Sold on Real Estate

by Phil Houseal, Jan 25, 2011


Some say the secret of success is to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. John Camp thinks this might be the best time to become a real estate agent.

That is one reason Texas Real Estate Educators has teamed with Club Ed to offer the Real Estate License School in Kerrville.

It’s no secret that the housing and real estate markets have been less than stellar lately. But the 17-year broker is bullish on bringing in more agents.

“Real estate is coming back,” said Camp, who has been coming to Kerrville since he was a child. “I read lots of reports, and the industry is seeing a significant upturn in activities. For students of real estate, this is a good time.”

So starting in February, the school will start offering all the courses necessary to prepare students to take the Real Estate Exam. These include seven weekend courses that fulfill the required and elective coursework, plus a special Exam Prep class in June.

(Those who want to learn more about getting a license can sign up for Why Get a Real Estate License - a two-hour overview on Saturday, Feb 5.)

There are a number of ways individuals can get a real estate license - including online and correspondence courses. But Camp - who moved to Kerrville in 2002, where he managed the ERA office and now runs Real Estate by Design - believes there is no replacement for a live course in front of an instructor.

“The instructor can channel your studies, and show you what is and is not important,” he said. “There is a lot of interaction in our classes. Yu can ask questions about things you don’t understand. We have seen that students are more successful taking the state exam when they have taken live courses.”

The block of courses is set up so that a student starting in February can be ready to take the exam by this summer.

Local actor/singer/entrepreneur Tony Navarra is one of those early signups. He is a self-proclaimed dabbler in real estate who decided it was time to become a real estate agent.

“I’m not even planning to work in a shop,” said Navarra, who likes to buy and fix up properties. “I just want this strictly for my own use, so I can do my own contracts and get things started a lot faster. I want to do this for myself.”

Camp is excited about partnering with Club Ed to bring these courses to a wider audience.

“The amazing thing to me is that people don’t know there is a real estate school in Kerrville. Community Education reaches out beyond Kerrville. Being able to let the community know we are here, and to interface with Club Ed, with good facilities is very attractive.”

There are also benefits to the students.

“This is much more convenient for our students,” Camp said. “Otherwise, you have to go to San Antonio and spend a lot more money staying in hotels and buying meals.”

Navarra vouches for that.

“When I decided to pursue my license, the first question was where do I go,” he said. “Then this catalog came in the mail and I realized, yes, we have this in Kerrville. So I jumped on it.”

Camp concurs. “I think will be a beneficial relationship.”

Using the real estate agent’s favorite word: Sold!