Three ways REALTORS® can enhance their skills and knowledge

Your clients trust you to be experts and rely on you to navigate the complexities of buying or selling a home. In our ever-changing industry, while challenging, it’s important to keep up to date on the latest trends, regulations and laws. Continuing education is required in many provinces; however, it shouldn’t be the only reason REALTORS® hit the books. The knowledge you gain will pay off by making you a well-rounded, more informed agent with the tools needed to better serve clients and grow your business. Here are three avenues where you can further your personal development and enhance your knowledge and skills:

CREA Learning Hub

The CREA Learning Hub is an amazing resource for REALTORS® and board/association staff to learn more about the products and services offered by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). It also provides a one-stop shop for professional development courses. Users can register online for courses, access their training 24/7 and download certificates for completed training. Courses currently available on the Hub include:

• professional development courses including the National Leadership Program and Canadian REALTOR® Association Executive (CRAE) designation;
• legal courses, including the REALTOR® Code of Ethics;
• product and services training courses on REALTOR.ca DDF®, Listing Statistics, Member Management System (MMS), and Mailing Lists;
• Global Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) courses; and
• Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager Program (CRB) courses.

While most training resources can be found on the new Hub, courses and material can still be found on REALTOR Link®. REALTORS® and board/association staff can find fully searchable help guides and webinars for CREA products and services on the REALTOR Link® Products and Services Training Centre. The REALTOR Link® CREA Courses page also provides information on CREA professional development programs, including ones specific to brokers. [textblock title= '“I found the Hub straightforward and easy to find the courses I was looking for. I appreciated how I could easily see the pricing of any course I was interested in. I also enjoyed the National Leadership 100 course I took through the Hub. It ensured I had all the information I needed to be prepared for the 200 and 300 level courses in class.”' copy='  – Ryan DeLuca, Manager Member Practice, Calgary Real Estate Board ' colour='BLUE ']

Board or association courses 

Each board or association offers their own selection of free and/or paid courses for members. For example, the British Columbia Real Estate Association has partnered with the Real Estate Council of British Columbia and the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia to offer professional development courses such as Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation: Guidance for REALTORS®, Manufactured Homes: What REALTORS® Need to Know and Strata Fundamentals. The Manitoba Real Estate Association offers specialized education programs to its members such as Agriculture Real Estate, Principles of Appraisal and Principles of Commercial Real Estate. In New Brunswick, members of the New Brunswick Real Estate Association are required to complete mandatory continuing professional development courses every year. The mandatory program includes one full-day mandatory course and one elective course such as Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation for REALTORS®, Ethical Practice and Radon Awareness, FINTRAC: Compliance for REALTORS®, Introduction to a Career in Real Estate and Real Estate Competition law. Meanwhile, the Calgary Real Estate Board offers a selection of professional development courses to members of Alberta boards on topics such as legal, commercial real estate certification, condominium specialist certification and more. The Alberta Real Estate Association also has their own set of professional development courses, including one mandatory training session per year. Courses include Everyday Ethics, FINTRAC: Compliance for REALTORS® and Competition Law. This is just a small sampling of professional development courses offered at a local level. Check with your board or association to see what programs are offered in your area.

University and college courses

There are several real estate-related courses offered at educational institutes across the country. Here is a selection of courses available:

• The University of Saskatchewan (Regional and Urban Planning), University of Guelph (Real Estate and Housing), University of British Columbia (Business in Real Estate) and the University of Alberta (Real Estate) all offer real estate-related bachelor’s degree programs.
• The University of Toronto offers a Historic Streets of Toronto course where historian Marta O’Brien explores a selection of the city’s main thoroughfares, examining how each street has changed over time.
• The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology offers two real estate law courses under their continuing education program.
• Seneca College offers a variety of related courses such as Home Staging, Home Inspection and Construction Estimating.
• The University of Calgary offers a Real Estate Development certificate under its continuing education program. Courses include Real Estate Marketing, Advanced Finance and Corporate Structures, and Sales Management and Strategies in Real Estate Development.
• The Real Estate Institute of Canada offers a variety of courses to advance your knowledge in areas such as finance, law, and mortgage underwriting.

How have you furthered your education to benefit your career? Tell us how in the Comments section.