TREC Releases Pass Rate Report

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is raising its standards and holding schools more accountable for the success of their students. New standards state that at least 55% of a school's graduates must pass a Commission licensing exam the first time the exam is taken in order for a school to renew its program accreditation. On April 28, 2010 TREC released a report showcasing pass rate results for live and online course exams.

The Austin Institute is proud to say that we had the highest pass rate percentage among TREC accredited schools who had more than 100 of their students take the salespersons exam (within the date range of the report).

To view the full report and learn more about TREC visit them online

Why is the Home Star legislation important to YOU?

Home Star is a jobs bill. The jobs that are going to be created by the passage of this bill are going to be jobs to retrofit existing homes. There will be incentives and rebates for property owners to do upgrades on their homes and there will be a federal requirement to have a test-in and a test-out (before and after) to determine the amount of energy savings the retrofit produced. In the wording of the Home Star legislation itself, it states that the person who is qualified to do the test-in and test-out must be BPI certified. That’s why becoming BPI (Building Performance Institute) Building Analyst certified can create enormous opportunity for you. Retrofitting existing homes is NOT GOING AWAY. There are other entities , particularly municipalities, who are looking at the Home Performance with Energy Star contractor program and are considering adding the requirement of BPI certification to be approved as a Home Performance contractor.

CLICK HERE to sign up for our Building Analyst course and become BPI Certified
*The Building Analyst course is TREC approved and provides inspectors with 35 hours of CE credit

Here’s an update as of 4/14/2010 on the Home Star Legislation

Source: www.efficiencyfirst.org/home-star

At a Capitol Hill press conference today, congressional leaders unveiled a House version of federal legislation that would authorize creation of the HOME STAR energy retrofit program already under consideration in the Senate. The bipartisan Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 was introduced by Massachusetts Democrat Ed Markey, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, along with Reps. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) and Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.). Introduction of the House bill marks a significant step toward passage of the HOME STAR legislation, which was designed to create 168,000 new jobs in construction and related industries, and help Americans save on their home energy bills. The HOME STAR proposal continues to gain momentum nationally, with legislators on both sides of the aisle expressing support for the plan, and well over 1,000 businesses and organizations signed on as members of the HOME STAR Coalition.

Who makes a successful real estate agent?

We have found over the years of working with agents and brokers that particularly people who come from the "helping " fields, like teachers, nurses, policemen, firefighters, social workers...........these types of people understand "service" and tend to do very well in real estate. 

Did you know that the only requirement to keep your real estate license "active" is to pay your annual fees and keep your education requirements up to date?  So, even if you are not planning to sell real estate full-time right now, have you thought about obtaining your license and just "holding" it until you are ready to go full-time?  You can take your classes live (if you have the time to be in class) OR you can take your classes online or correspondence!!!  The choice is yours.

The key is taking advantage of the time you have to get your real estate license. A real estate license can also lead to many other fields of interest.

Some people find they like finding homes or apartments for people to lease.  Others find an interest in managing properties or leasing or selling commercial properties.  REal Estate is a broad field and once you're in it, there are lots of options to do what you love to do!!!

We hope that in 2010 those people who have been "thinking" about getting into real estate will take the plunge!  I have been in real estate through three up and down cycles.  What opportunities I would have missed if I hadn't been active in the 90's.......it was a decade of prosperity and wealth building....  I think we are poised for incredible growth in the next decade in Central Texas.  My hope is that you don't miss it!!!!

Lynn Morgan, co-owner The Asutin Institute of Real Estate

The real estate market is back!!

It's great that beginning 2010 Austin has made the turn in economic recovery.  REal estate sales are improving and people have come back into the market.

Texas’ four major metros are in the top ten fastest-recovering cities nationwide, according to Forbes magazine.

Forbes ranked San Antonio the second fastest recovering city in the country, Austin the third, Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington the sixth and Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown the eighth. Texas didn’t have as big of a boom,” said Dr. Jim Gaines, research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. “So we’re not having anywhere near the kind of bust.”

That's great news for people who are tired of dead-end "jobs" with no room for advancement.  Real estate is a great career for people who want to manage their own time, who do not want to be limited in the amount of income they make and who want the opportunity to invest in real estate( you DO see the deals first!!

The Austin Institute of Real Estate is a local company that has been serving real estate agents education needs for the past 21 years.  We are the only school in Austin that offers live, online and correspondence classes.  Come to a Career Night to find out about the requirements necessary to obtain a license.  We find that most people are very surprised at how quickly they can obtain their real estate licence.  It doesn't take a year or years!!!  Or call one of our counselors.  They will be happy to walk you through the process.

Lynn Morgan, co-owner Austin Institute of Real Estate