This January (2009) UniversalREO, aka NFSTI, will be continuing our 2-day REO course in the Las Vegas, NV region. Over the past 2 years our courses have evolved from 4-hour info sessions with panel discussions to a full 2-day all-out course aimed at coaching agents on how to develop business and the infrastructure of an REO agency.
So far we've averaged about 50 participants per course. Cities we've visited have included: Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Las Vegas, Henderson, Ventura, Oakland, Denver, and Aurora. In 2009 we are looking to target some additional southern cities such as Atlanta, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Houston, San Diego, Los Angeles, and then the northern-CA central valley region.
Just recently in The Economist, a publication dedicated to projecting the facts regarding global economies, it was suggested that 2009 not only marks the peak in foreclosure volume, but also the bottom valley of housing prices. This is a recipe for successful REO agents around the nation. Hence our need to access as many cities around the nation as possible.
One of the most common issues that asset managers still face to date is quality of craftsmanship in real estate agents, otherwise known as "REO Specialists". In an effort to survive (who can blame them?) many agents around the nation jumped in as REO specialists before completely understanding the requirements and demands of this position. Anyone who has been in this industry can tell you without batting an eye that it's a full-time job babysitting these assignments and is not for the faint of heart.
As the industry dials in it's consistency and makes attempts to locate the most professional and well-trained real estate agents across the country we've watched as many REO specialists have been removed from asset manager databases based on a lack of quality or, in some cases, negligence. New agents are being considered for the job on a more frequent basis, however; credentials and certifications are now becoming more mandatory.
The last thing that you as an agent wants is to capture the attention of a potential client only to drop the ball due to a lack of sufficient training. You would be remiss to think that simply reading a couple of quick "How-To-BPO" blogs or manuals will have you prepared for what you're about to face. Even the most intelligent person will realize within their first BPO assignment that there was more to it than they expected. Let us guide you through this process.
I wish you the best of luck in this tough economy. I am hoping and praying that things pick up after 2009 and we can get back to a healthy real estate market across the USA. In the meantime, keep forging ahead.
