Educators Receive Updates, Discuss Teaching Techniques at Conference

An enthusiastic crowd of real estate instructors, school officials and publisher representatives attended the 2010 Real Estate Educators Conference held in Raleigh on March 22-23, 2010. The Commission-sponsored meeting drew 214 participants from across the state for this year’s event.

Lisa McQuillen, Education and Licensing Officer, kicked off the conference with an explanation of proposed rule revisions impacting the prelicensing and postlicensing programs. She also recognized prelicensing schools and instructors whose students had exhibited outstanding performance on their license examinations.

Anita Burt, Education and Examination Officer, followed with an update on the new prelicensing end-of-course examinations recently developed by the Commission and made available to schools. She also explained the Commission’s decision to utilize a special closing statement worksheet rather than the recently revised HUD-1 form on the license examination, Contracts and Closing course examination and new prelicensing course examinations.

Additional “update” sessions filled the remainder of the first morning’s program.

Director of Education and Licensing Larry Outlaw, discussed various issues concerning the North Carolina Real Estate Manual and upcoming revisions to the postlicensing course syllabi. Pamela Rorie, Continuing Education Officer, discussed proposed rule amendments impacting the continuing education program and other information of particular interest to continuing education sponsors and instructors.

During the luncheon, the North Carolina Real Estate Educators Association (NCREEA) held its spring meeting officiated by President Tim Terry. The traditional awards presentation was conducted by Immediate Past President John Carroll.

The Association presented its “Program of the Year” award to Elizabeth Whitcraft for her continuing education elective course, Resort Property Management: Short Term Vacation Rentals, and its “Educator of the Year” award to Deborah Carpenter, DREI, of the J. Y. Monk Real Estate Training Center. Gary Taylor, long-time director/instructor with the Mingle School of Real Estate, was presented the “Emeritus” award in recognition of his many years of service to real estate education in North Carolina, including two terms as NCREEA President.

Also during the luncheon, Commission Chairman Marsha H. Jordan presented the Commission’s Billie J. Mercer Excellence in Education Award to NCREEA’s Educator of the Year Deborah Carpenter. This award is presented annually in memory of former Commission member and chairperson, Billie Mercer, who was especially dedicated to the cause of real estate education. The name of each year’s award winner is engraved on the Mercer Award cup that is displayed in the Commission’s lobby. Other Commission members in attendance for the presentation were Buddy Rudd, Alice Mosteller and Vic Knight.

The finale of the NCREEA Awards presentation featured instructor Bill Gallagher who recognized outgoing Real Estate Commission Executive Director Phillip T. Fisher for his 34 years of service to the Commission and his enthusiastic promotion of quality real estate education.

Following the luncheon, Cynthia DuRant, Housing Program Specialist with the U. S. Department of HUD, discussed RESPA reforms and the new Good Faith Estimate (GFE) form. A review of the revised HUD-1 form was conducted by local attorney Katherine Wilkerson.

The first day concluded with presentations by Bill Trull, Bill Gallagher, Chris Barnette and Sue Wehner. These veteran instructors shared suggestions and techniques for conducting CMA and square footage exercises in the Broker Relationships and Responsibilities postlicensing course.

To begin the second day, instructors Matt Davies and Vicki Ferneyhough discussed teaching techniques which may be used in teaching the “Introduction to Commercial Real Estate “and “Residential Property Management” subject areas in the Selected Topics course. George Bell then gave a presentation on the major changes planned for the Offer to Purchase and Contract form that is jointly approved by the North Carolina Association of REALTORS® and the North Carolina Bar Association. Several members of the Joint Forms Committee were also present and assisted with the presentation.

The conference concluded with the popular “Legal Update and Open Forum” featuring Commission Legal Counsel Tom Miller and Information Officer Jean Hobbs, who answered questions from conference participants.

The Commission thanks North Carolina’s real estate educators for their continued support and congratulates Deborah Carpenter, Elizabeth Whitcraft and Gary Taylor for their achievements.