Recently in The ACRE course Category

Our continuing feature about what attracted some of our newer ACRE®s to consulting...

Nicole Beauchamp - New York, NY

I actually read about the program in Inman News a few weeks ago, and decided I would take it all in.  Before starting in real estate in the early 2000s I actually had a consulting background (software architecture, business planning), so the ideas aren't new to me, but trying to determine how to apply them in a real estate practice and this fit perfectly. I look forward to connecting and participating on the forums here and learning more that I can apply to continue to enhance my business.

Our continuing feature about what attracted some of our newer ACRE®s to consulting...

Jerry Downer - Centennial, CO
I became fascinated with the ACRE® concept while hearing Mollie speak during a Jennifer Allen webinar. I thought to myself that this is exactly what I want to do when I grow up in real estate. You see, I got into real estate (formally) about 6 years ago after I left a consulting practice with IBM. I loved real estate, but I knew that there was something wrong with the overall picture. You know, call 100 people, turn them into your enemies because they don't want to be bothered by telemarketers, then if you do get a client out of it, continue to promise them the highest price for their home while insisting that it's in their best interest.
 
As a computer geek for so many years I knew there had to be a better way. I have consistently offered my clients options by including lease option and owner financing as ways to get their home sold. Now I can offer them even more options.

Thank you for establishing this program. I'm really excited about it, and hope to learn from everyone here, as well as sharing my own experiences.

Our continuing feature about what attracted some of our newer ACRE®s to consulting...

In beginning his chapter on the last of his "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", author Stephen Covey shared the following story:

Suppose you were to come upon someone in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree.  
   
"What are you doing?" you ask.
   
"Can't you see?" comes the impatient reply. "I'm sawing down this tree."  
   
"You look exhausted!" you exclaim. "How long have you been at it?"   
 
"Over five hours," he returns, "and I'm beat! This is hard work."   
 
"Well, why don't you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen the saw?" you inquire. "I'm sure it would go a lot faster."   
 
"I don't have time to sharpen the saw," the man says emphatically. "I'm too busy sawing!"

We just received an email from an agent saying "I can't believe that this course is free! What's the catch because normally people pay for courses they want to take. I would like some info on your program". Since other agents may likely be thinking the same thing, I thought it might be a good idea to share my response:

Thank you for your inquiry about the ACRE program. Yes, it is in fact FREE, and no, there is no "catch". There is a virtual treasure trough of content, resources, and training included in the program (which includes a 1 year free membership in The Coaching Exchange, our members only training, support, and educational blog) and, for those who choose to avail themselves of them, we also offer a variety of additional tools & resources for which there would be an appropriate fee, generally quite nominal. After that initial free year, we also charge a renewal fee for the The Coaching Exchange, and we've found that the vast majority of our members pay that renewal fee each year...an indication that the information, support, and resources they receive on the Exchange are of ongoing value to them.

We made the decision to offer the program free for a number of basic reasons:

Our continuing feature about what attracted some of our newer ACRE®s to consulting...

Tom Keys - Henrico, VA
This is a great time in Real Estate, change is happening! I have been in the Industry as a Realtor for only two years and in sales and marketing for 25 years. I have always acted in a consulting, not in sales manner. I thought I knew a lot abut the real estate business, but was I wrong. Consulting in this industry will change the whole dynamics for the consumer and the industry. We can turn this into a profession!

Erika Harris - Douglasville, GA
I am an aspiring attorney and CEO who loves commercial real estate, commercial insurance, and business products. I found out about this organization from a posted comment on Active Rain.

I am in the process of opening my own real estate firm, and am so glad to have been shown options that truly allow me to be a real estate consultant. Since being in real estate since 2006, I have never been comfortable with the commission structure set by my brokers. Some only allowed a "traditional commission" and other would do "discount listings". But there was no happy medium, or choices. Now, thanks to ACRE®, I, and my clients, have choices.

Our continuing feature about what attracted some of our newer ACRE®s to consulting...

Randy Landis - Tupelo, MS
I have been in real estate for 10 years and almost from the beginning I have understood that the traditional real estate model was broken. I have actively

been practicing under a fee-for-service concept for several years only now I can take it to a more refined level. The ACRE® course has provided me with some enlightening looks back on experiences that could have been done differently, and possibly resulting in a different (better) outcome. Thank you for the opportunity to help me grow in the right direction.

Kathey Brusseau - Carson City, NV
I'm a Broker in Carson City, Nevada. I have been in the business for 16+ years, 6 of those years owning my own brokerage firm as well as facilitating real estate courses at our local community college for the past 15 years. I have always had an issue with the "commission only" based real estate industry but couldn't put my finger on how that old business model could be changed to effectively help clients with various real estate related issues and not give my knowledge and experience away "free". I honestly think consulting is the future and I will be sharing this concept with my fellow agents at my office very soon.

Melinda Hendershott - Brevard, NC
I am so glad to have found ACRE®! I set up my own firm this January and I am just starting to get rolling. When I decided to do this I wanted to use a completely different business plan than the traditional realty that is offered by 99.99% of the Realtors around me. I really don't think another full service for full commission agent really has much of a value difference to offer to consumers. Then I read about ACRE® and the lightbulb came on. I am really excited about this!!

Paul MacKay - Parry Sound, ON
For a couple of years or so I thought of a business model such as ACRE®, but was stumped as to how to get there. Our various bylaws and regulations and lack of proper forms addressing the reality seemed to be problematic. Last week, on my quest for clarity I came across an article in REM by Ron Stuart along with your web site. I checked it out, and am now proud to be an ACRE®. I am excited to adopt and implement this model.

How BIG is the news? Well, in the next few months, the ACRE® program will be undergoing the largest restructuring since we were founded four years ago. Here are the highlights:

At the end of this month, we'll be embarking on a laboratory experiment: teaching the entire ACRE® course...to a live class.

I've taught consulting before ACRE® was born and have had several requests over the last three years which I've always put aside, mostly for lack of time. However, I received a request two months ago that changed my mind.

A couple of months ago, I posted on the members-only Coaching Exchange that it was our intention to upgrade the ACRE® course. Counsel Member Tom Pickering (our education guru) is working on this project; taking my "prose" and making it into a true course book, both because it needs to be, and because it will better ACRE®'s chances of being picked up for CE credits.

Once the new course book is completed, it is our intention to raise the bar in terms of the requirements to become an ACRE®. Clearly, in order to become a successful consultant, one needs to not just understand the model, but also have developed a strategic focus (I don't want to use the phrase "business plan" as it makes most agents' eyes glaze over) and most importantly, have calculated your hourly rates and any fee packages that you want to offer. Without this practical work complete, the theory is useless.

We are busy putting together a new, expanded, and more user friendly Consulting Times. Here are just two of the changes (that I know about!)

First, a new course site will be integrated right here on The Consulting Times. The current course site was set up before the TCT was envisioned and the two sites have never talked with each other, not only providing conflicting information, but making for a lot of extra work behind the scenes.

Well, the lazy summer is over and if you're like me and observe the Jewish holidays, autumn signals a new year and time for new beginnings. And we have huge changes coming to the ACRE® program. The Council members have been putting our heads together and I have been speaking with many of our ACRE® grads regarding what works, what doesn't, what needs to be changed, and what needs to be adapted.

Frankly, my goal has always been, not just to have an organization that promotes, teaches, and supports real estate consulting, but eventually have ACRE® become the BEST training program in real estate, bar none. But to reach that goal, we need to make some major changes and we have quite a few that will be coming over the next few months into the beginning of 2010. I'll be posting them in the next days and weeks.

If you've been thinking about registering for the ACRE® Program, please do not use these upcoming changes as a reason for putting it off. All new materials will be available through our Resource Library so you won't "miss" anything.

Remember, the changes we are seeing in real estate are not going to go away once the market recovers - rather, the changes are systemic in nature and if we are to survive, we need to heed their call. "On the road of life, there are drivers and there are passengers." It's time to become a driver!

I've noticed that during the last few months of every year, agent list-serves and forums begin popping with posts regarding the newest and greatest software, tools, and must-have cool gadgets to buy for their businesses. This crazy rush to purchase the newest and greatest is in full swing by the NAR® (National Association of Realtors®) Convention in November and only seems to slow down when the realities of holiday shopping hit home - usually when the bills begin arriving in January.

Below is a response from one of the ACRE graduates and coach, Judi Bryan, to a post on a list-serv regarding programs that teach fee-for-service type models.

There is a program available which gives the "availability" of fee for services, but goes, I believe, a whole lot further. It's the ACRE® program for Accredited Consultant in Real Estate. Since the program is designed around a "consulting" model where the seller has options with what services they want and how they want to pay for them, and the agent has the opportunity to get compensated for time and expertise, whether a transaction ensues or not, it offers a real win/win. And there is no need to sell a prospect on anything. All it is meant to be is an option...an option that gives us "transparency" in how we are being paid and does not require that the seller take an "all or nothing" package.