20-Hr. AK 2024-2026 CE Package

Navigating real estate can be confusing and overwhelming for customers and clients. Licensees can help clients understand the process and available services by providing valuable information and support. As a licensee, they can provide reliable and knowledgeable resources to those needing assistance. Counseling consumers involves communicating and building a solid rapport with clients, understanding their needs and preferences, and providing accurate information and advice. An effective licensee provides clients with sound advice and guidance at every transaction stage while keeping their best interests as a top priority.

Ultimately, a licensee’s success depends on building trust and establishing strong client relationships. By providing expert guidance and assistance throughout the real estate process, licensees can help clients achieve their real estate goals.

This two-hour mandatory course fulfills Alaska’s 2024-2026 DCE requirement for the topic of Counseling Consumers.

Course highlights include:

• Client vs. customer services review
• Best practices with customers and clients
• Credit and housing counseling
• Counseling clients after an unsuccessful negotiation
• Property disclosure review
• Required disclosures
• Residential Real Property Transfer Disclosure Statement
• Purpose of the home inspection

Understanding the significance of energy conservation is important, especially in Alaska, where unique challenges arise due to extreme weather conditions and remote locations. This course explores the impact and benefits of energy conservation practices for homeowners in Alaska and examines how adopting energy-efficient practices can reduce utility bills, mitigate environmental impacts, and enhance economic and environmental sustainability.

Alaska has vast and diverse landscapes, which calls for comprehensive regulations and procedures for land use, planning, zoning, and building codes. A review of Alaska's regulatory framework helps licensees understand the state's land use laws and procedures. Examining zoning laws, planning regulations, and building codes gives licensees insight into the mechanisms shaping land development and conservation efforts in Alaska.

This two-hour mandatory course fulfills Alaska's 2024-2026 DCE requirement for the topic of Environmental Issues and Land Use.

Course highlights include:

• Energy efficiency and conservation in Alaska
• Alaska's Energy Independence Fund
• Energy-saving tips
• Energy-efficient improvement options
• Impact of energy efficiency on resale value
• Land use and development in Alaska
• Municipal land use
• Zoning land
• Building codes and standards

Licensees have likely encountered situations regarding housing discrimination, tenant and landlord rights and responsibilities, or misrepresentation in advertising. Beyond sales, a licensee's role as a real estate professional is to guide clients through a fair real estate landscape. Armed with the essential tools and knowledge from this content, they can not only facilitate informed decision-making for their clients but also contribute to maintaining fairness and equity within the professional community.

After completing this course, licensees will recognize federal and state laws related to advertising and fair housing, be able to recall crucial components of the Alaska Landlord-Tenant Act, and recognize legal requirements for property management.

This two-hour mandatory course fulfills Alaska's 2024-2026 DCE requirement for the topic of Fair Housing and Property Management.

Course highlights include:

• Federal and Alaska fair housing law and protected classes
• Alaska advertising requirements
• Puffery vs. misrepresentation
• The NAR Code of Ethics and advertising
• The Alaska Landlord and Tenant Act
• Landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities
• Security deposit handling and timelines
• Property management
• Reasonable accommodations and modifications
• Property management agreements

One of the most important aspects of real estate is the relationships between the parties involved and the corresponding obligations that come with those relationships. Real estate professionals must clearly understand the different types of relationships between them and consumers. The Alaska Real Estate Commission Consumer Disclosure includes guidelines to help licensees understand their obligations and protect them and the consumers they work with.

In Alaska, real estate professionals are expected to uphold high ethical standards and maintain a professional demeanor. One of the areas where ethics and professionalism come into play is through disclosure. Licensees must be transparent and forthcoming in their dealings with clients, customers, and other brokers. Licensees can build trust and credibility by maintaining high ethical standards and conducting themselves professionally, leading to long-term career success.

This two-hour mandatory course fulfills Alaska's 2024-2026 DCE requirement for the topic of Required Licensee Disclosures.

Course highlights include:

• Specific assistance
• Representation review
• Designated licensee relationships
• Neutral licensees
• Alaska Real Estate Commission Consumer Disclosure
• Handling ethical negotiations
• Disclosing conflict of interest
• Compensation disclosure
• Advertising prohibitions and required disclosures
• Loyalty and self-dealing

Proper document management provides proof that a licensee did what was required, when it was required. It serves to protect the consumer and it reduces the licensee's risk of litigation.

Get ready to become more comfortable with selecting and using transactional documents. 

Course highlights include:

• Common documents used in real estate transactions
• Common contract clauses, addenda, and contingencies
• Avoiding the unauthorized practice of law
• Multiple offer management
• Document signatures, notarizations, and identification
• Transaction management methods and best practices
• Document management and retention methods and best practices
• Technology and security for document management
• Legalities of electronic communication
• Activities and scenarios to reinforce key concepts

Fraud has become a major issue in the industry. Lawbreakers use real estate as a vehicle to steal the life savings of unsuspecting homeowners and defraud lenders out of millions of dollars for their own gain. Federal, state, and local governments have taken steps to combat real estate fraud, but it remains a major problem—one you need to have a solid understanding of to ensure you're able to shield your clients and yourself from being defrauded or unknowingly committing fraud.

Keeping It Honest: Understanding Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud has been updated to discuss the latest fraudulent schemes and explain recent government initiatives aimed at stopping fraud and protecting consumers.

Course Highlights:

• Fraud and its impact on the real estate industry
• The newest and most prevalent types of fraudulent schemes
• Red flag behaviors that suggest someone is engaging in fraud
• How to report fraudulent or suspected fraudulent activities to the proper authorities
• Key government initiatives aimed at stopping fraud and protecting consumers
• Activities and scenarios to provide real-world context for course content

The inspection period is a big hurdle to jump over on the way to closing. The inspector’s job is to call out defects. The buyer agent’s job is to negotiate repairs. The seller agent’s job is to mitigate damage. It can sometimes be hard to hold a deal together.

Protecting your buyer as a buyer’s agent means understanding the importance of the home inspection contingency and its deadlines, and identifying the need for specialized inspections.

Protecting your seller as the listing agent means helping the seller understand disclosure obligations, prepare for the inspection, and respond to a buyer’s reasonable repair requests.

Course highlights:

• The importance of the inspection contingency
• The licensee’s role in the inspection process
• Licensee and seller disclosure obligations
• Red flags related to common structural, plumbing, and electrical issues
• Specialized inspection types addressing radon, asbestos, sewer lines, septic tanks, mold, lead, and wells
• Interactive activities and scenarios

Unlike most owner-occupied homebuyers, real estate investors enter the market to make money. By learning about investor motivators and criteria, you’ll be in a better position to help your clients navigate this asset strategy.

Working with Real Estate Investors examines investor goals and strategies, different investment property types, key financial considerations, and your role in locating, negotiating for, and marketing investment properties.

Course Highlights:

• An overview of residential and commercial investment property types
• Short- and long-term investment property acquisition strategies 
• Financial factors that influence investor decisions, including depreciation, 1031 tax exchanges, and cash flow
• Financing options available to real estate investors, including conventional loans, commercial loans, and private money lenders
• Tips for locating and marketing investment properties
• Pros and cons of working with investor clients
• Ethical duties when working with investor clients
• Activities and scenarios to provide real-world context for course content