PDI Blog

The End is Nigh!

2013-08-21T16:24:00.003-04:00

Crunchtime is here!

This is the time that some dread arriving (you procrastinators) and some look forward to ending (those of us in the office). The biennial District of Columbia real estate renewal season is coming to a close, so we thought we'd take some time and answer your questions about the banking of hours for DC (and Maryland).

You ask, we answer -

"What happens after I take my class? When will my credits be uploaded? Why is this taking so long?"

1) Faculty submit attendance packets to the office - this can take between 1-3 business days especially for classes that were held over a weekend.

2) Attendance packets are processed in the order they are received.

3) The rosters are reviewed by staff - if a signature or license number is missing this slows down the process for that particular student and requires additional staff time.

4) The credits are uploaded to Pulseportal.com - if the system crashes or slows down, this in turn slows down the process for PDI.

5) Any walk-in students to the classes are sent their certificates via email from PDI after their credits are uploaded to Pulseportal.

6) Maryland issues a confirmation to PDI verifying receipt each time credits are uploaded, DC's Pulseportal does not.

We strongly recommend that students keep track of the credits they have taken and check this information against Pulseportal to ensure that they can renew their license in a timely fashion.

Here's how to check your account at pulseportal.com (For DC)
    Choose a Program - District of Columbia
    Choose a Board - Real Estate
    Under Search/Inquiry Services Choose - Review my CE Transcript
    Provide your social security number, your DC license number and your last name as indicated.
    The system will show you what courses have been uploaded.

Here's how to check your account with the DLLR online (For Maryland)

Go to http://www.dllr.state.md.us/
Click Boards and Commissions
Click Real Estate Commission
Click the tab that says Education
Click Continuing Education Banking (For use by licensees to verify Continuing Education submitted by Education Providers)
https://www.dllr.state.md.us/cgi-bin/ElectronicLicensing/RE/CE/CEquery1.cgi
Select License Type
Enter Registration Number and your PIN/PASSWORD

If items are missing, please confirm this with Pulseportal or the DLLR by printing out a copy of your CE transcript before placing a call to PDI. Your transcript can provide us with important information that will allow us to more efficiently assist you.

When you sign into a class, kindly check that that your email address and your license information is correct. Add missing information.

If you are a walk-in student, please write your name on the sign in sheet as it appears on your license and all of your license number(s) clearly and accurately.

The fact is with the looming deadline of August 31st, DC's Pulseportal is being inundated with credit submissions. We are doing the best that we can to get your credits banked to their system as quickly as possible but experience has shown that it can take from 5-7 business days to get credits uploaded.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Newly approved classes offer more variety in electives

2013-03-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here's a peek at some of the new courses we are now offering in our continuing education curriculum.

Establishing and Managing a Team covers the concepts and proven techniques for leading and managing a team. Learn to formulate goals using SMART criteria, discovering and developing best practices for team leadership.

Hand shakes close a deal

Everyone can use better negotiating skills - or a refreshed perspective on how to negotiate where both parties feel successful and leave the table with the a good outcome. Negotiating: Getting to a Meeting of the Minds will outline methodologies for effective negotiation. How to deal with difficult people and role-playing work with communication strategies are also covered.

2010 Legal Updates for Teams gives associate brokers and team leaders the tools they can use to lead and increase awareness of the legal ramifications in team work.

This class covers the provisions of the Broker's Act and Commission guidelines. Group discussion and case studies illustrate potentially problematic areas such as advertising, dual agency and the team leader/broker relationship. An essential course for agents and associate brokers considering becoming a team leader.

PDI faculty member Cammie Reed will be teaching these classes which offer something for everyone - salespeople, brokers, team leaders, associate brokers.

We are pleased to offer these new classes. Good turnout in attendance will ensure they will be offered more frequently.

Visit our website at www.pditraining.net for more details. View our schedule and enroll today while seats are still available.

Shaking Hands Photo by MrGribbz

What's Jerry got to do with it?

2013-03-18T10:40:00.000-04:00

"Are my credits banked?"

One of the more common questions we get asked here in the office in an odd numbered year involves the DC renewals, particularly regarding the banking of credits.

To get the very latest information on whether your course credits from PDI (or any school) have been banked, here's what to do.

Or to paraphrase Jerry Maguire "help us help you"

Here's how to check your account at www.pulseportal.com:

Choose a Program - District of Columbia
Choose a Board - Real Estate
Under Search/Inquiry Services Choose - Review my CE Transcript
Provide your social security number, your DC license number and your last name as indicated.
The system will show you what courses have been uploaded.

If you see something missing regarding classes you took at PDI - please email or fax us a copy of your CE transcript from Pulse Portal and we will be able to assist you further.

The DC Legislative Update or DC Law Review - Finding the best match

2013-02-07T23:30:00.000-05:00

The DC market is heating up!

With the DC renewals period fast approaching, many of our students are asking about two courses on our schedule, The DC Legislative Update and the DC Law Review. Which course is your best choice depends on what goal you have in mind.

If you need to renew your existing DC real estate license, you'll need to take the DC Legislative Update class, which is a DC requirement. While it covers legal and legislative materials, the class is continuing education for current DC licensees, not specifically designed as a test prep course.

Are you seeking to take the next step in your career by obtaining a license by reciprocity? Then you'll need to sign up for our specially designed test preparation class, the DC Law Review. This class is especially designed to prepare you for the Law Portion of the DC exam.

We are offering a DC Law Review class on Friday, March 8, 2013 in Wheaton, MD from Noon to 2:45 PM. Taught by Stu Reynolds, a DC real estate broker, this is one of our most popular courses.

You can enroll for the DC Legislative Update and the other required DC courses on multiple days in many locations in Maryland, DC and Virginia. You can view our class schedule here for a date that works best for you.

Not sure what credits you need? Want to check your DC credits?

Here are a few links you might find helpful:

Pulse Portal

DC Real Estate Board

New Continuing Education procedures from the DLLR

2012-10-23T15:23:00.002-04:00

The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR ) announced new procedures for Real Estate Continuing Education. As a service to our community we wanted to let you know about this new development.

Effective Wednesday, October 24, 2012 all Maryland Continuing Education providers are required to "bank" hours students take in both an in-classroom and an online, distance learning setting with the DLLR. This is similar to procedures that are already in place for the District of Columbia's real estate board.

This is an effort in Maryland to streamline and automate the licensing process and be "greener" by moving away from printed paper. Here at the Professional Development Institute (PDI) we will be banking the class hours as mandated.

To ensure accuracy of your records, we encourage you to check that your data is accurate on the PDI website. Occasionally we find we are missing your license number or aren't aware that our students are licensed in multiple jurisdictions. Having an up-to-date and accurate email address will also be helpful in allowing the DLLR to contact you. The advantage to this new system is that students will gain access to their records in real time. You'll be able to see what CE courses you've taken from any Maryland school and which classes you might still need to complete your certification.

Once the hours are banked in Maryland's system, the DLLR will send each student an email confirmation stating that the school where you took classes has banked your hours. This new policy also no longer requires school to issue paper certificates. At PDI we will continue to issue certificates for the time being but may curtail that at a later date.

Counseling First-Time Homebuyers

2012-08-27T13:32:00.001-04:00

We all know the adage, that your home is your castle. But how do you counsel the potential King or Queen on the castle of their choice?

Photo courtesy of Salim's Flickr photostream

With prices so low, more first-time buyers are finding that renting is increasingly less attractive over time than buying their own home. Yet at the same time, mortgages are tougher to come by, down payments steeper and the inventory of foreclosed or abandoned homes which may require effort to make them habitable again, continues to grow.

How do you assist the first-timer through the pathway to home ownership while building their trust and confidence in taking on such a huge financial responsibility?

First-time home buyers in this market are renters, often coming from higher-end luxury apartments. Many are used to brand new, stainless steel appliances, free cable, gyms and pools. Particularly in this area, homes near the Metro lines are highly sought after.

Photo courtesy of DenverJeffrey's Flickr stream

Sometimes it can be a surprise to go from these deluxe rental units to something more modest or in need of repair. But no matter the square footage or daunting condition, achieving the goal of purchasing a home of one's own builds pride of ownership as well as long-term equity.

Photo courtesy of RoaroftheFour's Flickr stream

At the Professional Development Institute, our faculty are highly skilled real estate professionals.
One of them, Langston Chick of Weichert Chevy Chase Uptown Realtors, sat down with us to talk about the way he counsels first-time buyers.

"The most important thing I do aside from helping them find the right house, is to stay with them and follow the process through the entire process to closing. There are plenty of legally mandated rules and regulations that must be considered when meeting with a client (buyer or seller). With inexperienced buyers it's really important to confirm with them what they can afford financially and what areas are they the most interested in." Langston helps them identify some key criteria. Are they seeking the right school district? Do they plan to add on to the home? Perhaps being located closer to work or family members is the most important.

"I give them the information and options. I explain to them what types of financing are available, coaching them through the process of locating the best property. There are so many types of financing. Each county has programs that can help a buyer. Sometimes different cities have special programs as well. Certain professions like teachers, engineers, firefighters or police officers have financial incentives that the buyer could be eligible for."

Langston Chick of Weichert Chevy Chase Uptown & PDI by Danielle Probst

There are many resources on the internet but the specific advantage to working with a realtor, particularly for the for the first-time buyer is that realtors are knowledgeable about the latest changes in the laws and what new programs are coming into the pipeline. Continuing education classes are just one of many ways real estate agents stay informed of these market developments.

"It comes down to considering exactly what the buyer can afford, not just the mortgage but factoring in utilities, annual maintenance and upkeep as well as taxes. And is as cliched as it is true, location is a crucial factor in the decision."

What other tips have you shared with first-time home buyers as they prepare to take the plunge? What specific snags do you repeatedly see buyers face? How do you counsel them? We'd like to hear your ideas on our Facebook page here.

Distance Learning - Tales from the Salesperson Pre-Licensing Program

2012-08-17T17:10:00.002-04:00

Did you know that online, distance learning classes are available through PDI?

In addition to the in-classroom continuing education courses for which we have a well-established reputation, we offer students hundreds of distance learning classes from the convenience of any location.

One student who took the Maryland Pre-licensing Sales course, Julie, describes her experience.

"I have worked as an assistant to a broker for 7 years. I really enjoy the job but I discovered that having more qualifications would be a big benefit to me in terms of being able to better support my boss. Since I work full-time, I wasn't able to commit the time to taking the class in person."

The advantage for Julie is that her employer was supportive of her plan and paid for the course to assist her in this important career advancement step.

"Having the license enables me to tell customers the price of the property they are interested in. Without being licensed, I can't legally do that." Julie didn't want to have to put a potential customer off to await a return call from an agent so she enrolled in the Sales Pre-licensing class.

It was a new experience for her to study in an online environment but not a markedly different one. "The class seemed to follow quite logically. I really didn't miss the live experience of being in a classroom." The flexibility allowed her to study at her own pace, so she was able to go on vacation in the midst of the course.

Though she had been in mortgage banking for 20 years and was familiar with real estate terms, she admitted that "memorizing the new vocabulary was tough. For someone starting from scratch it might be more difficult." Despite this challenge, Julie came into the office to sit for her exam and passed with and A - 94%.

Have you stopped by our distance learning page to see what we have on offer? What do you think would be more difficult for you, an online class or one in a conventional classroom?

A little organizing magic in the New Office

2012-08-10T15:29:00.001-04:00

If you haven't had time to do it before embarking on an office move, unpacking provides a good opportunity to clear the clutter and consolidate materials. This week, we tackled the office supply cabinet.

Since we forgot to take a photo of the "before", we'll ask you to use your imagination and picture a tightly packed Cabinet of Chaos.

Borrowing from the Harry Potter series, we have turned our Office Supply Cabinet of Chaos into the
Cabinet of Requirement.

Students are beginning to find their way into our new digs and so far the feedback we are getting is positive.
Broker Student Shray Pandya of CashBack RealEstate gives our Broker Pre-Licensing Program and our new offices the 'thumbs up".

Now when you enter our office, here's the view that greets you in the reception area.

All our copying and document preparation is done here in our new copier room and storage area. Having plenty of counter space and built-in storage is a huge plus. All of the light switches are motion controlled, so they save energy by switching off when the room is empty for more than a few minutes.

Our metro area map has been hung up you can really see how bright the office is, even on an overcast and rainy day.

In the coming days we'll continue hanging pictures and getting our cabinets more organized. Maybe even a few plants will show up as well. Have any good office plant recommendations? Maybe you've given someone or something the thumbs up recently? Have you worked any organizational magic in your office this week? We'd like to hear your advice and see your photos on our Facebook page which you can "like" here.

It's beginning to look a lot like an office...

2012-08-03T16:26:00.001-04:00

After the movers came and moved us on Tuesday, we reported to work in the new office space on Wednesday of this week. All the while continuing to run classes all over the DC metro area and online. It's been a busy here getting things unpacked and placed where we wanted them and this will no doubt be a work in progress for a few more days yet.

Let's travel back in time to see what our space looked like last week...

It was dusty and there was some construction going on. Drywall had been hung and walls were being painted. Lighting panels were installed in the ceiling.

There was a "snazzy in the 70's" tile floor in the corner which went from this...

To this...an office cubicle with some nice blue gray carpeting.

However, we are still unpacking moving boxes. These plastic ones were very easy to stack up once emptied.

We have all pitched in with the unpacking and progress is being made. Here's a view of the entry way.

This is the view looking in the opposite direction, down the hallway. To the right is the copier room and kitchen area/break room.

There's still art to be hung, a few more items to be put away or donated, but thankfully things are shaping up and looking less chaotic around here.

For those of you who have asked, yes we are still holding classes in our classroom in Suite 618 at the Westfield North Building in Wheaton. It's 5 just minutes from our new administrative office here in Kensington.

Did you move this week? Organize your office? Did you tackle any painting or improvement projects? Or do you have any of that on your agenda for this coming weekend? Feel free to share your stories and photos with us on our Facebook page.

A new home for our offices

2012-07-27T12:02:00.000-04:00

We're moving!

As of August 1, 2012, our administrative offices are relocating from Wheaton to Kensington, Maryland. Our classroom will remain in Wheaton. Our phone, fax and email will remain the same.

Our new address will be:

Professional Development Institute (Administrative Offices)

10605 Concord Street, 3rd Floor

Kensington, MD 20895

Getting to our new office is easy, it's just 1.5 miles down University Boulevard (from our present location) near the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Plyers Mill Road.

With lots of antique shops, greenspace and restaurants; Kensington is a pleasant place to visit, live and work.

We're just "down the road".

The new office is being built out especially for us - here's a sneak peek!


This is the front door from inside, looking into the exterior hallway.

Today the installation of the wall insulation began. We've just passed the electrical inspection so the final bits of drywall can go up now. All the work that needs to be completed is "cosmetic". That is to say, it's not looking it's finished best at the moment so please forgive the "under construction" views!

Crew were working throughout the space. View from the reception area and down the hallway towards the back offices.

There are full length windows that run from just above the floor to the ceiling along the outer wall of the building. It will be nice to have lots of natural light to work in during the day, and to watch the occasional dramatic storm. Maybe add some plants for the window sills?


Just a few ceiling panels and light fixtures, then we're good to go!

Some of the space has an open area floor plan which provides some flexibility with the furniture layout. Cabinetry will create a built-in feeling in other areas like the kitchen/break room and the copier room.

This view of the building's exterior shows off those big windows.

There's ample parking on the above ground deck as well as beneath the building. Concord also has plenty of street parking. Wheaton will still be home to our classroom, and we'll miss being so close to the Metro Station on the red line, but as one door closes, another opens. We are excited for the new changes ahead.

Distance Learning - My First Experience

2012-07-20T17:04:00.002-04:00

by Danielle Probst

Online classes, distance learning, e-learning, these are the current names used for taking a course that is not offered in a traditional classroom with a teacher and other students in the same physical space. In the last few centuries, an encounter with distance learning involved a long and lonely correspondence course via the postal service. Today's experience however can be a multi-sensory one with video, audio, and real-time interaction with faculty and classmates via the internet or based in virtual 3D environments such as Active Worlds or Second Life.

At the Professional Development Institute we have offered a distance learning option to students since 2005. Many of our continuing education courses are in real estate and realty related fields, but we also offer curriculum in areas such as college test prep.

In an effort to better understand the distance learning process and what it might be like for our students, I thought I would sign up for a class myself and share my experiences here.

The class I've enrolled in is offered via our partner Ed2Go and will help me brush up on my CSS and HTML web skills.

My class went online Wednesday but it's Thursday evening before I'm ready to try my first class. I go to the site and log in. After a brief snag where I have forgotten my password (they emailed it to me within a few minutes), up comes my class page. I'm invited to take a pre-test, like a placement quiz to see how much I know (or don't) already. My results come back instantly and I'm asked to print the results for my records. Hmm...Nothing like a little incentive to improve my score...

Now for Lesson 1 - the structure is a few chapters with a discussion area where I note folks are already asking questions. There's a page with some links of supplementary material, a quiz page and a page where I can download or print out the entire lesson. This is a huge time saver because I can read and review this while on the bus or subway, where I don't usually have internet access.

I have to say, I am pleased with my first interaction. It all seems fairly straight forward and easy to navigate around. I'm looking forward to interacting with my classmates in the discussion area and to the next lesson. If this looks like fun, you can sign up for a distance learning course with us here.

Have you taken an on-line class? Have you ever forgotten your password just days after choosing it?

I'll be back with more of my tales from the virtual classroom later.

Stu Reynolds Interview - The Advantages to Becoming a Real Estate Broker

2012-07-13T15:29:00.000-04:00

article and photo of Stu Reynolds by Danielle Probst

I sat down recently with Stu Reynolds, one of our popular, long-time instructors who has also been teaching our Maryland & DC Broker Pre-Licensing programs. We started talking about why people might want to take the plunge and study for a broker license. He'll soon begin leading a DC Broker Pre-Licensing course that he has specially developed for PDI.

DP: Stu, tell me about why someone might want to take the time and effort to become a broker?

SR: It's not just about the increased ability to earn more income, I think a good reason to become a broker is to make yourself more competitive in the marketplace. It's like moving up to the master's level, the highest you can go in real estate as a career. I can offer my clients a substantially increased level of knowledge. As a broker I'm better qualified to guide them towards home ownership, but for the same commission rate (6%) as a sales person.

DP: So there's an educational advantage.

SR: Some sales people might be tired of paying ever increasing fees to their broker, plus the office fee.

DP: You mean overhead fees for the broker?

SR: Yes, for use of the office space, electricity, all that stuff that comes with running a business. If you're going to have to cover these costs, why not have your own brokerage? Another advantage as a broker is you can have other agents working for you. This can be profitable because you can get a cut of the fees generated by your salespeople.

DP: That sounds like you could make some fairly good money.

SR: Well keep in mind you only make money from about 20% of your agents, so you need to be able to motivate and manage your agents as well as to recruit good sales people to begin with. It can be rewarding, but you need to be aware of the level of commitment that is involved. You have to factor in the critical mass.

DP: In your experience then, what could the earning potential for a broker be?

SR: I've seen well-organized, disciplined brokers bring in $50 to 60 thousand a year. That's passive income. If you have listings on top of that, you can do well. In Maryland, you can take the broker exam and wait until you are ready to become a broker, associate broker or strike out on your own. In the meantime, you can be a team leader or manage a series of teams because you'll have the education and gain valuable experience.

DP: In other words, you could become a broker and never sell another property, just manage teams and make commissions?

SR: Yes, and for some people, that works for them. Also as a broker you can train and teach. In fact, new laws in Maryland require that brokers offer training or a sales meeting every 60 days.

DP: What other observations have you made about the broker program?

SR: I spend a lot of extra time going over mathematics for real estate, property management, appraisals and Maryland law. Folks especially seem to have trouble with those areas. But I am patient because I want to make sure that my students thoroughly understand all aspects of being a broker.

I'm surprised that my classes have a majority of men in them. I keep wondering where the women and minority broker candidates are. At PDI, the broker program is only 2 days a week for 3 months with text books included. I think that makes it an easier schedule to commit to.

DP: Do you find students typically sign up for all 3 sessions at once?

SR: It depends. Some folks take the time to do the whole program consecutively, but it's not required. For others, the flexibility of the "pay as you go" method works better. The entire program is $1445, which works out to about $480 a session. The payoff is an opportunity to propel your entire career forward.

If you'd like more information on the DC and Maryland Broker Pre-Licensing courses, check out the link here on our website.

Programs are ongoing, but new sessions are based on minimum enrollment numbers.

Very Pinteresting!

2012-05-31T10:28:00.000-04:00

By now you may have heard of Pinterest. It's the 3rd most popular B2C (business to consumer) social media site after Facebook and Twitter.

With Pinterest you can "pin" a variety of images onto online "pinboards" that are titled according to their content. It's appealing on many levels because it is visually satisfying and encourages sharing, further browsing and pinning. It creates "stickiness" and compels users to stay on the site. You can apply this same principle for your brand.

Here's how to get started with some Pinterest best practices.

You can set up business accounts on Pinterest but we encourage you try out Pinterest as an individual first, particularly in real estate where you are your brand, this is advantageous. Ask a friend who has it for an invitation or contact us at PDI and we'll send you one.

Spend a few minutes browsing around and getting a feel for what others are pinning and you'll gain a sense of how you can create boards that will attract others.

Now create a few boards. Some of the most popular topics on Pinterest are related to weddings, shoes, food and nails/manicures since the early adopters in the US were women. But women are often won over on a property by the state of a home's kitchen or bath or the room's future potential. However, Pinterest is not just for the ladies. It's gaining ever more traction with men as it continues to grow in popularity.

Some ideas for real estate focused pinboards could be Vacation Homes, Lofts, My Listings, Great School Districts, Homes We've Sold, and Our Partners, which might showcase vendors you have a relationship with. Home stagers, contractors or property management companies all may have good images for pinning.

Do you have videos or a series of photos you've made into a slide show and converted to a video presentation? No problem, you can also pin video links from YouTube and Vimeo.

Once you've created a few boards and pinned some, start following other boards. You can start with ours!

Upload your own content now and then, rather than exclusively re-pinning others images/videos. It's important to generate your own images because it optimizes your search engine rankings. Make sure that the Pinterest icon is on your website or blog and in your email signature. Here's a link for that. Install the “pin it” button to encourage people to re-pin your images. There's even an iPhone app available for download.

Here are some examples of how realtors are beginning to use Pinterest.

This pin is from Ashley Durham's pinboard, and directs to her Alabama real estate website. This eye catching, country style kitchen has a lot of appeal for people who like to cook but may not specifically be looking for a new home. This capitalizes on the social sharing aspect of Pinterest very effectively.

This property is listed in Vancouver, BC and was pinned and re-pinned. It directs to davidroper.ca the listing agent's website where you can view a slide show of the property. Notice the banner in the upper left corner of the image with the price. It's easy to add a value to a pin by typing the currency sign for your country and a number.

You can curate your own boards or you can invite others to join you in a collaborative pinning effort. Give credit where credit is due, make an effort to cite the source of the images you use. Gratitude and links go a long way. Pinterest is a great way to generate more interest in your company and your listings, and best of all - it only costs you in time.

So Realtors, are you pinning yet? Share your boards with us, we'll be featuring the "Best of" on our Pinterest board.

The 203 (k) Loan - What is it? How can it help?

2012-05-04T11:20:00.000-04:00

Stephanie Gross

The 203 (k) loan is a "one stop shopping" loan that may be the best one available today for repairing and renovating homes, including short sales and foreclosed properties. Improved homes can help build communities and bring about neighborhood revitalization.

When a buyer wants to purchase a property that needs work, usually the buyer must get financing for the purchase, then the rehab and finally to finance the long-term mortgage. The 203 (k) program helps buyers avoid the high interest rates and short amortization periods by helping the borrower to get just one mortgage loan to finance both the purchase and the rehab of the property.

The HUD website has an excellent description of the 203 (k) program here.

But a few noteworthy items are :

The property must be a 1-4 unit dwelling that has been completed for at least a year, so even relatively new construction is applicable.

New construction must be attached to the dwelling. Even if the unit has been demolished or razed for rehab work, it's eligible as long as some of the existing foundation remains.

This loan can be used to rehab and convert a multi-unit dwelling to a single, one family unit. This can be used for converting a duplex into a single family home.

The 203(k) mortgage can be originated in a mixed-use context. In a mixed-use zone for example, with a 2 storey building, 49% of the space must be used for storefront purposes. This could be ideal for a small business owner who wants to work from home or "live above the store". In fact this strategy could be a key component in a hyper-local neighborhood revitalization plan. Music teachers, artists, chefs, personal trainers, yoga teachers or any career that is soloprenurial or involves only a few staff could benefit. Even non-profit agencies can be approved as eligible mortgagors, just as owner-occupants, if HUD requirements are met.

Having a basic understanding of the 203(k) loan can open up possibilities of sales and community development in ways not previously considered.

Stephanie Gross

Perhaps you have listings which are bank-owned, REO's or the ultimate "fixer-upper." These loans can be used beneficially to finance improvements such as room additions, decks, and to increase energy efficiency or even to upgrade to solar.

Time has shown that revitalization is most significant and lasting when effected at the grassroots level. Neighborhoods that thrive, do so when a critical mass of stability and community is reached. Traditionally, the measure of a good community was found in real estate values and good schools. However, today's homeowners and real estate investors are placing additional value on quality of life, walkable neighborhoods and in live/work mixed use areas.

A social example of this is the “Better Block” project; an open sourced, neighborhood revitalization campaign. These projects take place in areas filled with vacant properties and few if any amenities for people who live within walking distance. Organized by community members residents, coalesce to convert the block into a walkable, bikeable neighborhood destination. Projects like these can demonstrate the power of rapid implementation and create strong community bonds while infrastructure is renewed and reinforced. For a far-sighted realtor, the 203(k) loan can be a unique opportunity to increase sales and add value to the community infrastructure with long-term benefits.

Streetsense schematic for a development project in Mt. Rainier from the blog of Mt. Rainier Junior City Council Member, Brent C. Bolin's blog

If you'd like to gain more knowledge of how to best utilize this option for your clients, PDI offers 3 hour elective courses on the 203(k) loan. Upcoming classes in May and June 2012 are offered in Wheaton at our main campus as well as in Largo and Catonsville, MD. "The Nuts and Bolts of 203 K" Click here to go to our course schedule and sign up for the next class.

Have you had experience with the 203(k) loan? Share your stories with us in the comments or on our Facebook page.

Special thanks to Stephanie Gross at www.stephaniegross.com for the use of her house rehab images.

The effect of Noise Pollution on Real Estate - When Loud Noises Make Bad Neighbors

2012-04-23T14:34:00.000-04:00

An example of a green soundwall with plantings and curve to mitigate traffic noise in Hong Kong.

When buying a home, it is often recommended to visit the area at various times of the day and night before making an offer on the property. Though a good REALTOR® will guide their clients, it's best for everyone to know what the general noise level might be; what is merely an annoyance for one person may be intolerable for another. This is especially true for homes near a busy street or interstate highway, in the flight path of an airport or close to a rail road track, especially at a crossing.

With airport construction and expansion, light rail systems and an increase in more hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" to extract natural gas, noise pollution is increasing.

To give some perspective and define "loudness", the sound of a shouting voice is about 80-90 decibels which is comparable to standard road. An air conditioner is 40-50 decibels. An un-muffled diesel truck is 90-100 decibels, and a train horn from 100 feet away is 95-115 decibels.

A study in 2005 by a Spanish researcher found that households in urban areas are willing to spend the equivalent of about $577.50 a year for noise abatement.

Noise pollution effects both psychological and physiological health. Loud sounds cause annoyance, aggression, hypertension, tinnitus, and sleep disturbance. Ultimately hearing loss is caused by extended periods of exposure. Nor are animals immune from the effects of acoustic over exposure, causing European robins to sing at night and certain species of whales to beach themselves due to the use of military sonar in the oceans.

Property valuations are traditionally lower (up to 30% in some areas) depending on the buyer's perception of the noise and how it may impact the quality of life.

The regulation of environmental noise, while on the books in most areas since 1972's federal Noise Control Act, can be difficult to impose since local governments may find enforcement via litigation cost prohibitive. Even with legislation, residents and businesses in unaffected areas may perceive noise pollution as more of an annoyance rather than a true environmental hazard.

A traffic quieting barrier over a bridge in Occoquan, Virginia

A "quiet" interior is defined as 45 decibels. New building construction must follow strict building codes which require acoustical analysis and modeling of interior and exterior environments. Retrofits and renovations to older homes usually include such noise abatement options as double paned or thicker glass windows, sound proofing mats and urethane spray foam insulation which provides a denser covering than fiberglass. These noise barriers also contribute to mitigating energy costs so they make an advantageous investment over the longer term. A consultation with a landscape architect who can suggest a combination of deciduous plantings, earthen berms, and a fence or wall may also be worth the expense. Such exterior amendments may reduce the impact by up to 10 decibels. A reduction of 9 decibels is the equivalent of about 80 percent of unwanted noise, illustrating the adage that silence can indeed be golden.

What has your experience been with "noisy" properties? Have you had a hard time selling a home next to a highway or fire station? Share your stories with us here in the comments section or via Twitter @pditeam or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PDITraining

Photos by the Virginia Department of Transportation and Eskiyu Architecture, Hong Kong

Risk Event

2011-10-07T11:20:00.001-04:00

The Professional Development Institute is presenting a Risk Event Friday, November 4, 2011, at the Gaithersburg Holiday Inn, 2 Montgomery Village Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. followed by a cocktail hour. The program will be a series of three credit Continuing Education classes designed to assist you in minimizing exposure arising from various types of risk.

The classes will be taught by Robert L. Pettis, Jr., Licensed Maryland Professional Engineer and an Associate Broker with over 26 years of award winning residential sales experience in Montgomery and Fairfax Counties, and the District of Columbia. Licensees will learn current state disclosure of material facts, latent defects and property condition, and RESPA, HOA and Condo Association requirements. Recent agency disclosure guidance from the Maryland Real Estate Commission and other sources of potential risk encountered in your everyday business will be addressed.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Classes, 8:30am to 6:00pm
Cocktail Hour for All Attendees, 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Get 9 Hours of MD CE Credit:
MREC-Agency-Residential 8:45am-11:30am 3.0 Hrs MD (elective through 12/31/2011, mandatory thereafter)
Material and Confidential Facts 12:15pm-3:00pm 3.0 Hrs MD (leg. required)
Maryland Residential Property Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement;
REO's and Risk Reduction 3:15pm-6:00pm 3.0 Hrs MD (elective)

$109.00 for All Three Classes, or $40 per Class if paid by November 2nd
$50 per Class thereafter.

Gaithersburg Holiday Inn
2 Montgomery Village Avenue
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879

Important: New FTC rule creates new requirements for Realtors®

2011-09-23T12:36:00.000-04:00

MRIS to Deliver Real Time System Alerts to Customers

2011-09-13T11:52:00.001-04:00

BUCKS; Home Sellers in Denial

2011-09-06T12:30:00.001-04:00

Online Real Estate License in Louisiana

2011-06-17T11:33:00.003-04:00

Louisiana Real Estate License Online

How to get your real estate license online in Louisiana

It’s easy to get you real estate license online in Louisiana. There are several reputable companies that are offering programs online. Real estate in Louisiana seems to continue to stay strong. Markets are good from Monroe to New Orleans. A career in real estate can be very rewarding. Many real estate professionals enjoy high standards or living and helping members of their local community. If you already know that a career in real estate is for you than continue to read to find out about earning your real estate license online.

Step 1. The most important decision in this process is determining which school you are going to study with. There are many scams in the real estate world so we advise our readers to do lots of research and find the schools that are established and that have a strong reputation for producing successful agents. We recommend The Professional Development Institute. They have been helping real estate professionals succeed since 1998 and they have a very prestigious name. To see their online programs visit http://www.pditraining.net/DistanceEd/RealEstate.cfm#RE

Step 2. Once you are enrolled in a program do your best to set goals for yourself. To keep yourself on track we suggest you sign up for the Louisiana real estate exam. This will give you a date to work towards. Another suggestion is to set aside a block of time every day or every week that is devoted to your real estate course. This makes it easier for you to stay focused and stay on track.

Step 3. While you are in the course make sure to start networking. Get involved in the community and let people know that you are soon going to be a real estate professional. Networking groups or other professional groups are a good place to start making connections in the community. This is a great way to jumpstart your career.

Step 4. Develop a strong relationship with your school. Often, the school you studying with can be your best source for any continuing education requirements you may need in the future. Work hard to form a relationship with the school. Make an effort to personally speak with people at the organization you choose. If you have the option of connecting with the professor one-on-one then go ahead and take advantage of the chance to leave a lasting impression.

Having a strong reputation in the community is critical to you success. That is way we urge you to choose the right school. Some schools carry a reputation and their students graduate with instant credibility. The Professional Development Institute is known for their prestige and their costs are very similar to other programs. If you would like to study with them you can find out more about them on their website at http://www.pditraining.net

A career in real estate can be very rewarding. If you have decided to work towards that career be ready for hard work and a lot of fun. We wish you the best of luck on your new journey!

Washington DC Real Estate

2011-06-14T11:12:00.000-04:00

Washington DC Real Estate

Washington DC is full of incredible places to live. The city is split into four quadrants: Northwest, Northeast, Southeast and Southwest. The quadrants sprawl out from the Capital building. If you are considering making a move into the district then we urge you to read on to find out which part of the district is right for you.

Northwest

Northwest DC is a wonderful place to live. The quadrant is full of some of the most popular and well known neighborhoods in the district.

Georgetown

Georgetown is a very famous part of DC. The area is full of beautiful homes, shops and restaurants. The neighborhood is very close to the water and the beauty is consistently enjoyed by many tourists and locals.

Adams Morgan

Adams Morgan is a great place to live. The neighborhood is very fun and full of things to do. There are several outstanding restaurants in the area and many great shops to enjoy. The neighborhood is within close walking distance to many other great parts of Northwest and two different metro stops. Meriden Park is located just off of 16th St. near Adams Morgan and is a great place to enjoy the warm weather.

U-Street

U-Street is known for their great restaurants and nightlife. The area is covered with fun little businesses. One of the most famous stops on U-Street is Ben’s Chili Bowl.

Columbia Heights

Living in Columbia Heights has many great benefits. The area has many big box stores, like Target and Best Buy. Columbia Heights is also one of the metro stops, so by living here you will have access to many places in and around DC.

DuPont Circle

DuPont Circle is a very desirable place to live. The area attracts some of the cities best restaurants and nightlife venues. Many businesses choose to open up shop in this part of the district because of its constant traffic and presence of people.

Chinatown

Chinatown is known as a place that always has lots going on. The area is home to Verizon Stadium, which is where the Capitals play hockey and the Wizards play basketball. This neighborhood also has a bowling ally and a movie theatre.

Rock Creek Park is also primarily situated in the Northwest quadrant of Washington DC.

Rock Creek Park is an incredible component of DC. The massive park spreads throughout the district and offers residents a great place to fish, jog, hike or cross country ski. The park is surprisingly remote and primitive.

Northeast

University Heights

University Heights is conveniently located near the red line Northeast DC. The neighborhood is right next to The Catholic University of America.

Southeast

DC Armory

DC Armory is a neat part of Southeast. Residents enjoy easy access to the stadium where DC United plays soccer.

Eastern Market

Eastern Market is a very famous part of DC. On Sunday one of the best open markets is held here. Many vendors distribute beautiful art and wonderful foods. Living in this area is full of many benefits. It’s a beautiful real estate market and full things to see and do.

Southwest

Buzzard Point

Buzzard Point is an area of Southwest that is very near the water. This area is semi industrial, but desirable to some!

For more information regarding qualified real estate professionals visit http://pditraining.net

MD Real Property Search

2011-06-07T08:48:00.000-04:00

Maryland is a place that is full of beautiful real estate. The state has a great combination of metropolitan regions and remote regions. If you are in the market for real estate in Maryland look hard because there are many treasures to be found here.

This article features many different areas in Maryland. We will give you the quick information about several different regions in the state. With this information you will be able to narrow down your search.

Choosing the right area for you?

First off, you will need to know a few things:

1. What is your budget?

2. What area are you interested in?

**If you are interested in finding a place that is near a metropolitan area then consider these cities:

1. Baltimore, Maryland

There are several very charming neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland, like Fells Point and Fallstaff that we urge you to take a look at. The city sits on the water and there is a wonderful boardwalk with shops and restaurants to visit.

2. Silver Spring, Maryland

Silver Spring, Maryland is located just outside of Washington D.C. The city is home to many great companies and can provide a less expensive place to live for the DC commuter.

**If you are interested in finding real estate in an area that’s not quite as busy, but still has a fairly large local population then you might consider the following cities:

1. Frederick, Maryland

Frederick, Maryland is a nice sized town located near two major highways. It provides great access to both Baltimore and Washington D.C., but remains smaller and more private.

2. Gaithersburg, Maryland

Gaithersburg, Maryland continues to provide outstanding places for employment. It is also a wonderful commuting town to both Baltimore and Washington D.C.

3. Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis, Maryland, home of the Navel Academy, is a true treasure. The town is majestic and fun. There are many beautiful places to live near the water and downtown area. The downtown area has many cute stores and fun restaurants which litter the waterfront. If you are looking for a great place to live then you have found it in Annapolis, Maryland.

4. Hagerstown, Maryland

Hagerstown, Maryland is located in the northern part of the state. It is fairly far for the commuter, but very close to some wonderful nature in both Western Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania

**To find some of the beautiful remote properties in Maryland take a look at these cities:

1. Midland, Maryland

Midland, Maryland is located in the Northwest part of the state. It is a small town surrounded by beauty. The town is near Big Run State Park and seems to have a strong local community.

2. Eldersburg, Maryland

Eldersburg, Maryland residents enjoy the beauty of being near Liberty Lake and Piney Run Park. The city is also near Baltimore, so this could be an ideal spot for the commuter seeking some distance from the city.

3. Leonardtown, Maryland

Leonardtown, Maryland is nicely situated on the Southeastern part of the state. The town is just between Breton Bay and St. Marys River State Park. It’s a unique and beautiful part of the US.

These are some of the many treasures in Maryland. For a more complete list, we recommend you talk to a real estate expert. They can answer you specific answers regarding any of these regions and towns. Visit http://www.PDITraining.net for more information regarding MD Real Property searches.

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful day!

Online Marketing for Real Estate Professionals

2011-05-16T09:13:00.000-04:00

Online marketing is critical to any businesses or entities success. Knowing the tricks and tips to promoting yourself online can be the difference between succeeding and failing. In this article we will talk about some of the most useful marketing tips and tricks available.

We will focus on marketing a real estate professional in this article, although the information can applied to most any field. The first thing you want to do is lay out a marketing plan. You want to know what elements of this plan are going to take place on your own website (on-page optimization) and what elements are going to take place beyond your website (off-page optimization). The trick here is to build a strong bridge between those two worlds. For example, you may have a blog with blogger, so having a feed on your site that displays your blog could be a great way of creating a bridge there.

When assessing improvements with you on-page optimization, it is important to recognize what you are capable of and what is beyond you. The main elements I will discuss with on-page optimization relate to your page titles and Meta tags. It is critical to create descriptive page titles for each page on your website. You also want to generate Meta keywords and a Meta description for each page on you site. You want to make sure that each page is slightly different, but, of course, related. Your Meta descriptions should be short 150 character sentences that describe what your page is about. Use your keywords in the description, but make sure it’s not too dense. You Meta keywords should be short clusters of words separated by a comma. I’d say four to six per page should do the trick. Use words that incorporate your real estate area or market here. There are many great keyword tools online which are free to use. Do some research and find words that are heavily searched with low competition. Again, do research that pertains to the real estate market you are in. Those are the words you want to target. Make sure the words relate to you content though otherwise the end result will not be what you had hoped.

Now let’s talk about off-page optimization. It’s important to establish yourself using social media content. I’d suggest creating a facebook page, twitter handle and blog. You can also get more advanced by incorporating review sites like yelp. Use a social media platform like hootsuite to monitor all your posts. Each week load it up with valuable content and continuously post to your accounts. Do what you can, on-page, to drive people to your social media accounts. Talk about real estate through your profiles, but also give it a personal component.

Another important element to off-page optimization are links. Creating backlinks, or one way links from another site to your own are invaluable. Search engines pride themselves are returning credible results. Backlinks are a tool that show credibility. The more people that point their visitors to your site as a source the more credible your site must be. Using article directories or link directories can be very beneficial. Make sure to not abuse the web or websites and only perform “white hat” SEO. You can cause serious damage to your site if you engage in spamming.

Fire Sale! When More Come In, Than go out.

2008-10-28T13:33:00.002-04:00

Great News! For those of use who have been waiting for the banks to live in the real world, it's starting to happen. As I have been predicting for the last year in my foreclosure seminars and newsletters- when more foreclosed properties come in than go out (sold in foreclosure auctions) - Prices will fall dramatically. "Foreclosures, Falling Prices Sprur Pr. William Home Sales," headlined the front page Washington Post article, Friday Oct. 17. It was the second article in a month highlighting what the newspaper referred to as the "greatest home buying spree the region has ever seen." This is the fire sale phenomena we had discussed in my foreclosure seminars. One of the buyers quoted in the article must have been reading my mail. He said, "Bargain-hunting investors are the best hope for stabilizing foreclosure-ravaged neighborhoods."

Sales in September had increased by 253 percent over September '07 - mainly because lenders dropped the price on the REO stock by an average of $130,000. Banks in northern Virginia choking on a glut of empty foreclosed properties dropped prices and sold 1116 single family detached houses - 118 homes were sold for less than $100,000. One Price Williams agent said to the newspaper reporter, "It's ridiculously busy. People are looking for amazing deals, and i'm writing offers as fast as I can." At this point, the impact is mostly Prince William, but the article did make reference that Fairfax County is starting to move in the same direction. Detached single family house sales in Fairfax County were up 71 percent after the median price dropped 24 percent. This is just a harbinger of things to come. In sourthern California, September year to year house sales were the best in 20 years according to the Investor's Business Daily. Quoting the financial newspaper, "More than half (69%) were bank repossessed homes...priced 33 percent lower.

Watch the next 6 to 8 months and get ready for a new real estate heyday in REO's. With marked activity on both coasts it soon will become nationwide. Keep an eye on the Maryland suburban counties, especially Prince George's and Montgomery (less zip codes for Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Potomac). They have the highest number of foreclosures in the state. Were it not for Maryland legislating an extended foreclosure event time frame (from 15 to 135 days), I believe Prince George's County would have set the first fire sale environment. Licensing, Labor and Regulation, Secretary Perez, warned that foreclsoures are expected to rise in the near future as this was only a "de facto moratorium." Mortgage resets for Prince George's County were expected to average around a 1000 per month from August to December.

Why has the fire sale scenario taken so long when the government's Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) successfully cleared the real estate shelved of excess stock during the Savings and Loan Crisis and brought the market back to equilibrium? I believe there was extensive lobbying against it by the financial services industry. Lenders overvalued property and underestimated losses, and then complicated the issue further by clicing and dicing mortgage into complication derivatives. No one really seems to know how much money is tied up in toxic financial paper. Although, the federal government seems to be getting a "tip of the iceberg" idea as AIG, the insurance giant that insured many of the default swaps based on mortgage-back securities, has already used up much of its $123 Billion rescue package and is looking for more money from the government's lifeline, while the FDIC says a bigger mortgage fix is necessary for the banks. My guess is that wiser heads in some of the banks are starting to see that even the U.S. Treasury has limited patience. If I were a betting man, I'd say fire sales will fill the void.

Now ask yourself, are you ready to handle buyer representation? Yes, there is a fifference. Since I am not one to turn down accolades, let me shre with you the feedback from some of my former Virginia students. Considering, I've only been teaching mainly in Maryland and the District, the Virginia students in my continuing education and "Principles" classes have been limited - maybe a dozen or so after several years. Eleven of my former students contacted me to thank me for focusing them in the right direction on successful REO negotiations in the Prince William County housing frezy. Their claim to fame - they picked the right clients and prepared properly, beating out other agents who were not versed in distressed properties. Particularly, their investors beat out first-time home buyers; their home buyers - with some hammer and nail savvy - stole properties that needed some fix-up and TLC at bargain basement prices; and were able to compute true market value, including interested party contributions, and calculate market rents plus the required surplus - for the PITI on the rental accommodations. If you're interest in brushing up for the next round of cut-rate REOs, stay tuned to my schedule of 6 hour, hands-on mentoring classes on buying and selling foreclosures and buyer representation from PDI.

Mizzer Foreclosure Newsletter

2008-09-15T15:10:00.001-04:00

One more step closer to a 2008 Resolution Trust Corporation (S&L bailout) with Fannie and Freddie in conservatorship, the FDIC dipping deep in their pockets because of troubled banks while another Bear Stearns is on the horizon with Lehman Brothers Barely treading water. Interesting! But wasn't it just several weeks ago when financial industry forecasters were saying the crisis was leveling off? It seems it's always calm before the storm. Lehman's CEO was on CNBC claiming, "No Problem" while David Einhorn, a hedge fund manager, was being quoted in the financial newspapers saying, "They just raised $6 billion of capital they didn't need, to replace losses they said they didn't have." Okay. Here's the skinny!

If you've been listening to the optimists, the bad news is the 2nd quarter report has new construction starts down by 1/3, building permits off 40 percent, and foreclosures up 50 percent. The conservative prognostication, by independent financial analysts is that there might be some light at the end of the tunnel by late 2009 to 2010. But speculation is based on prices falling lower. With the exception of isolated pockets, housing prices are still about 55percent above 1999 price levels, and sales numbers are up mostly because housing price numbers are down. What do I mean by isolated pockets? In Montgomery County, some zip codes are up by $300,000 in price, while some zip codes are priced down by $300,000. This not the norm.

The good news is that lenders are selling more REOs. At this point, however, most of the activity is in quality and lender to lender. But prices being quoted in the financials are 25 cents on the dollar, so when they finally are forced to give it up to us common folk, there still will be a lot of wiggle room- especially if the federal government gets into the act. And the smart money is betting it will. Bill Seidman, former head of the RTC, in a TV interview expressed as much. With housing inventories in the second quarter at 4.6 million, coupled with an 11.2 month back up, and the federal government projecting hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to pay off corporate risk, it only seems plausible in an election year that one of our candidates will figure out it's time to become more transparent and fess up on non-producing loans, securitized or not. A member of the Japanese cabinet, in recent discussions with U.S. Treasury officials, blamed a lack of transparency for prolonging their housing crisis.

Now here's a gem for agents licensed in Maryland. Thomas Perez, secretary of labor, licensing, and regulation claims foreclosure events down 20 percent. But he also warned the number was a result of the state's recent moratorium that extended the foreclosure process to 150 days. This isn't a by; it's a hold on a minute. With this in mind, let's crunch some numbers and make some money. The highest number of foreclosures in state still comes from Prince George's County. The highest number of subprime resets in 2008 were projected for Prince George's County in August, September, October and November. Come January, the Hybrid loans (the most toxic with resets and negative amortization) are scheduled to reset. They have all been given an extension under the new law. So you have time to get into the driver's seat.

What else is happening? Since Fannie and Freddie have been forced into conservatorship, the 30 year fixed rate loans have dropped from 6.4 to 5.7 percent. There are other impending events as well. FHA Jumbo loan amounts are coming down in numbers after 2008, and down payments are rising. The $7,500 new tax credit for first-time home buyers closes out by the spring of 2009. There are some doors that will not be open. If you wait. You have been given an extension with the government foreclosure moratorium and a reason to close now as the federal government programs are set to expire. Pre-foreclosure sales should increase, a certain number of buyers should be ready to buy now and take advantage of the government goodies about to expire. How do you sell/buy now?

The kids are back in school. Vacations are over. The fall buyer's season is here. Inventories remain swollen and prices are coming down. Sellers are paying closing costs and throwing in other incentives. And the northern part of the county is offering one of the best lucrative fringe areas in the region. the combination of the Fort Meade base consolidation promising 29,000+ new jobs, and the $3 billion Konterra project along I-95 Laurel sporting 2200 acres of residential and business park, sounds like a buyer's agent dream. Check out our 6 hour hands-on, mentoring foreclosure seminar. We focus on buyer representation, determining true market in a marketplace of overvalued appraisals, how to find foreclsoures ahead of the pack, negotiating 50 cents on the dollar REOs and outreaching investment groups.