Pass Fail Rate for North Carolina Real Estate Exam in November, 2018

     The fee for attempting the North Carolina real estate exam is $164 EVERY TIME YOU TAKE IT.  Last month in November 2018, five hundred and thirty six real estate license applicants took the North Carolina real estate test for the first time.  All of these test candidates had already passed a test at a real estate school that is approved by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission www.ncrec.gov

     The North Carolina real estate exam is divided into two parts.  One part is the national portion.  That is one hundred questions.  To pass, an applicant needs to get seventy two of those one hundred questions correct.  The other half of the North Carolina real estate exam is the North Carolina section.   This is forty questions.  An applicant must get twenty nine of these forty questions right to pass.  If you have not read Appendix A from your textbook, you better read it before you spend $164.  Here is a video of me reading it to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaPLEyKzX24&t=442s   About half of the questions on the state portion of the exam come from "The Comments" .  Either read Appendix A or listen to me read it to you.  It is seven videos.

     In order to leave the test center with a smile on his face, a test applicant has to pass the national section and the North Carolina section of the test.  In November of 2018, two hundred and seventy nine exam candidates did this. Two hundred and fifty seven test applicants left with a sad face and a failure notice.  That is a 52% pass rate.

Do not underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.  

     If you are soon taking the North Carolina real estate exam, please do not underestimate this test.  It is tough.  It is expensive to to fail.  If you have to take the exam again, it costs $164 every time.  If you pass the national portion and fail the North Carolina portion, it costs $164 to take the portion you failed. If you pass the state portion and have to take the national portion again, it will cost you $164.

     Last month, forty three real estate license applicants (repeat test takers) took the national portion only for the second or third or fourth time.  Twenty seven of those applicants passed.  That is 63%.

     Last month two hundred and sixty four exam candidates (repeat test takers) took the North Carolina only portion of the North Carolina real estate exam for the second or third or fourth or fifth time.  One hundred and forty five passed.  That is  55%.

     This is really depressing.  One hundred thirty six test candidates (repeat test takers) took both halves of the exam for the second or third or fourth time.  Twenty nine of these repeaters passed.  That is a 21% pass rate.

     Unless you have a lot more money than I do, you can not go take this North Carolina exam without being prepared.  It is too expensive.  You need to pass on the first try.  Many students study like they want to baaaaaaaaarely pass.  They are aiming to make a 73 on the national portion and a 29 on the state portion.  Please study like you intend to make a 100% on both halves.

     I operate First Real Estate School in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  I tell my students what to study and how to study.  Why do some of them go take the test at $164 per opportunity without reading the textbook?  I tell them to read the textbook.  Half do.  Half don't.  Why?  I do not know.

     Why do some of the students answer the questions at the end of the chapter and some do not?  I do not know.  Any test applicant needs practice answering questions similar to the ones on the North Carolina real estate exam.  I have a free practice exam right here on this blog.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2015/04/real-estate-practice-exam-for-north.html   I have another practice exam at www.ncreexam.com  Why would anyone go spend money to take the exam without doing these practice exams?

     We sell a book in our class titled " Guide To Passing the AMP Real Estate Exam" .  It has a thousand practice questions to help anyone pass the North Carolina real estate exam.  You would think that every one would buy this book.  Half do.  Half don't.  At First Real Estate School, we also sell a Math help book published by 3 Wise Teachers .  The math is ten per cent of the exam.  We also have the solution to any math questions posted on You Tube.  Why would any test applicant NOT avail themselves to this help? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3TtXSnMx9s  There is a dozen of these videos on You Tube.  If you are soon taking the North Carolina real estate exam at $164 per pop, watch them.  Why would anyone go pay $164 to take the exam when they don't know how to determine value when given cap rate and NOI ?  If you don't know how to determine maximum payment that a buyer can qualify for when given debts and income, don't bet $164 that you will not get that problem.  Watch the video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy1Y7zDO3M4  Why would anyone spend $164 to take the exam when that test applicant does not know how to compute the number of acres in a football field?  Why indeed?  You know what is going to be on the test.  Certainly you know if you are going back for the second time.  If you don't know, watch this video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFPZGo_DJ4&t=53s   It is not a mystery what is on the North Carolina real estate exam.

     Here is a tidbit of advice that will diminish your cost of taking the exam.  When you go take the exam for the first time, leave a pad of paper and a pen laying on the seat of your car.  If you come back to your car with a failure notice in your hand like 48% of the test takers do,  start writing down questions that were on your test.  Sound simple?  You will not believe how many people DON"T do this.  They see a question on their repeat effort at passing the exam that was on their first attempt test.  They did not know what an extender clause was the first time they took the test.  When they saw the question the second time they took the test, they figured it was probably time to find out what it is.  Sure enough , the same question was there the third time.  Write those questions down and find out the answers before you go back at $164 per trip.  Better yet, talk to your classmates.

     Study, study, study.  Obviously, 48% of the first time test takers underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.  Don't be one of those folks.  At First Real Estate School, we teach a state exam review on the second weekend of each month.  www.firstrealestateschool.com  If you live anywhere near Hendersonville, get yourself a test date soon after the second weekend and join us.  The tuition is $60.  After taking the exam four times that does not seem like much money.

     Get together with your classmates and study together.  Call your classmates and congratulate then on passing the exam.  Watch my math videos.  The exam will be ten per cent math.  Share tips and ideas that you find online with your classmates.

     If First Real Estate School can help you in your license process, contact us at www,firstrealestateschool.com   Our next pre license class is 1 -29-19 .  Our next state exam review is 1-12-19 Saturday and Sunday /  Call  us to register at   828 440 1064 .

New Realtors, Here Is What You Are Doing Wrong

     New Realtors, This is your last chance to get it started right.  If you started a new real estate career in 2018 and things are not going as good as you hoped, I know what you are doing wrong.  I know how to fix it right now. 

     If you attended any basic sales training class anywhere in America, the sales trainer told you create a list of everyone that you know that would recognize your name.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVkyneacp3I&t=196s  Here is a video I posted many years ago about this.  Watch it.  This is the number one most basic sales technique in real estate.  Your sales trainer told you to list your friends, your relatives, your in laws, your old coworkers, your old club members, your church members, every person that you know.  Send them a letter or card with your business card inside letting them know that you have started a real estate career. 

     At Keller Williams Realty in Hendersonville, North Carolina, we call this your database or sphere of influence.  The sales trainer told you to send all of these people a piece of mail.  Why does every sales training program in America teach this technique?  BECAUSE IT WORKS LIKE MAGIC! 

     Why do 95% of the sales trainees NOT do this valuable training exercise?  This is the mystery of the industry.  If you have ignored this valuable advice, today, December 2108, is your opportunity to repair this mistake and get back on track. 

Send a Christmas card to everyone you know.  

     In December, start over.  Put the list together now like the trainer told you to last March.  Put a minimum of 200 names and addresses on a list and mail them a Christmas card with your business card in it.  You can start the list with me.  Ron Climer PO box 403  Tryon, North Carolina 28782. 

     Mail a Christmas card to the 200 people on the list.  Put your past customers on the list.  Put your child's teacher on the list.  Put your doctor,lawyer ,dentist on the list.  Put your liquor store owner on the list.  Put your motorcycle mechanic and your plumber on the list.  Put your city commissioner on the list.  Put everyone that attended your wedding on the list.  Put your past customers on the list.  Put everyone that might attend your funeral on the list.  Mail these people a Christmas card. 

    Isn't modern technology wonderful?   Once you make this list, you can use it next year and the year after that.  This is basic,basic salesmanship.  From the time I was 21 years old until my mother passed away, there were two people that I was certain would mail me a birthday card; My mother and Ray Hansen, a insurance salesman that sold me a policy when I was 21. 

     If you did not make as much money as you had expected in 2018, here is the simple, easy solution for 2019.  It works.  It works every time.  It works for everyone that uses it.  The problem is that only a small per cent use this simple sales technique.  Give yourself a present.  Send out two hundred Christmas cards.  Next year will amaze you.   www.firstrealestateschool.com 

    Forget those email cards that are deleted within seconds.  Put a card in the U .S. Mail. 

Answering Inquiry Phone Calls From Leads AKA Prospects

     When did the word "lead" (as a noun) creep into our sales vocabulary?  What does that word mean?

     When I was new in sales, we used the word "prospect" (as a noun).  Douglas Edwards defined a hot prospect as "Someone that needs or wants your product, can afford it, will likely buy it from you or your competitor within a reasonable time.".  Does that sound like a reasonable definition?   Does that sound like someone a sales person should be spending time with?

     Did you see a prospect yesterday?  If not, there is very little likelihood that the fruits of yesterday's labor will be money.  Getting face to face with a prospect is what good salespeople do.

     One way that we get face to face with a prospect is the result of an inquiry over the phone.  Your phone rings.  You answer it.  The voice on the other end of the line inquires about your product.  How well you handle that inquiry will determine your success in sales.  If you want to be a successful Realtor, you must (as in imperative) learn to handle phone inquiries from prospects and imposters.  .  It is very easy to sell a house to a prospect.  See above definition.    It is almost impossible to sell a house to an imposter.  Why try?  If you do not understand the difference, read this article .  http://ronclimer.blogspot.com/2011/04/when-in-doubt-blow-em-out.html   I wrote this article a long time ago.  The information is critical to sales success.

     Your phone rings.  The voice on the other end says,"Hello, I am calling about the sign I saw in front of 123 Residential street.  What is the price of that house?".  There is a rule about sales conversations.  The person that asks the  last question is in control.  Does that seem right to you?  If Mr. Prospect asks, "What is the price?", I reckon we are going to talk about price. Mr Prospect is in control of this conversation.

     Life is better and more lucrative when you are in control of the conversation.  Does that make sense?   Learn to control the sales conversation with questions.  Right now, let me ask you a question.  What is our goal, our objective when the phone rings?  Is it our goal to get an appointment with the person on the other end of the line?   Is it our goal to qualify the person on the other end of the line and determine if they are ready willing and able to buy a house today.  ?  Is it our goal to dispense information about our listing?  Is our objective to make a new friend?

     Your objective should be to make an appointment to meet the guy on the other end of the line.  Phones are not for qualifying.  Phones are not for making friends.  Phones are for making appointments.    Make an appointment.  We can figure out if he is a prospect when we meet him.  You have time to spend twenty minutes talking to this guy to learn if he is a prospect.  He doesn't have to be a prospect for what he called you about.  If he call you about a $300,000 house and turns out to be a $200,000 prospect.  Is that OK?  It is OK with me.

     Let's start over. The phone rings.  The voice on the other end says," How much is that house at 123 Residential Street?" Is this person a lead?  If a lead is someone that has expressed interest in your product, yes this is a lead.  By calling you, he has expressed interest in your product.

     He has asked a the last question.  He is in control of the conversation.  As long as he is in control of the conversation, we will not likely get an appointment.  He will get lots of information about the house but we will not get an appointment.  Asking a question is the best way to get control of the conversation.  "Let me look that up.  May I ask what you liked most about that house?  What prompted you to call on that one?"  pause,pause,pause.

     " It looks like it has a big yard.  We love the neighborhood."  "Oh, where do you live now?"  "We live over in Notsohot Estates.  Have you found that price yet?"

     Who is in control of the conversation?  The guy that asked the last question is in control.  "Yes I have.  The price of 123 Residential Street is $299,000.  I find that most people are concerned with how much down and how much per month.  Is that true with you?"

     "How can you get this with such a low down payment?"

      " It is a special program that our in house lender found somewhere.  Would you like to look at that house right now?  It is empty and the seller is making payments on it." 

     "Yes, we are sitting in the driveway."

      " I will be there in ten minutes."

      You have an appointment.  You will get face to face with a suspect.  So what if you get there, talk to your suspect  and determine that he has no money, no job, no credit, no hope for the future.  You time is not so valuable that you don't have twenty minutes to qualify a LEAD.  What if you get there and talk to him and it turns out that he can not buy this house.  He can buy a house.  You sell him another house.  Qualify leads in person.  If your time is soooooooo valuable that you don't have time to drive to your listing, ask them to stop by the office. 

     When the phone rings, it costs money to make it ring.  Convert that call to an appointment. 

     Just for practice, print this out and write down the answer to these common questions.  Be sure your answer is a question. 

     Q.  How many bedrooms does that house have?   

When you find a prospect, you need skill to talk to them. 

     A.

     Q.  Is that house in the ABC high school district?

     A. 

     Q.  Is the house empty or occupied?

     A.

     Q.  How much are the taxes?

     A. 

     Q.  Does it have a bonus room?

     A. 

     Q.  Will the owner hold a mortgage?

      A. 

     Q.  Do you think the owner would accept an offer of $275,000 ?

     A. 

     Q.  Will they leave the porch swing?

     A. 

     You can add to this list of questions.  When is the best time to think of the best answer, while you are taking a phone call from a prospect or when you are sitting in the training room with your trainer?  You hear the same old questions over and over and over.  So the next time you hear,"  Where is that house that you were telling me about?  "  It is at 123 Residential Street." Have a prepared answer like ," It is in Prestige Estates.  Would you like to go look at it now or I am available tomorrow at 10 AM. ? "    Teach yourself to answer questions with a question.  You will make more money. Don't you agree?

      Do you know anyone that needs to go to real estate school?  If you do, recommend First Real Estate School in Hendersonville, N.C. www.firstrealestateschool.com  

     Leave your answers to the above questions in the comments. 

     Have you read this article?  https://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2016/12/learn-to-ask-qualifying-questions-your.html    If you need more skill in asking questions, read it. 

   

North Carolina Real Estate Exam Pass Rate for October 2018

     In October 2018, six hundred and eleven  real estate license applicants took the North Carolina real estate exam in Asheville or some other city in North Carolina.  All of these 611 real estate license applicants had already passed a test at a real estate school in North Carolina.  Three hundred and thirty one of these real estate test takers passed.  Two hundred and eighty of these real estate license applicants will be back paying $164 to try again before they get a North Carolina real estate license.  That is a 54% pass rate for first time test takers.  The North Carolina real estate exam is difficult.

     The North Carolina real estate exam is a two part test.  One hundred questions are the "national" portion of the test.  Forty questions are the "state" portion of the North Carolina real estate exam.  You have to pass both portions.

     Last month, October 2018, fifty real estate license applicants took the "national" portion of the North Carolina real estate exam for the second or third or fourth or fifth time.  They all paid $164 for the privilege.  Thirty five of them passed.  That is 70%.  That is encouraging.   Last month, three hundred and eight test applicants took the "state" portion of the North Carolina real estate exam for the second or third or fourth time.  One hundred and seventy eight of these real estate applicants passed.  They all paid $164 for the opportunity to try.  That is 58%.

Do not underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.

     Did you notice that the repeat test takers are taking the state portion of the test more than the "national" portion?  If you are soon taking the North Carolina real estate exam, here is a simple easy suggestion.  Leave your textbook on the seat of your car.  If you come back to your car with a failure notice in your hand, start thumbing through your textbook  and making notes of questions that you saw on your test that you did not know the answer to.  If you saw a question about how many members of the NCREC must be a real estate broker, do not go back again (at $164 per) without knowing the answer to that question.  Does that make sense?

     Here is another test taking tip.  Go to www.ncreexam.com .  Take my practice exam.  If you have already passed the "national" portion, just take the "state " portion of my practice exam.  You should be passing this with a 90%.  If you are not, you are not ready for the real thing at $164 per experience.

     Here is another exam taking tip.  Read Appendix A in your textbook.  Appendix A is also known as "The Comments"  Appendix A is, at least, half of the "state" portion of the North Carolina real estate exam.  Read it.  Read every word of it.  Read it ten times.  It is not interesting reading.  If you find it hard to read, I will read it to you on You Tube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaPLEyKzX24   Here is a link to the first video.  Listen to me read "The Comments" .  If you have already taken the exam one or two times, you will recognize some of your questions.  Make note.  Lots of material on the "state" portion of the test comes right out of Appendix A.  Read it before you pay $164.

     The number one problem that real estate test applicants have is that they underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.  Don't do that.  Fifty four per cent pass rate.  What else do you need to know?  This test is hard.  This test is expensive.  Study like you want to make 100% , not like you want to barely pass.  Read your textbook.  Watch my free math videos on You Tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb_E8ZA7k6A    Here is a link to one.  There is a dozen of them.  The exam is 10% math.  Passing without being able to do the math is hard. Read Appendix A.  Take a state exam review.  Turn off the TV.  Study study study!  There are better ways to spend $164. 

Tryon, North Carolina Rolling Art Antique Motorcycle and Car Show for 2018

Tryon Rolling Art Antique Motorcycle Show could not have had better weather.  On Saturday November 3, 2018 aboy 200 antique cars and 200 antique motorcycles came to downtown Tryon.

We had Harleys and Hondas and Huscavaras and Triumphs and Ariels and BMW and Suzuki's and Yamahas and Nortons and Indians and BSA and Bultacos and Ducatis

Lots of old bikes in Tryon, N.C.

As I was leaving on my 1981 Honda CB 750,
a guy sitting next to me on a Norton said, "Wow! That electric starter is a nice accessory.".  There were plenty of motorcycles at this show with no electric starter. An equal array of antique cars was on display.  There was Lamborghini, Ferrari, Austin,Packard, Studebaker, Boattail Riviera, 55 T Bird, Super Sport Chevelle, cool Jeeps, and lots of super cool trucks.

If you missed the Tryon Rolling Art antique car and motorcycle show in 2018, put it on your schedule for next year.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vZVHiFux20  Ride your bike to the show.  Tryon is a tiny little quaint charming delightful friendly town at the bottom of the steepest railroad grade east of the Mississippi, the Saluda Grade.  The railroad and the Pacolet River and  U.S. 176 follow the grade up the mountain to Saluda and Hendersonville.  This is one of the best motorcycle roads in western North Carolina.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2016/02/ride-your-bike-to-pearson-falls-on-us.html

We had old cars, old trucks and old motorcycles in Tryon, N.C. 

If you are coming to Tryon from Asheville, get off that nasty old Interstate 26 at exit 53.  Come down U.S. 176 from Hendersonville through Saluda to Tryon.  It is a fun, beautiful ride.  If you are coming from South Carolina, get off the interstate at Inman and come up U.S. 176 through Landrum into Tryon.  Join us next year.  Bring your antique bike or your modern bike, the one with the electric starter.  Tryon Rolling Art is a great antique bike and car show.

A Harley Davidson K model came in from South Carolina

In North Carolina Real Estate, What is Difference Between Post License and Continuing Education?

When a real estate license applicant goes to real estate school and gets a real estate license in North Carolina, that applicant becomes a "provisional broker" We do not have real estate salespersons in North Carolina.

If a person graduated from First Real Estate School and passed the North Carolina real estate exam, that person would be provisional broker until that person has passed three real estate post license classes.   These post license classes are thirty hours each. 

Post license class is fun at First Real Estate School.  

These thirty hour post license real estate  classes are taught by most real estate schools.  A new real estate licensee can take these classes slowly or quickly.  The slow method would have the new licensee take their first post license thirty hour class BEFORE the first anniversary of passing the North Carolina real estate exam.  Before the second anniversary of getting their North Carolina real estate license, the new provisional broker would be required by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission  www.ncrec.gov  to take a second thirty hour  post license course.  Before that provisional broker celebrated his third anniversary of getting his real estate license, he would need to take a third thirty hour post license class.  That is as slow as a new licensee can go through that process. 

If a new real estate provisional broker wanted to go through this process as fast as possible, that new provisional broker could take these three post license classes very soon after getting their real estate license.  Why would a new real estate broker want to do that? 

When that new provisional broker finishes his third post license real estate class, he becomes a full broker.  He could open his own office if he wanted to. 

Simultaneously, once that provisional broker passes the North Carolina real estate exam, another clock begins to tick, the expiration clock that requires CONTINUING EDUCATION.  Every real estate broker, old or new, in North Carolina is required by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission to take eight hours of continuing education every year in addition to the post license requirement required of new provisional brokers.  Yes, I said in addition.  I did not say in lieu of. 

Every real estate broker's license in North Carolina expires on June 30 every year.  Every real estate broker in North Carolina has to take eight hours of continuing education every year.  At least four hours of that education has to be in a classroom with an instructor.  The first time that a provisional broker renews their real estate license, no continuing education is required.  Starting with a provisional broker's second June 30th, eight hours of  continuing education is required to renew that real estate broker's license. 

New real estate provisional brokers need post license AND continuing education.  Old real estate brokers only need continuing education. 

If you live anywhere near Hendersonville, First Real Estate School at 404 S. Main street.  would be happy to help with these educational requirements.  www.firstrealestateschool.com  Check our website.  Join us for postlicense education or continuing education.  

 .

Pass Fail Rate for North Carolina Real Estate Exam for September 2018

Last month, September 2018, four hundred and fifty two real estate license applicants took the North Carolina real estate exam.  All of these real estate license applicants had already passed a test at an accredited real estate school in North Carolina.  Two hundred and fifty eight of the real estate license applicants passed.  That is a 57% pass rate.  The North Carolina real estate exam is no joke. 

If you are soon taking the North Carolina real estate exam.  please do not underestimate this exam like 43% of the real estate license candidates did last month.  This is a $164 mistake.  That is what it costs every time you take the North carolina real estate exam.  Pass it the first time. 

Here is the problem.  Most test candidates study like they want to baaaaaarely pass.  Their goal is to make a seventy two out of a hundred on the national portion and twenty nine out of forty on the North carolina portion.  At $164 per opportunity, you need to study like you want to make 100% on both parts of the exam. 

Read the textbook.  There are lots of students that go take the state test without having read the textbook.  Many students go take the exam without answering the questions at the end of the chapter.  Many students go spend their $164 when they have not done the practice test in the back of the textbook.  Is $164 a lot of money at your house?  What about $164 x 5 ?  Is that a lot of money at your house? 

Last month, one hundred and fifty two repeat test takers took the North Carolina real estate exam.  These real estate license applicants knew how tough this test is.  They have already taken it once or twice or five times.  Twenty three of those repeat  test takers passed.  That is a fifteen per cent pass rate.  If you are going back for an encore performance, may I suggest a few study tips for you? 

Watch ALL of my North Carolina real estate math videos on You Tube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMdJ-2iHepM&t=18s   This is free.  It is reasonably easy.  There is no math on the North Carolina real estate exam that I do not have a video for.  The North Carolina real estate exam is fifteen per cent math.  Why would you go take a test that is 15% math when you know there is math on it that you do not know how to do?  Learn to do the math before you go. Read the syllabus for the course that you have already passed.  It tells you exactly what math is on the North Carolina real estate test.  How much money have you budgeted to spend taking this test? 

First Real Estate School in Hendersonville, N.C.

Here is another study tip.  Read the "Comments", Appendix A in the textbook. Seventy five per cent of the questions on the North Carolina portion of the test come straight out of the "Comments"  Read the "Comments" ten times.  If you just can not read this BORING material, I have it posted on You Tube.  I will read it to you.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaPLEyKzX24&t=14s  This will take six videos.  More students fail the North Carolina portion of the test than the national portion.  Read the "Comments".  Last month, fifty two per cent of repeat test takers taking only the North Carolina portion of the exam (at $164 per try) passed.  Forty eight per cent will be back one more time spending $164 at the PSI test center.  You can not pass the North Carolina portion of the test if you don't know what is in the "Comments". 

Have you tried my free practice test right here on this blog?  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2015/04/real-estate-practice-exam-for-north.html  If not, try it before you try thr PSI test at $164 per try.  Have you taken my practice test at www.ncreexam.com  ?  There are two of them, one for the national and one for the state .  Take them both. 

Have you made flashcards? 

Have you taken a state exam review class? 

Are you getting together with your classmates?  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2017/12/what-about-those-trick-questions-on.html  Studying together is a fun and effective. 

Please do not underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.  It is tough by any definition.  The pass rate is dismal.  It is expensive to fail. 

If you live anywhere near Hendersonville in western North Carolina, please accept my invitation to come interview with us at Keller Williams Realty on Main Street.  It is a perfect place to start your new career.  Call me at 828 755 6996. 

Are You Sure You Want To Wait Until Next Year to Buy Real Estate

The older Realtors get, the more they like to tell stories.  Let me tell you the story about the first house I ever sold. 

It was 1974. I was a Realtor in Orlando.  I was showing houses to Terry, a cab driver and Mary, his wife, a waitress.  They felt like the largest payment they could possibly afford was $190 per month.  We found a house in a neighborhood called "Monterey Homes".  The price was $18,900.  The payments would be $195 per month.  We found another house in the same neighborhood that they liked better.  The payments on this house would be $205 per month.  They decided to go for the nicer, $205 per month house.  They bought it.  It was my first sale.

Twelve years later, I was walking through the Fashion Square Shopping Mall in Orlando.  A lady runs up to me, hugs me and says, 'You are Ron Climer You are our family's hero.  I pray for you all the time."  I replied, "Who are you?".  She said,  " I am Mary.  My husband Terry and I bought our first house from you in 1974.  You talked us into paying more payments than we thought we could possibly pay."  We sold that house last year.  We made $38,000.  That is more money than we could ever have saved in a hundred years.  We have bought a bigger nicer house You made it happen by getting us to buy that first house and make those sooooooooo big payments.".

If you are considering waiting or not buying a house to live in because you can not afford those big $1500 per month payments, change your mind.  If the mortgage company says you can afford it, you can afford it.  Watch this video if you do not understand how the bank knows what you can afford. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy1Y7zDO3M4&t=219s 

Please do not stay in that rental.  You don't own it.  The rent will go up.  Your house payment will never go up.  Tell the Terry and Mary story to your parents.  I am confident that they have a similar story.  Everyone has a story about how they thought their first house payment was impossible.  A few years later, no problem. 

As long as we use paper money, we will have inflation.  There is no better protection against inflation than owning a home to live in with a fixed payment that seemed large when you started fifteen years ago.  It usually seems OK today. 

Interest rates will go up soon.  One per cent of $100,000 is $1000.  Divide that by twelve months.  That is $83 per month.  If you wait until next year to buy that $200,000 house, that is $166 per month more that you are paying for waiting. 

MAAAAAAYBE the same house will cost more money.  Add that to higher interest.  House have been appreciating since 1492.  When Terry and Mary bought their house, an average house in Orlando was $33,000.  Today it is closer to $233,000.  It is the same house.  Watch this video that I posted in 2012.  Time flies! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKaIsTSTsEU 

Prices go up.  House payments stay the same. 

If you live anywhere near Hendersonville, N.C. ,  call me if you want to become a homeowner.  828 755 6996

North Carolina Real Estate Commission Please Repeal 58H 0303

     September 20, 2018


     Dear North Carolina Real Estate Commission

     I recently received a letter from Corean Hamlin.  In this letter she stated that the Commission has for years measured the performance of real estate instructors  based on the performance of their students.

     It appears to be the opinion of the Commission that an instructor can be so good that he can teach a person to pass the North Carolina real estate exam that does not study at all outside of real estate  class.

     It also appears from this that it is the opinion of the Commission that an instructor could be so bad that even if a student read the entire textbook and made flashcards and studied ceaselessly and availed  himself to several outside study aids, that student could fail the North Carolina real estate exam due to the ineptness of the instructor.  I can not follow this logic.

     It would seem that the student is the deciding factor as to whether or not the student passes the North Carolina real estate exam.  Why would two students sit in the same classroom for the same 75 hours with the same instructor with one having a result of making a 98% on the test and the person in the next desk making a 48 per cent ?  This is not an unusual story.

     I submit that the Commission's  method of evaluating instructor's skill by the performance of their students is flawed.  It is the student (not the instructor) that makes the difference.  In any real estate class, there are students that understand studying.  They have a basic knowledge of math.  They have a basic knowledge of real estate.  Some students have a college degree.  Some students have advanced degrees.  They take notes in class.  They avail themselves to other study aids that are recommended by the instructor and some that they find on their own.  They have leadership skills.  They start a study group that meets outside of class.  They watch my real estate math videos that are posted on You Tube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HbEwoiVBMY  They pass the real estate school test.  They pass the North Carolina real estate exam.

     There are other students in class.  They barely got out of high school.  The don't know the difference between the numerator and the denominator.  They work fifty hours at the plant.  They show up at my night class tired.  Have they done their assigned homework?  Have they answered the questions at the end of the chapter?  Are they listening to me?  The truth is they are probably trying.  I am trying to make explaining agency interesting for them.  As I am explaining it, they are texting their ten year old son that is home alone.

     They are plagued with problems.  Their husband is sick and not working.  Their car payment is overdue.  Their son just got kicked off the little league team.  Their spouse is having an affair.  They were arrested last week at the demonstration in Charlottesville.  Studying real estate is about number seven on their list of priorities.

     They scrape through my real estate school exam with a barely passing grade.  They go fail the North Carolina real estate exam.

     The Commission measures my performance ( Any Instructor's Performance) based on how  many of my students are able to leave my classroom and pass the North Carolina real estate exam the first time.  They could attend a state exam review from my competitor.  I don't teach such a class.  Why don't they avail themselves to such a class?   Some do.  Most don't.  They do not want to pay the tuition.  They could watch my free You Tube videos to help them with the math.  They are too tired.  They could read Appendix A in the textbook or listen to me read it to them from You Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaPLEyKzX24  They are too busy for that.

     They could answer the questions in Dearborn's book, "Guide to Passing the the AMP Real Estate Exam".  They could but they have to attend their daughter's soccer game.  They could take my practice test at www.ncreexam.com .  There is so much demand on their time.

     The Commission evaluates my performance,  Mr. Instructor's performance, based on the success or failure of  someone that I have absolutely NO control of.  The Commission connotes that it is my fault that Mr. Idon'thavetimetostudy fails the North Carolina real estate exam.

     Can I study for my student?  Can I make the book unboring? 

     What would happen if you dropped item 5 and 6 from rule 58H 0303   ? 

     Corean said in her letter that changing from 180 days to 30 days measurement period is "fairer and more accurate evaluation tool".

     There is nothing fair or accurate about evaluating me (or any other instructor) based on the performance of someone else, our  students.

     The students come to us with language problems.  They come to us without basic math skills.  They come to us with no study skills.  They come to us with enough personal problems to write a soap opera.  They come to us with stress and anxiety.  My ability to teach someone that does not want to expend the effort required to learn is how the Commission thinks I should be evaluated.  Does the Commission think I am a good instructor if I can instill in them the desire to learn?  Is that the job of the North Carolina real estate instructor?  That does not seem right to me.

     One of the problems in the world today is that no one wants to accept responsibility.  Everyone wants to blame someone else for their problems.  The Commission is demanding that the instructor take the blame when the student will not expend the effort that is required to study enough outside of class to pass the North Carolina real estate exam.  This is not fair.  This is not accurate.  This is not necessary.

     A perfect example of this is in class attendance.  It is extremely rare that a student that fails my real estate school exam was 100% in attendance.  More likely that failing student missed two nights of class and left early on a third night.  The Commission measures my performance based on the actions of someone that can not even get to class every night.  This is so obviously wrong.

     The Commission does not need to evaluate real estate instructors based on the performance of their students.  The Commission does not need to evaluate instructors at all.  The market will evaluate the real estate instructors.  If an instructor is bad, he will soon find himself with no students.  If you need an example of that, notice that First Real Estate School is the only school teaching pre license classes in Hendersonville.  Before I arrived in May 2016, there was someone else.  He is gone.  I had forty students in my last night class.

     Evaluating the quality of potential instructors is not the job of the Commission.  This does not in any way protect the public.  There is nothing wrong with a dull, boring, monotone, humorless, instructor that says AH ten times per minute.  If listening to an instructor like that would cause harm, I would have died in high school.

     The marketplace will get rid of bad instructors.  This is not a job for the Commission.

     Please repeal item 5 and 6 from 58 H 0303.  or what ever the rule is that requires the Commission to evaluate real estate instructors based on the performance of others.

     The Commission does not evaluate real estate brokers.  Can you imagine a rule requiring real estate brokers to send in a video of their listing presentation with special emphasis on how well he presented the WWREA brochure at first substantial contact.  Then if Mr. Broker only listed  two out of ten prospects, DISCIPLINARY ACTION.  We don't need the Commission to do that.  The market does it.  The market will do it for real estate instructors. Please  repeal 5 and 6 of 58 H 0303.

     Thank you for taking the time to hear me out.  Remember MLS seemed like a far out idea in 1957.  Letting the marketplace decide about instructors may seem far out.  Once you stop wasting time evaluating real estate instructors, you will wonder why you ever did it.

The North Carolina Real Estate Exam Pass Fail Statistics for August 2018

The North Carolina Real Estate Commission just released last month's results for the North Carolina real estate exam.  Here is the news.  In August 2018, six hundred and fifty one real estate license applicants took the North Carolina real estate exam for the first time.  Three hundred and ninety two of those test takers passed.  Two hundred and fifty nine of these real estate license candidates will be paying $164 to try again.  It costs $164 every time a candidate takes the North Carolina real estate exam.  It is a good idea to pass it the first time.  As you can see, in August, only sixty per cent of the exam takers passed it the first time.  Do not underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.  It is tough. 

     Also in August 2018, one hundred and sixty two repeat test takers took the North Carolina real estate exam for the second or third or fourth or fifth try.  Thirty one of these of these repeat exam takers passed.  That is 19% pass rate.

Pass the North Carolina real estate exam the first time.  

     If you mistakenly believe that the North Carolina real estate exam is easy, think again.  It is not easy.  It is not inexpensive.

     North Carolina probably has the lowest pass rate in America.  The North Carolina real estate exam is a two part exam.  One hundred questions are the "national" portion of the exam.  These are questions that would be answered the same in all fifty states.  This would be questions like. "What is the CFPB?".   The answer would be the same no matter what state you are in.  Forty questions on the North Carolina real estate exam are questions that are unique to North Carolina.  These are questions like,"What is the Machinery Act?".   The other forty nine  states probably do not have a Machinery Act.  A real estate license applicant needs to get 29 of these 40 questions correct to pass the North Carolina portion of the exam.  Of the thirty seven  real estate license applicants that took the exam last month as a repeat test taker at an expense of $164, twenty five of them passed.  That is 68%.

      If you are soon taking the North Carolina  real estate exam, please heed my advice .  OVERSTUDY!    I has been my observation from thirty years of teaching real estate classes that most students want to study just enough to baaaaaarely pass.  May I suggest that you study with an attitude that you want to make 100% on the North Carolina real estate  exam.  Study like you want to get an A plus on the North Carolina exam.  If you fall short of your goal, you will still pass and get a North Carolina real estate license.

     Here is a list of links that I have to help anyone pass the North Carolina real estate exam.  If you are having trouble with any of the math, I have it on You Tube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMdJ-2iHepM  This is one of a dozen videos to help you understand the real estate math on the North Carolina real estate exam.

     If you have NOT read Appendix A in your text book, you have very little chance of  passing the "North Carolina " portion of the exam.  This is DULL reading.   I have read it to you on You Tube.  Check it out.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaPLEyKzX24   I apologize that I can not make this as interesting as a Tom Clancy novel.  When you get to the North Carolina portion of the exam, you will be glad that you sat and listened to me or followed along in the book.  Twenty five of the questions come right off these pages.  Watch all seven of the videos or read Appendix A yourself several times.  Save yourself $164.

     Go back in this same blog and read some of my other posts.  Most of what I write about is about passing the North Carolina real estate exam.  Here is one of my most unique posts.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2017/12/what-about-those-trick-questions-on.html   I hope you read this post about trick questions.  Stay in touch with your classmates.  Study together.  Find out when your classmates are taking the exam.  Call them a few hours later and congradulate them on passing.

     If you think you are ready to go spend $164 and "give it a try", take my practice test at www.ncreexam.com  This is a 100 question test with me explaining the answers on video.  It is definetly worthwhile.

     Here is a video with just some general tips on passing the real estate exam the first time.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQXpmazIjeU   Listen to these tips and implement them.  If you don't have contact info for your classmates, get it and stay in touch.

     It costs $164 every time that you take the North Carolina real estate exam.  Pass the first time.www.firstrealestateschool.com

What To Do When the Real Estate Appraisal Comes in Low in Hendersonville, N.C.

      Mr. Seller's Realtor advises him to list his house for $275,000.  Mr. Seller insists on a $300,000 price.  After a long wait and several rejected offers, Mr. Seller finally gets a $295,000 offer.  He accepts it.

     He congratulates himself for hanging tough and getting the top price. Then the real estate appraiser from the bank shows up to appraise the house.  Mr. Seller points out to him that his rafters are made of 2x8 lumber.  Mr. Seller points out that the nails are extra heavy duty galvanized nails.  Mr. Seller points out several features that his house has that other "ordinary" houses do not have.

     A few days later the appraisal comes back at $269,000.  WHAT!   Is this appraiser crazy?   Mr. Seller showed him all the extras that his house has.  Didn't he see the electric garage door opener with the remote control?

      The first thing Mr. Seller needs to do is get mad.  He needs to call his Realtor and let him know how mad he is.  He needs to let his Realtor know that he knows that real estate appraiser is an idiot.  He needs to tell his Realtor that surely his house is worth $295,000.  The buyer is willing to pay that for it.

     Mr. Seller's first question is probably," Who picked that appraiser?" .  Unfortunately, the answer to that question will usually bring Mr. Seller no peace. Mr. Appraiser was chosen by the bank to protect the bank's interest.

     If Mr. Appraiser says  the house is worth $269,000, the bank is comfortable loaning Mr. Buyer $215,200 or 80% of the value of the house.  Mr. Buyer wants to borrow $236,000 or 80% of $295,000.  Mr. Buyer has scraped up every penny he can to get the $59,000 down payment  together.

     BUT Mr. Appraiser says that the house is only worth $269,000.  What does he know???   Mr. Seller believes that he knows more about property values in Hendersonville North Carolina  than Mr. Appraiser knows.  So what if Mr. Appraiser has been to appraisal school?  So what if Mr. Appraiser looks at more houses in a month than Mr. Seller has looked at in a lifetime?  So what if Mr. Appraiser has been appraising real estate  for 17 years?   So what if Mr. Appraiser has some fancy initials after his name?  So what if Mr. Appraiser is considered to be an expert real estate appraiser?  Who cares about all those credentials?

     After Mr. Seller gets over being mad, he can ask his Realtor for some advice. What can we do to save this transaction?

     We can ask the buyer to pay $295,000 for this house even though the expert real estate appraiser declares that it is only worth $269,000.

     There are two problems with this.  The first problem is that since the house is appraised for $269,000, the buyer has to have $79,800 for a down payment.  That is $295,000, the price, minus the $215,200 that the bank is willing to loan on this house that the bank knows is only worth $269,000.  The bank will loan 80% of the price or the appraisal whichever is lower.

Trying to sell your property for more than it is worth rarely works

     The other problem is that the buyer, not only has to come up with $20,000 more down payment.  The buyer has to sign a form that admits he is certified stupid.  The buyer has to sign a form acknowledging that he is aware that the house was appraised by an expect real estate appraiser for $269,000 but he is buying it for $295,000.  Who would do that?  Only a stupid person would do that. 

     If the seller and the Realtors are lucky, Mr. Buyer will do that IF HE IS ABLE.  He has to have the extra $20,000 to make this happen.  Mr. Buyer says, "I don't care what the experts say.  My wife loves this house and we are buying it."  Let's go to closing.  Sometimes it happens this way.

     More often, this deal dies.  Several months later Mr. Seller accepts a $269,000 offer from another buyer.  We go to closing.   Several months can be a long time if you are making payments on an empty house and paying taxes and HOA dues on an empty house and insuring an empty house and paying utility bills on an empty house. 

     If Mr. Seller's  Realtor advises Mr. Seller to lower the price  and if an expert appraiser that has already been paid advises Mr. Seller to lower the price and if several offerors (buyers) advise Mr. Seller to lower his price and his current buyer that obviously loves the  house but does not have an extra twenty grand advises Mr. Seller to lower the price, maaaaaaaaaaybe  Mr. Seller should start to believe what the entire market is telling him.  His house is not worth $300,000. 

     Price your house right.  It will sell.  Do not depend on "We might get lucky."  for the largest transaction of your life.  No matter how good your Realtor is, he is not good enough to sell your property for more than it is worth. 

    If I can help you with any real estate advise call me at 828 755 6996.  www.firstrealestateschool.com

Failing the North Carolina Real Estate Exam is Not So Embarrassing Since It has Become So Expensive

     Because I have so many real estate math videos posted on You Tube, I receive phone calls from all over North Carolina from real estate test candidates that have failed the state portion of the North Carolina real estate exam.  They tell me things like, 'I have never heard of the NCREC.  My instructor never mentioned that."  They say things like, "My instructor never talked about willful omission."  I ask them, "Did you read the "COMMENTS, Appendix A, in your textbook?  One hundred per cent of the time, the answer is NO. 

Read the "COMMENTS".  Pass the real estate exam the first time

     The Comments is about the North Carolina real estate license law.  It is 22 pages in your textbook.  It is a free download from the N.C.R.E.C. at www.ncrec.gov .  There are forty questions on the North Carolina portion of the North Carolina real estate exam.  Twenty five of those questions come from this 22 page document called the "Comments".  You only have to get 29 of the questions right to pass. 

     If you don't like to read, listen to me read the "Comments" to you.   Here is a link to the first of seven videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaPLEyKzX24&t=142s  .  Watch them all.  It is free.  It costs $164 every time that you take the state portion of the North Carolina real estate exam. 

     At First Real Estate School in Hendersonville, our motto is "Pass the First Time."  www.firstrealestateschool.com    If you think you are ready for the $164 version of the real estate exam, take my practice test at www.ncreexam.com  If you can not make a 85% on my practice test, keep studying. 

Pass Fail Statistics for the North Carolina Real Estate Exam for July 2018

     Today,the North Carolina Real Estate Commission in Raleigh released the pass fail statistics for the real estate exam for July.  The news is bad.  www.ncrec.gov

     Four hundred and ninety one real estate license applicants paid $164 to take the North Carolina real estate exam.  Two hundred and fifty two of those applicants passed both portions of the exam.    That is a 51% pass rate.  Two hundred and thirty nine of those real estate license applicants will be paying $164 to take this exam again.

     It is expensive to take this exam without studying.

     The repeat test takers did even worse.  One hundred and sixty one real estate license applicants took the exam for the second or third or fourth or fifth time.  Eighteen of those passed.  That is an eleven per cent pass rate at $164 per opportunity.  Maybe someone is underestimating the North Carolina real estate exam.

     It is best and least expensive to pass this test the first time.  You are going to learn the material before you get your North carolina real estate license.  Why not do plenty of studying before your first attempt at this difficult test?  At $164 per try, you do not need a "practice run".  You need to pass the first time.

First Real Estate School in Hendersonville

     There are lots of things that you can do to be CERTAIN that you pass the first time.  Read the textbook.  As simple as this suggestion sounds, I will bet that there are plenty of test takers that go take the test without reading the textbook.  They did not read it when their real estate instructor told them to in real estate class.  They have not answered all the questions at the end of the chapters.  They have not done the 100 question practice test at the back of the book.  This is free.  It costs no money.  Why would anyone go take a test with a 51% pass rate when they have not read the textbook?

     The North carolina real estate exam ten per cent math.  To go take a test when there are math problems that you don't know how to do is foolish.  Why would anyone do that?  Watch my free real estate math videos on You Tube.  It is free.  It is as close to effortless as possible.  Go to You Tube.  Put my name, Ron Climer North Carolina real estate math, into the search bar.  Watch them all.  You will see fourteen of these problems on your state exam.

     Last night, I gave a repeat test to six of my students that failed our school test at First Real Estate School in Hendersonville. There was an amortization problem on that test.  Six out of six of my students missed that problem.  There is an amortization problem on the North Carolina real estate exam.  Here is a video of me teaching this in class.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HbEwoiVBMY   If you can not tell me the balance of a loan after two payments when given the loan balance, constant factor, and interest rate, you probably should watch this video if you are soon taking the North Carolina real estate exam.  It is on the state exam.  There are fourteen math questions on the North Carolina real estate exam.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2016/12/solving-real-estate-math-problems-for.html   If you need math help, read this.

     Do my free practice exam at http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2015/04/real-estate-practice-exam-for-north.html   Do my ten dollar practice exam at www.ncreexam.com  If you can not pass these exams, you are NOT ready to go spend $164 trying the real thing.  If the ten dollar exam is too expensive, split the cost with one or two classmates.

     Speaking of classmates, you are in class for seventy five hours.  Get together with your classmates.  Get their contact information.  Get together and study together.  When you find study aids on the internet that help you, share that with your classmates.  Make passing the real estate school exam and the North Carolina real estate exam a group effort.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2017/12/what-about-those-trick-questions-on.html

    Let me close this month's article with some new advice about getting more out of real estate school.  Your school is only as good as your instructor.  If you have a lively, knowledgeable, engaging, personable instructor, your class will be better.  I know that you have other things going on in your life competing for your attention.  You have kids.  You have a spouse.  You have a job. You have a boss.  You have Facebook and TV and hobbies  and clubs and softball teams and bowling leagues and church etc etc etc. 

     May I suggest that between when class starts and when you get your North Carolina real estate license, put real estate school at the top of the list.

    If you want to spend time with your kids, teach them how to compute interest.  Teach them how to fill out a pro forma statement.  Teach them how to compute price per front foot.  These are good things for young people to know.  If your daughter is enrolled in Calculus two, maybe she could teach you how to determine the seller's net at closing.

     If you are a poor reader, ask your spouse to read a chapter to you instead of watching that old rerun on TV.  If your spouse is reading to you, you better pay attention.  Put more effort into paying attention in class.  Make flash cards.  Ask your spouse or kids or classmates to help you with them.

     Also remember that you have paid your tuition to the real estate school.  Please do not let the instructor intimidate you into NOT asking questions in class.  If you don't know what a deficiency judgement is, ask your instructor.  So what if everyone in class thinks you are dumber than a box of rocks?  Who cares?  They are not paying your $164.  The truth is they are not thinking that.  They are thinking," I am so glad that he asked that because I don't understand it either". If the instructor can not make you understand, do not drop the subject.  Embarrass yourself.  Ask another question until you do understand.  Ask where the info is in the textbook.  If all else fails, call me.  I know the answer.  I will help you. 

     If I can help anyone get a real estate license in Hendersonville or Asheville or Arden or Brevard or Saluda or Zirconia or Fairview or Black Mountain or  Forest City or Horse Shoe or anywhere in western North Carolina, contact me at www.firstrealestateschool.com   If this article has been any help, please leave a comment.

How to Know You Are Ready for The North Carolina Real Estate Exam

     If you are soon taking the North Carolina real estate school test or the North Carolina real estate exam, the one with the 57% pass rate,  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2018/07/pass-fail-ratio-for-north-carolina-real.html  , please,please,please invest ten dollars in your study process and take my practice test at www.ncreexam.com . 

     The North Carolina Real Estate Commission charges $164 to take the North Carolina real estate exam every time you take it.  My budget says pass it the first time.  Take my practice test.  If ten bucks is a financial burden, get with one of your classmates and split it fifty fifty.  Meet up at Panera.  Take the test together.  Watch the video answers.  If five bucks is too much to invest in your study aid portfolio, get together with three of your classmates, split it four ways.  If $2.50 is a burden, get with nine of your classmates and order this practice test.  Invest one dollar apiece and save yourself $164.  Do not underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.  The best pass rate from last year was 62%. 

     When students take my practice test, they leave comments.  Answer this question:

     If you are the grantor, which is the best deed? 

The North Carolina real estate exam is not easy

     A.  general warranty deed
     B.  special warranty deed
     C.  quit claim deed
     D.  bargain and sale deed

     The correct answer is quit claim deed

     I received one comment that was several paragraphs long informing me that the best deed is the general warranty deed.  This student explained several reasons why the general warranty deed was best for the grantee.   The question asked which deed was best for the grantor.  The answer is the quit claim deed creates no liability for the grantor.  I explain that in the videos.  This is a lesson, not only in knowing the material, but also in reading the question thoroughly.  Both are necessary skills.

     The questions on my practice test are very similar to the material on the North Carolina real estate exam.  If you can not pass mine, you probably will be paying $164 to try the real thing again. 

     If you are soon taking the North Carolina real estate school test or the North Carolina real estate exam, invest ten bucks and take my test.  If you have any questions about my questions, ask your instructor.  It is better to ask your instructor BEFORE your real estate school exam than after.  Some real estate schools charge you to take their test a second time.  If your instructor does not know why the answer is what it is, call me.  My phone number is right on First Real Estate School's Facebook page.  We are not hard to find.  www.firstrealestateschool.com  

     If this sounds like an advertisement, forgive me.  It is.  If you are not CERTAIN that you are going to make a 100% on the North Carolina real estate exam, you need to take my practice exam.  It is too expensive to make a practice run with the North Carolina real estate exam.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erGSsTBXatc

A Dream Job in Central Florida

     Did you ever meet someone that seemed to have a dream job?  A job with good pay, good benefits, little stress, good hours and a pleasant work environment is a blessing.

     In Orlando, Florida there is such a job that is within reach of of any reasonable person.  You don't need a college degree.  You don't need any fancy connections.  You just need to know about it. 

     What is this job?  It is selling time shares.  Central Florida is the time share capital of the planet.  There are more time shares resorts in central Florida than anywhere else in the world. 

     If you can get along on $100,000 per year, selling time shares is a job that you would love.  Many of the really good time share sales people make twice that.  Times shares are sold on commission.  Time share sales people are employees  with benefits at most time share resorts.  Most resorts pay you while you are  in sales training.  Selling time shares is selling vacations and dreams. It is a very pleasant way to make a living. 

     In most sales jobs, the biggest challenge is finding prospects to present to.  At a time share resort, the company finds the prospects.  They put the prospect in front of the sales person.  All the salesperson has to do is to get their signature on the contract. 

     Most time share sales people are home from work before the kids are out of school.  You don't take your job home with you in a briefcase. 

     Do you want a pleasant place to work?  Most time shares are sold right at the luxury resort that you are selling.  You are working where other people go on vacation.  It is tough touring through the pool twice a day. 

     If you have a Florida real estate license or can get one, check out selling time shares.  http://floridarealestateinstructor.com/looking-for-a-real-estate-class-in-orlando/   It is a fun way to earn an extraordinary living in central Florida.   . 

Pass Fail Ratio for The North Carolina Real Estate Exam for June , 2018

     In June of 2018, six hundred eighty six real estate license applicants attempted the North Carolina real estate exam.  Three hundred ninety three of those real estate license applicants passed both parts of the North Carolina real estate exam.  That is a fifty seven per cent pass ratio.  Forty three per cent of those applicants will be paying $164 to try again.

     This situation is not quite as dismal as it may appear at first glance.  The North Carolina real estate exam is a two part exam.  One hundred questions are the "general " portion of the North Carolina real estate exam.  Forty questions are the "North Carolina"  portion of the exam.  You can pass one and fail the other.  If you do, you will be paying $164 to try THAT portion again.

     Last month, one hundred sixty seven repeat test takers took the cumulative (both parts) exam for the second or third or fourth time.  They all paid $164 for the privilege.  Thirty of those applicants passed.  That is an 18% pass rate.  Do not underestimate the North Carolina real estate exam.

     Here is some more information.  In June, forty seven real estate license applicants took the "general" portion of the exam as a repeater.  Twenty six of those test takers passed.  Forty five percent of those exam applicants will be back paying $164 to try one more time.

     Two hundred ninety three real estate exam applicants took the North Carolina Only portion of the North Carolina real estate exam as a repeater in June.  They all paid $164 .  Forty per cent of these folks will be paying $164 to try again.

     If you are soon taking the North carolina real estate exam, may I ask you a few questions?

     First, is $164 a lot of money at your house?

    Second,   have you read "The Comments" AKA Appendix A in your textbook?  It is on page 615.  A better question would be, How many times have you read it?   Half the "North Carolina" questions come from "The Comments".  Read it at least five times.  It is also a free download from the NCREC www.ncrec.gov

    Third,  have you read the NCREC's booklet, "Real Estate Licensing in North Carolina"?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFPZGo_DJ4    Here is a link to a video I made about that. It tells you what is on the exam.  Many repeat test takers don't read this booklet until they have failed the exam a couple of times.  I suggest reading it before your first attempt.  It is also in your textbook on page 638.  It is also a free download from the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.

    Fourth,why would anyone go spend $164 to take a test that they have not studied for?  The two above documents contain half the "North Carolina " questions.  Read Appendix A, at least, five times.

Giving a small gift is a good way to start a business transaction.

     Fifth, have you answered ALL the questions in your textbook?  There are questions at the end of the chapters.  Have you answered them?  There are practice tests.  Have you answered those?  There is a fifty question math test.  Can you do all the math?  Have you done that test?   The North Carolina real estate exam is at least ten per cent math.  That is 14 math questions.  If you have any problem with that test from your textbook, it is on You Tube.  Here is a link.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxc4SZ1CW1w  Any math that is on the North Carolina real estate exam, I have it posted on You Tube.  Put Ron Climer North Carolina math into the search bar.  Most people that fail the exam, only fail by a point or two.  YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO DO THE MATH!  I did the hard part and posted them on You Tube. You do the easy part.   Before you go bet $164 that you are ready, watch all the math videos.  Read this.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2016/12/solving-real-estate-math-problems-for.html    Make the math be your friend instead of your enemy.

Sixth, have you done my practice exam at www.ncreexam.com ?  Have you done my free practice exam at http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2015/04/real-estate-practice-exam-for-north.html   ?   Practice exam are great study aids.  Have you bought the book, "Guide to Passing the AMP Real Estate Exam"  ?  It has a thousand practice questions.

Seventh, have you called your classmates and created study groups.  Do you have most of your classmates contact info so you can call them the evening of their big exam and congratulate them on passing?  Have you read my article about trick questions?   http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2017/12/what-about-those-trick-questions-on.html

Eighth, Did you leave a notepad or recorder on the front seat of your car so IF you return to your car after the exam with a failure notice in your hand, you can start writing down the questions that you saw that you did not know the answer to?  Do this before you leave the parking lot.   Did you? Did you?   Because I have so many helpful videos posted on You Tube, I get phone calls from all over North Carolina.  Almost all of these calls are from people that have failed the North Carolina real estate exam, at least, twice.  They tell there was stuff on the exam that they had never heard of.  My natural reply was, "Like what?'.  Almost always they tell that they can not remember what.  Gee!  Do you think if they see that same question next time, they will know the answer?  At $164 a pop, I suggest that if you see a question like, "What is the CFPB?"  you better know what that is before you go back.  Anyone that failed both portions of the exam had to miss more than 39 questions.  Find out the answers to those 39 questions BEFORE you spend that next $164.  If you know what the CFPB is, please leave a comment for your fellow travelers.   If you don't know what it is, find out before you write that $164 check.

Ninth, did you take a box of chocolates and give it to the exam monitor as you ask him to give you the EZ test?   I have been suggesting this to my students ever since computerized testing was started in Florida.   I started telling my students back in 01 that if they would take a box of chocolates to the exam site and ask the monitor to give them the easy test, she would.  Half my students were skeptical.  The other half believed me and took the chocolates.  A couple of years later, I received a letter from the F.R.E.C. informing me that there is no EZ test .  I should quit telling my students to bring chocolates to the exam monitor.  Of course, I continued to suggest that the students take the chocolates.  A year later, we received a phone call at the school from the testing center.  It was one of the exam monitors.  She just wanted to let us know that her favorite chocolate was Godiva chocolate.  Take the chocolate.

     The reason I started to suggest this was because I read Dr. Robert Cialdini's book, "Influence".  In this fabulous book, he explains the basic, instinctual, power of reciprocity. This is a principle of influence that states that if I give you a gift, there is a strong urge  for you to give me a gift back.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOypv1AqYu0

     A couple of months ago, I had a man call me from the flat end of the state. He told me that he had taken the North Carolina real estate exam several times.  He told that the last time he took the exam, he walked in and the test monitor told him to go sit at table 7.  He had sat at table 7 the last time he was there.  He asked if it would be alright if he were assigned another table.  There was no other test candidates there.  The monitor barked at him and said," Get your ass at table 7 or get the Hell out of here."  He told me that was rather disconcerting.  He failed one more time.  Do you think that would have happen if he walked in with a box of chocolates?  There may not be an EZ test.  There is probably some things known only to the test monitor that can make your visit to the testing center more pleasant.  Take the chocolates.  If you can not afford a three dollar box of chocolate, at least bring a big smile and a pleasant attitude.

     Question number ten, would you please quit studying like you want to BAAAAAARELY pass. Please study like you want to make 100%.  Study like you want to get your picture on the front page of the North Carolina Real Estate Commission's Bulletin as the only person this year to make 100%.  Study like you have a $100,000 per year job waiting for you.  Because you do.  Get together with your classmates, suggest that everyone that is willing puts $164 in a jar.  The first one to leave class and get their real estate license keeps all the money in the jar.  Study like you have $164 in that jar and so do ten of your classmates.  Don't study like you are hoping to pass.  Study like it is life or death.

      Question number eleven, would you please leave me a comment and tell me what else you can do with $164 besides taking the North Carolina real estate exam over? 

     If First Real Estate School in Hendersonville www.firstrealestateschool.com can help you get your North Carolina real estate license contact us.  Our next class starts August 14, 2018.  Leave a comment.