Instructor: Doug Tingvall

"50 Ways to Leave Your Lawyer” is a collection of 50 practice pointers designed to reduce risks. This is an updated version of a course last offered in 2002. Topics include agency, disclosures, representations, transactions and diligence. Emphasis is on prudent conduct and prevention (i.e., what to do), rather than just legal duties. For example, rather than simply saying, “Brokers owe a duty to exercise reasonable skill and care” (a fairly vague standard), this course says, “Conduct your business a couple steps on the secure side of where you think the line is, so you have a margin of safety.

Multiple Instructors:
Jan Ellingson
Michael Smith

The overall goals of the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation course are to: Prepare real estate professionals to represent buyer-clients in real estate transactions and provide the quality of service and degree of fidelity to buyers that sellers have customarily enjoyed. Offer ideas and methods for building a buyer representation business. Develop a self-customized tool for conducting a buyer counseling session. Topics include: Buyer Representation Understanding Types of Agency Relationships Creating an Agency Relationship Client and Customer Relationships, Duties, and Responsibilities How We Work with Buyers Buyer Services The Buyer Counseling Session Offers and Negotiations Building a Buyer Representation Business

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

You are the listing agent and seller failed to pump the septic prior to closing. Buyer and buyer’s broker claim it is your responsibility to pump the system now, since seller cannot be found. What do you do? You are buyer’s agent but met with seller when seller was interviewing potential listing brokers. As a result, you know seller is soft on the price. Can you tell your buyer? The Agency Law answers these questions and this class will empower brokers to understand and use the Agency Law to answer these and other questions that come up every day in the sale of real estate. No longer will you have to approach one of these difficult situations weakly, hoping to avoid liability. With a decisive understanding of your requirements under the Agency Law, you will be able to boldly resolve challenging, but often distracting issues, and move forward to the productive work of assisting buyers and sellers in reaching their goals.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

Join Annie Fitzsimmons, the Legal Hotline Lawyer, for a full day of education while you familiarize yourself with Agency Law and current issues in residential real estate! In this class, students will earn 7.5 clock hours and become familiar with RCW 18.86, the Agency Law, while also being updated on legislative & legal changes in residential real estate. The content of this course pulls from two popular courses, Agency Law and CORE, to bring a full day of education to real estate agents in Washington! This class meets the prescribed CORE curriculum by the Washington State Real Estate Commission and the Department of Licensing.

Instructor: Michael Smith

Recent NWMLS rules changes have made it more important than ever to be able to effectively and confidently present your professional value to clients. Join us for a lively conversation and walk away with tips and tricks that will help you clearly distinguish yourself from the competition. In this class, we'll discuss: What it means to deliver value to your clients How your 'why' can inform your value as an agent How to identify client needs and tailor your value proposition to each situation What you can say in specific situations when someone challenges you on your value Role play hypothetical "real life" scenarios in overcoming client objections

Instructor: Mark Kitabayashi and/or Margo Wheeler

Course Description and Outline REALTORS® know the importance of adapting and remaining relevant in today’s marketplace. By developing a business practice rooted in inclusion and equality, REALTORS® can help buyers of all cultural backgrounds achieve the dream of homeownership. The At Home With Diversity® (AHWD) certification course covers how to work effectively with diverse populations so you can build business success in today’s multicultural real estate market. Course Learning Outcomes: • Develop an increased awareness of cultural and personal biases that may inhibit you from fully embracing diversity and creating a successful multicultural real estate business. • Learn inclusive, multi-cultural marketing and advertising strategies to broaden your client base. • Formulate an inclusive business plan to help you create an enduring business that is able to adapt and evolve to an ever-changing marketplace.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

This is fun and engaging panel style class where candidates will be given legal questions/case scenarios and asked to respond. The attorney panel will give feedback and "vote" candidates off the island with fun and games and a lot of banter along the way. The audience will participate in casting votes, issuing immunity, etc. NOTE: This class requires a great deal of planning and participation. You must confirm permission with the Instructor & WR to offer this class.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

The Best of the Legal Hotline is a fun, interactive course designed to address YOUR questions and concerns from your real estate practice. The course content is always current, because it changes from class to class based on the topics that are relevant to the students in attendance. You will receive pointers and tips that you can apply immediately to your practice to reduce your own liability and to improve the quality and success of the transactions you put together. You will gain tools to assist you in creating a more pleasant and professional experience in all of your transactions for your clients, other industry professionals and yourself. The class routinely provides information beneficial to REALTORS® of all experience levels, because all REALTORS® are well served to know the latest legal issues and how to handle them.

Instructor: Michael Smith

Would you like to have buyers that are more confident, look at fewer homes and write more successful offers? Learn how to get clarity and commitment with your buyers through repeatable systems. How to conduct a successful Buyer Strategy Session Identify buyer pains & goals Determine client's purchase power based on lender pre approval Strategize how and where to source buyers Buyer Agency How to setup buyers for success in any market (This class is a shortened version of the ABR class)

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

In this course, participants will address the unique nature of real estate and importance to operate within the code. More specifically, students will be able to: Identify key aspirational concepts found in the Preamble to the National Association of Realtors® Code of Ethics; Describe “general business” ethics, and compare and contrast the Realtors® Code of Ethics with business ethics, generally; Introduce and review Articles 1-17 in the Code of Ethics; Identify possible violations of the Code of Ethics specifically related to the Articles cited above, after participating in interactive learning methods (case studies & quizzes); Describe the professional standards process for enforcing the Code of Ethics, including the duty to arbitrate; Identify critical elements of due process as they relate to Code of enforcement; Identify factors considered by hearing panels in procuring cause disputes.

Instructor: Doug Tingvall

This class covers many of the contract law and issues real estate agents face.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

This course will provide a base line of information to which all licensees must have knowledge as required by the Washington Department of Licensing. More specifically, this curriculum is approved by the Real Estate Commission to satisfy education requirements in RCW 18.85.101 and RCW 18.85.111. Topics include: National Legislation, VA Housing, State Legislative Issues, Legal Updates, Case Studies, Business Practices and Agency Law.

Instructor: Ray Spooner

Most real estate contracts include some conditions or contingencies that must be met before the deal is done. This course includes exercises and discussions to help the REALTORS® understand contingencies, how to write good contingencies, and how to use them to create better contracts. The effective use of contingencies protects and benefits your clients and customers. Learning how to use them well will increase your value and your success.

Instructor: All Instructors

The Washington State Real Estate Commission and the Department of Licensing have adopted rules that require the completion of a minimum 3.0 clock hours of prescribed core curriculum. The mandatory clock hours must be included in the 30 hours required for all active licensees. Topics included: National and State Legislative Issues, Legal Updates, Business Practice, Residential Real Estate Practices and Real Estate Advertising.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

From your preparations before your first meeting with the seller to your record retention duties following closing, walk through every phase of a transaction with the Washington REALTORS Legal Hotline Lawyer. Class discussion will high light requirements of state and federal law as well as industry norms and best practices intended to keep you out of trouble with buyers, sellers and other brokers. How can you win listings by impressing the seller with your knowledge of forms and industry practices during your listing presentation? How do you deal with divorcing sellers? What should listing brokers look for in every offer? What should buyer brokers include with every offer? What is the best way to negotiate repairs? Should you meet the appraiser at the property? Should you attend closing? What should you do after closing when you receive that ever-dreaded phone call? Class discussion will be focused through consideration of real-life situations and class members will be encouraged to ask questions and apply discussion to their own experiences and transactions.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

Would you like to spend a few hours discussing super-fun, upbeat, exciting topics? If so, then you don't want to miss this class! We will discuss the always exhilarating trifecta of: death, divorce and disgruntled clients! Okay ... so maybe the topics don't sound super-fun but won't it be fun to know how to handle the title issues when your client needs to sell grandma's house, now that grandma has passed? Wouldn't you like to know what to say to the buyer who tells you that he/she is ready to purchase and the divorce will be final in a month or two? How fun would it be to know what to say to that buyer (or buyer's agent) who calls you after closing to tell you that the refrigerator is missing and you owe them a new fridge? In this class, we will discuss all of these topics and arm you  with the knowledge to handle these situations professionally, with a confident smile, putting your client (and you) at ease.

Instructor: Doug Tingvall

Disclosure Requirements in Real Estate Transactions is a compilation of the disclosures required by law in various types of real estate transactions. We have come a long way since the days of caveat emptor (“let the buyer beware”). The disclosures required in real estate transactions today come from different sources and were enacted at different times. Until now, there was no single source to consult for required disclosures. This course synthesizes the disclosure requirements in a practical and meaningful format, including a helpful matrix of the disclosures required for different types of properties.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

Brokers should learn from recent DOL disciplinary trends and that inattention to detail is often a violation of law and the basis for license suspension. Brokers will be advised of current DOL trends and reminded of the importance to adhering to state laws and regulation.

Instructor: Jan Ellingson

Expanding Housing Opportunities (EHO) is a 4-hour education course developed by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The course is designed to help real estate professionals understand affordable housing issues and how their role in increasing housing opportunities. The class is designed to: educate students on the range of affordable housing opportunities and clients seeking them; increase students’ knowledge and understanding of how affordability impacts the housing market, their clients, their business, and their community; help students analyze affordable financing options through credible lenders, including local, state, federal, and non-profit assistance programs for buyers and renters; and teach students how to better leverage partnerships and resources to expand housing opportunities through workforce housing initiatives, green building concepts, and advocacy to benefit the student, their clients, and their communities. The class is designed for an audience of real estate professionals, including real estate brokers and owners.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

This class covers why Fair Housing laws are important, helps identify resources for assuring compliance, identifies agencies that receive complaints regarding violations and covers protected class categories and variations among local jurisdictions.

Instructor: Mike Schoonover

This class helps real estate agents dip their toe into the commercial fields. Students will learn the players in a commercial transaction, key differences between commercial and residential real estate, types of commercial properties, types of commercial transactions, commercial contracts, and resources. If you’ve ever considered working in the field of commercial real estate this class is for you.

Instructor: Jan Ellingson

This class will take students though home staging basics, signs of hoarding, indoor & outdoor staging, and how to do all of this on a budget. This class will help you hone in on techniques that help your listings sell!

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

Improving your SEO (search engine optimization) is crucial to building a robust online presence. This class covers why REALTORS® who blog have an edge, how they do it, how they market it, and how to write your own.

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

In this dynamic class you will learn best practices for using the internet, email, social media, and online marketing for real estate. We will go in-depth into today’s online culture and learn proper etiquette for navigating the web while building an online community and sphere.

Instructor: Ray Spooner

This course will guide you through a series of exercises to help you clearly define your value as a REALTOR®. You will be able to clearly articulate your value to your clients and colleagues. This will help you improve your business, your life and your income. Have some fun while you Increase your self-confidence and become a more valuable REALTOR®for your clients.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

Upon completion of this course, the student will have been introduced to current real estate fraud schemes being carried out through internet activities, dating services, phone solicitations and other means. The student will be taught simple practices that will protect not only themselves, but when implemented and shared with consumers, will derail fraud schemes and protect clients and consumers as well.

Instructor: James Howsley

During class students will review the ins and outs of the land development process and help map out obstacles that can affect transactions. Some of the areas we review are: overview of the development process and potential landmines, due diligence, and caveats and strategies for successful projects. NOTE: This class is taught by real estate attorneys adept a maneuvering the complexities of developing land.

Instructor: Doug Tingvall

This class covers the legal aspects of selling vacant land, lots and new houses with emphasis on correct completion of purchase and sale agreements and law affecting new residential construction. Students will be able to: recognize pitfalls in deed release and subordination clauses, prepare accurate and tighter contingencies, determine whether and land development act applies, and comply with subdivision enabling act.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

This class is an expanded version of the Statewide Forms 1/2 Day class and will teach use of the basic statewide residential forms and provide opportunity for students to ask questions relative to any of the statewide forms. The class is taught by one of the lawyers who played a significant role in drafting the statewide forms. Every class will be tailored to meet the students at their collective experience level. Each class can be very basic or quite advanced, depending on the experience level of the majority of the students in attendance.

Instructor: Michael Smith

The mortgage loan process is complex and rarely without glitches. Important details can get overlooked causing a purchase to be delayed or denied. Understanding this process so that you can better educate your clients can add value to your skill set as a broker. In this class, you will: Learn the lending process from the buyer and seller perspectives Recognize elements and aspects of a credit qualification Identify the "red flags" of buyer financing and different types of loans Learn the difference between pre-qualification, conditional loan approval, pre-approval and between the types of money lenders. Increase knowledge on using specialized forms Discuss real life scenarios discussed from the seller and buyer side transactions Minimize transaction fall-out due to financing contingency(s)

Instructor: Mike Alvarez

This course focuses how real estate brokers can help their clients in the mortgage process by understanding the complexities of today’s mortgage underwriting standards. During class we will review how to verify loan originators license status and weigh the pros and cons on the various types of originators.

Instructors: All Instructors

This course provides agents with the latest in high customer service standards through a look at the Code of Ethics and the changes that have been implemented for the current year. Learn how to avoid the pitfalls of an ethics violation and what the process is when a violation does occur. Learn the options for settling disputes with clients, customers and other practitioners. Learn how to run your business ethically! This day is filled with real-life experiences, practices and exercises, and thought-provoking information.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

This class will take an in depth view at current forms updates and guide real estate agents on proper use. Additionally, we will review recent law and industry changes ranging from broker services provided to the marijuana industry to CFPB & TRID, earnest money issues and things in between.

Instructor: Doug Tingvall

Advanced course on contract drafting. There’s much more to completing purchase and sales agreements than “filling in the blanks.” Real estate licensees are admonished time and again not to engage in the practice of law; consequently, licensees typically are not trained in contract drafting and are left to their own devices — often with disastrous results! Printed forms are great, but they are “one size fits all” and not all transactions are the same size. This practical course covers drafting tips, rules of contract interpretation, avoiding ambiguity and drafting limitations on licensees.

Instructor: Doug Tingvall

This class takes a light-hearted, but serious, look at real life examples of drafting nightmares. This short-course on contracts covers common drafting errors and how to avoid them.

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

Pinterest is fun! Pinterest is also a great social media marketing tool for REALTORS®. Why use Pinterest? It’s the third largest social network after Facebook and LinkedIn. Using Pinterest you can become better connected with your warm market, develop your digital persona, and share your expertise and interests in a non-spammy way. Come see what all this “pinning” is about.

Instructor: Jan Ellingson

Many factors impact a determination of procuring cause, but no one factor is by itself determinative. Procuring cause is in fact the interplay of factors which together demonstrate that the unbroken efforts of a specific broker were responsible for the buyer making the decision to consummate the sale on terms which the seller found acceptable. This class will help students better understand relationships in a transaction and help avoid messy outcomes regarding commissions.

Instructor: Jan Ellingson

This class is an “express” version of Regional Professional Standards. Learn the options for settling disputes with clients, customers and other practitioners. Learn how to run your business ethically! This day is filled with real-life experiences, practices and exercises, and thought-provoking information.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

This dynamic and content rich class will help students become thoroughly familiar with the standard of care required of a broker when drafting a purchase agreement and will be able to recognize and prepare agreements that meet the required standard of care.

Instructor: Michael Schoonover

This class will help you better understand real estate auctions to guide your clients through the auction process. During class we will analyze the seller &property, discuss the 2/3rds rule, market analysis and review case studies. We will also spend time reviewing the types of auctions all toward making you the best representative for your clients.

Instructor: Michael Smith

Who is it for? The Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) certification is for real estate professionals who want to sharpen their negotiation skills. The RENE certification program gives REALTORS® the tips and tools they need to be skillful advocates for their clients. What You Gain Improve your negotiating skills Learn about behind-the-scenes issues and how to deal with them Learn how to handle a wide range of personalities and situations Learn to sort out the competing objectives of the parties involved in a transaction

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

Developed in partnership with NAR's REALTOR® Safety program, this three-hour course is an essential primer on how real estate professionals can limit risk to preserve safety—their safety, their clients' safety—and for positive business outcomes. Students will learn how to assess risk in their current practice and create safety systems, scripts, and tools for listing appointments, showing property, and conducting open houses. Students will also learn how to protect personal and electronic information online, in the cloud, and on social networks. As a practical resource, this course offers easy-to-remember strategies for real estate professionals when facing potentially dangerous situations.

Instructor: Doug Tingvall

This class covers legal duties relating to red flags, common red flags, sources of information, steps in handling red flags, risk shifting tools, and how to recognize and handle these situations.

Instructor: Jan Ellingson

This course provides agents with the latest in high customer service standards through a look at the Code of Ethics and the changes that have been implemented for the current year. Learn how to avoid the pitfalls of an ethics violation and what the process is when a violation does occur. Learn the options for settling disputes with clients, customers and other practitioners. Learn how to run your business ethically! This day is filled with real-life experiences, practices and exercises, and thought-provoking information. NOTE: This class satisfied the NAR Code of Ethics training requirement.

Instructor: Michael Smith

Who Is It For? The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designation is the premier credential in seller representation. It is designed to elevate professional standards and enhance personal performance. The designation is awarded to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate Business Institute (REBI) who meet specific educational and practical experience criteria. What You Gain The SRS Course will redefine your "normal" and reinvent the way you represent sellers. It provides a comprehensive foundation of skill development, training and resources to help real estate professionals represent the interests of sellers in today’s marketplace. Students learn to: Increase listings and grow their business Demonstrate and communicate their value package to seller clients Understand and apply the Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice Understand and comply with state license laws when representing sellers Understand and apply methods, tools, and techniques to provide support and services that sellers want and need Additional Member Benefits Include: Membership in an elite group of trained seller client advocates Access to a wealth of member-only education, resources and services. “Find An SRS” Online Directory for the public to access and for direct member to member referral opportunities Subscription to the bi-monthly digital Real Estate Business Magazine(link is external) SRS social media community – Facebook(link is external), LinkedIn(link is external) and Twitter(link is external)

Instructor: Michael Smith

The Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) designation is for REALTORS® who want to be able to meet the special needs of maturing Americans when selling, buying, relocating, or refinancing residential or investment properties. By earning the SRES® designation, REALTORS® are prepared to approach mature clients with the best options and information for them to make life-changing decisions. What You Gain: Access to the online SRES® member database; Access to the members-only section of the SRES® web site; Consumer marketing materials; Quarterly newsletter; Marketing letters; Scripts and concepts for contacting clients age 50+

Instructor: Mike Flynn

What is Smart Growth, what are the economic factors working for and against it and how can you as a REALTOR®become involved in the shaping of your community? This comprehensive course covers all these topics and more.

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

This introductory course enables REALTORS® to clearly understand social media marketing. Students will gain the foundation required to create and implement their own social media marketing plan and know how to quantify its success. This course introduces social networking (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) and personal media channels (blogging, YouTube and Flickr). Students also learn to use a client conversion model for finding and converting contacts into clients that generate in-bound warm-market referrals.

Instructor: Michael Smith

Are you experiencing changes in your market? Market dynamics require agents to be adaptable... Let's Create a Success Plan! Featured Topics: Identify key elements in your business plan; Modify how you do business based on current housing trends and market performance; Identify how and where to make changes in your business plan and tactics; Adjust finances and marketing budgets; Reset goals to maintain or exceed production level

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

The real estate industry has become more complex than ever before and having access to a real estate attorney is ideal for your business. Enter Annie Fitzsimmons; the Washington REALTOR Legal Hotline Lawyer! Thousands of members each year reach out to Annie for sound legal advice. But, have you ever wondered how your Designated Broker would take that advice and translate it into their recommended practice and policy? In this interactive and energetic class Annie and a panel of Designated Brokers do just that, they will discuss current legal scenarios facing the real estate industry. Annie provides her professional legal advice and the Designated Brokers share how they would handle each scenario. Sometimes they agree, sometimes not so much ... (and that is when the class is fun!)

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

In every transaction, brokers, buyers and sellers have disclosure obligations. These obligations arise from statutory law and from case law. How do you know what to disclose and what not to disclose? This class attempts to answer this question by studying actual court decisions and analyzing what made the court rule the way it did. The difference between liability and no liability may be surprising to you!

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

“HOW” we do business is a crucial factor toward your success. This class delves into top shelf practices that will help take your business, and reputation, to the next level.

Instructor: Terry Eccles-Pettet

Learning how to harness the Internet's power will allow you to take your business to the next level. The business word is changing rapidly. The largest advertising budget or best public relations teams are no longer the key to maintaining your competitive edge. Success in real estate is now determined by who has the quickest connection with the customer, and it's a connection that evolves socially. Whether I am teaching CORE or Facebook® my focus is on the internet tools that will help you get & stay connected!

Instructor: Bill Clarke

This class focuses on water rights and water supply issues involved in real estate transactions and development projects, an increasingly complex issue in both urban and rural areas. The existing Seller’s Disclosure Form, which includes a number of questions on water supply issues, is used as a tool to help REALTORS® understand key issues, and to identify and preserve opportunities and minimize risks for their clients. (Approved for Appraiser hours)

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

During this course students will be confronted with a variety of problems that typically challenge brokers in the handling of a transaction. Prior to the presentation of each scenario, the brokers will be given/reminded of some background information they should know about the Agency Law, License Law, Forms, Fair Housing, Drafting Principles, Disclosure, Advertising, Earnest Money, Unauthorized Practice of Law and other issue of significance to the provision of Real Estate Brokerage Services. The students will have to synthesize background information and knowledge and apply it to a resolution of issues. Resolution will require students to employ good communication skills, problem solving skills, hone quick decision-making resources (who can a broker reliably call for fast assistance), recognize high-pressure bullying from the other side of the transaction and develop a response, and collaborate to develop solutions to real problems faced by real brokers.

Instructor: Jan Ellingson

This class will help you navigate your way through online technologies and create strategies that conform to Article 12of the Code of Ethics.

Instructor: Jan Ellingson

Seller Disclosure Statements are only the beginning of the discourse process. It is important that REALTORS® know their obligations and responses to these potential dangers. This class will help you maneuver through the minefield of disclosures issues.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

This class merges the best of both worlds from Annie's popular "Wow… What Just Happened & the Best of Legal Hotline," classes and bridges the two seamlessly. Students will review the most significant issues facing real estate practitioners as well as address questions and concerns from your real estate practice. The course content is always current, because it changes from class to class based on the topics that are relevant to the students in attendance. You will receive pointers and tips that you can apply immediately to your practice to reduce your own liability and to improve the quality and success of the transactions you put together.

Instructor: Annie Fitzsimmons

Holy smokes! Did you get the license plate off that bus? Sometimes that is the way this industry feels. In the last several years, issues of huge significance have rocked the peaceful foundation of our industry and created turbulence out of what many of us knew, for decades, to be still waters. This class examines the most weighty and significant issues of the last 12 months and places them in perspective. How do those issues affect brokers in their day to day sales? What can brokers do to avoid problems created by recent statutory case law? Sometimes, understanding the underpinnings of a problem can make the solution more manageable. This class studies current issues and problems and reveals the most effective solutions and strategies in easy to understand language.

Instructor: Ray Spooner

This is a participatory class helps you define who you are and how to convey that to your clients. Through individual and group activities you will develop a clear and concise answer to the questions, "Who are you, and what do you do?". Being confident in yourself, you can improve how you help those you meet and work with as a REALTOR. The class is fun, dynamic, interactive and can help you be happier and more successful.