being the leading real estate auction marketing firm in the country, the REDC group of companies also provides real estate brokerage services, asset management and short sale facilitation. The company has established a dominant position in its industry by selling more than $6 billion in real estate assets at auction in 2008 and 2009 alone.

“This certification is yet another tool that REDC provides agents to be successful in the ever-changing distressed real estate market,” says Dave Lee, REDC Senior Vice President of Client Services. “It’s a fantastic way for them to catch and ride this default tidal wave for as long as it lasts.”

Interested agents need to successfully complete a comprehensive, one-time online educational course to earn their REDC certifications.

For more information regarding the REDC Certified Auction Agent program please visit http://redc.theagentuniversity.com or call us at (866) 382-4445.

Whether it’s online or at a live ballroom mega-auction, REDC Certified Auction Agents will understand how to place successful bids for the benefit of their buyers and earn commissions in the process.

Other REDC Certified Auction Agent benefits include:

• REDC Agent Certificate
• Special insight on how auctions work
• Logos for marketing purposes
• Customizable online property brochure
• Agent/broker Web page
  • Networking with other agents
  • Highlight the agents who are certified on the Web
• Become an expert — YOU want to be a certified agent
• Distinguishable auction lapels
• Meet/greet auctioneer and assistants
• Reserved auction-day seating

For more information regarding the REDC Certified Auction Agent program please visit http://redc.theagentuniversity.com or call us at (866) 382-4445.

One of the most daunting aspects of getting involved in distressed real estate is the misconception that you have to go it alone.

On the contrary, enlisting help from local professionals who have experience and “on the ground” knowledge can make your house hunt as profitable and painless as possible.

It just makes perfect sense … and cents.

Fortunately, there is a lot of help out there to see you through your distressed property purchases from start to finish.

And Foreclosure.com is the place to start.

In addition to free access to the best, as well as the most current and accurate distressed property listings in the United States, we also provide you with all the education and resources you need to get going.

These resources include community experts to help you pinpoint the best houses in your area. They also include reliable agents who can handle all aspects of your distressed property purchase.

To find a qualified agent in your area today, and to search our nationwide broker network, click here.

In addition, the May 2010 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available. Dubbed “Find an agent,” it’s all about helping you find the right agent so that you can snatch up that perfect property … before someone else does.

All you have to do is find some properties you think you might like and then pick up the phone or fire off an email to your local community expert.

It’s that simple. Just check out “Find an agent” today to learn more.

To find a qualified agent in your area today, and to search our nationwide broker network, click here.

Spring has sprung!

We’ve added new courses to Agent University to help you take advantage of not just residential distressed real estate, but the commercial market, too, as winter finally begins to thaw.

We’ve also included important information to help you find and capitalize on leads to keep your business going and growing.

The fallout from the subprime crisis has created unique conditions — residential and commercial distressed real estate are ripe for the picking … as long as you’re equipped with the necessary tools to take advantage of the situation.

It’s an exciting time of year. So let’s gear up now to make the most of it.

Agent University’s monthly newsletter (read it right here) is jam-packed with helpful information, training opportunities and marketing tips that will help you make the most of the spring and summer months ahead. And it’s free.

Sign up to receive the newsletter today! Click here

(Note that the email newsletter sign up is located on the top-left of the page).

Boca Raton, Fla. — March 5, 2010 — Foreclosure.com Director of Education, Linda Yates, will deliver a live, seven-hour Certified Foreclosure Agent (CFA) training course for the benefit of more than 100 agents at ERA® International Business Conference (IBC) 2010, which is scheduled for the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, March 15, 2010.

“Distressed real estate in general and foreclosures in particular will continue to account for a significant amount of transactions now and in the future,” said Yates. “CFA training puts agents on the forefront of this industry-leading trend. We are honored to bring our certification training to IBC.”

The deal-driven educational seminar will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. Seats are already sold out.

WHO: Linda Yates, Foreclosure.com Director of Education, delivering a seven-hour certification course that will teach

WHAT: Live, hands-on Certified Foreclosure Agent (CFA) training at ERA® International Business Conference (IBC) 2010

WHERE: Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center, Bayou E conference room, 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 37214

WHEN: Monday, March 15, 2010, from 8 to 4 p.m. ET.

Remember that Foreclosure.com Agent University certification and training is open to all agents. For a complete list of courses, including the online CFA training course, click here.

About Foreclosure.com Agent University
Foreclosure.com Agent University offers serious real estate professionals the best selection of training opportunities and certification programs available in the industry today. Our designations are universally recognized as the standard of excellence. Certified agents stand out among their peers, closing more deals and earning higher commissions. We provide agents with invaluable knowledge, skills and tools that ensure consistent success … even in the most challenging markets. Our industry-leading certification programs, Certified Foreclosure Agent, Certified Short Sale Agent and Certified Commercial Foreclosure Agent, offer varying degrees of participation at the lowest possible prices.

On the Web
AgentUniversity.Foreclosure.com
www.Twitter.com/foreclosure_com
www.facebook.com/Foreclosurecom