Stephanie Killeleagh chose to become a REALTOR® because she could not imagine a career that did not involve interaction with people. She also did not want a career that involved “getting stuck behind a desk.”
“I don’t think there’s any other career for me,” says the OREA Real Estate College graduate. “I’m seeing homes, I’m interacting with people, and I’m not just stuck behind a desk, which is what I love about it. I love the industry, I love the people, and I love what I do.”
Stephanie began her real estate education in July 2012 following an internet search on how to get started in real estate. That search yielded OREA Real Estate College. She called the College’s Customer Service Centre, set up a profile, and enrolled in the first course shortly thereafter. She chose e-learning for that first course because of a full-time job but realized that this method of course delivery did not suit her learning needs. Stephanie switched to classroom instruction for subsequent courses.
“For me, personally, I needed in class,” Stephanie says. “I like having an instructor to listen to and ask questions, and bounce ideas. I like having peers who are in the same boat as you. You can get to know them and study together, and ask questions as well.”
The Salesperson Registration Education Program is divided into two segments: pre-registration and articling. In the pre-registration segment, students must complete four courses within 18 months of enrolling in the first course of the program, Real Estate as a Professional Career. At the end of this segment, students have up to 12 months to find employment with a brokerage and register as a salesperson with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO).
Upon becoming registered with RECO, students, now salespeople, may trade in real estate. They must now complete three courses that are part of the articling segment, consisting of two mandatory courses and one elective course. One of the mandatory courses is Real Property Law, which deals with legal issues concerning property ownership and various real estate legislation (e.g., Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002). This course also covers the many clauses that comprise an agreement to buy, sell, and lease property.
“I found the articling phase the most important part of my schooling,” says Stephanie. “I had the practical experience and I knew what I was doing, but I really didn’t know the real depth of it. So, when I took the law class, the clauses were explained and they made sense.”
Listen to Stephanie discuss her real estate education on http://bit.ly/1Ak8H9G.
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