Nobu Hata

By Nobu Hata

I am loathed to do this, but I’m going to plug a class.  If there’s one class or certification training you take this year, make it NAR’s Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource (SFR) training program.

I must admit, after hearing about it from the kind folks at REBAC, hearing about my own company’s training program, and learning about CDPE, there was a bit of short-sale overload on my part.  Then after hearing that it “focuses on buyers” from a fellow agent, I had pretty much ruled out.  Everyday, we struggle to find the CE classes with the most value and the first impressions I had of it turned me off.  Boy was I ever wrong.

The six or so hours flew right by.  The content was not only relevant, but looks to able to transcend the passage of time and legislation.  Since it was such a timely subject, interaction was lively, and agents shared stories amongst each other; I left with names and numbers of folks at different banks should my need for them arise.  In the end, you leave the class armed with the know-how to become a “resource” for your clients – past, present and future.

The big plus?  You have bonafide NAR certification (that still means something guys), and you have access to webinars that will be constantly refreshed to fit the times.

The reality is this: short-sales, foreclosure, distressed properties; we’ll be dealing with these homes for the foreseeable future.  Personally, I was able to implement some of the knowledge learned in a present short-sale I have listed and received approval in less than five months.  I can’t go into the specifics but it was the type of situation where I was told not to even bother with it.  “It’ll be a waste of your time.”  Since then I’ve talked to 15 sellers and only two are liquid enough to not have some type of short-sale conversation.

And it’s those conversations that can really show your real estate-worth.  Of those folks, several have already referred me traditional buyers and sellers.  My value proposition is up immensely because there is no Trulia or Zillow or Redfin of online short-sale websites.  Not yet anyways.  Helping those folks through an emotional time in their lives gives you value that they’ll be happy to share with their friends and family.

So take the class!  Get informed!  Stick an acronym on your business card that’ll mean something to regular people, and don’t forget to share your success stories with your peers and your clients and friends.

Nobu Hata is a sales associate for Edina Realty in Minneapolis,  and a founding member of the Minneapolis YPN group, the YoPros.  Visit his Web site at www.nobuhata.com.