Our Courses
What you can learn from our instituteIn New York, under the supervision of a licensed real estate broker, a real estate salesperson facilitates the purchase and sale of property on behalf of customers, obtains lists of properties for sale; and assists buyers (customers) of real estate to locate and purchase property. A real estate salesperson is associated with a real estate broker to list and negotiate the sale, lease, or rental of real property for others for compensation, under the direction and guidance of a responsible broker. A salesperson does not operate independently.
In order to qualify for licensure as a real estate salesperson, an applicant must have satisfactorily completed a 75-hour salesperson qualifying education course in real estate approved by the NYS Secretary of State, and have passed a qualifying examination administered by the New York State Department of State.
A real estate agent is a REALTOR® when he or she pays an annual fee to be a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its Code of Ethics.
The terms real estate agent and real estate broker are often used interchangeably. The main difference between the two is that brokers are licensed to manage their own businesses, while agents are not. Agents may work under brokers, but their jobs are similar – they both help clients sell and buy homes.
In New York a "real estate broker" means any person, firm, limited liability company or corporation, who, for another and for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration, lists for sale, sells, exchanges, buys or rents, or offers or attempts to negotiate a sale, exchange, purchase or rental of an estate or interest in real estate, or collects or offers or attempts to collect rent for the use of real estate, or negotiates or offers or attempts to negotiate, a loan secured or to be secured by a mortgage, other than a residential mortgage loan, or other incumbrance upon or transfer of real estate, or is engaged in the business of a tenant relocator. A real estate broker is responsible for the supervision and conduct of the real estate brokerage business. He or she applies for and holds the license on behalf of the brokerage. A real estate salesperson works for and is supervised by the broker. The salesperson acts as the broker's agent. All listings, although perhaps negotiated by a salesperson, are accepted by the broker.
In order to qualify for licensure as a real estate broker, an applicant must have at least two years of experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or at least three years of experience in the general real estate field (e.g., buying and selling your own property, managing property owned by your employer), have satisfactorily completed both the qualifying salesperson course of 75 hours and an additional 45-hour real estate broker course as approved by the New York Secretary of State, and have passed a qualifying examination administered by the Department of State.
In New York, all Real Estate licensees are required to successfully complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education, including at least 3 hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property and at least one hour of instruction pertaining to the law of agency. Except in the case of the initial two-year licensing term for real estate salespersons, two hours of agency related instruction must be completed within the two-year period immediately preceding a renewal.
We offer a wide variety of real estate courses for both residential and commercial real estate professionals. Whether you’re interested in learning more about foreclosures, mortgages, or appraisals, we have classes for everyone. Take the next step in your career and increase your knowledge by enrolling in one of our continuing education classes today.
The New York State Department of State certifies, licenses and registers real estate appraisers to perform real estate appraisals. Appraisals are an analysis, opinion or conclusion relating to the nature, quality, value or utility of specified interests in, or aspects of, identified real estate. You must obtain a Trainee Appraiser License to gain the experience hours that qualify you to take the test for a licensed, certified, and certified general appraiser. The required time to gain the 2,000 experience hours for licensing is 24 months.
Appraisal Assistants work for a Licensed Appraiser and learn the
business from the ground up. They do things like research, data collection and
standard analysis of common properties They are supervised in the conduct of their
services by a New York State certified appraiser, who is approved by the Department
of State as a Supervisory Appraiser. The Supervisory Appraiser must cosign appraisal
reports.
Basic Requirements: Must be 18 years or older and submit a
completed application.
Training Requirements: None.
Education Requirements: 150 hours of qualifying education
courses and completion of approved supervisor/trainee course. Upon satisfaction
of the application requirements of the Department of State, the Department will
issue a renewable 2-year State Licensed Real Estate Appraiser Assistant license.
State Required Test: No.
Licensed Appraisers evaluate every aspect of a property and deliver a valuation like
any other Appraiser. The scope of practice for a licensed residential real
estate appraiser is limited to the appraisal of noncomplex 1-4 family residential
units having a transaction value of less than $1,000,000 and complex 1-4 family
residential units having a transaction value of less than $250,000.
Basic Requirements: Must be 18 years or older and submit a
completed application.
Training Requirements: 2,000 hours of experience in no fewer
than 24 months.
Education Requirements: Must have an Associate’s degree or
higher OR 30 semester credit hours in specified courses; 150 hours of qualifying
education courses.
State Required Test: Yes.
The scope of practice for a certified residential real estate appraiser is limited to:
- the appraisal of 1-4 family residential units without regard to value or complexity; and
- the appraisal of vacant or unimproved land that is to be utilized for a 1-4 family residential unit without regard to value or complexity, or vacant or unimproved land for which the highest and best use is a 1-4 family residential unit without regard to value or complexity.
- A certified residential real estate appraiser shall not appraise a residential subdivision, except that a certified residential real estate appraiser may appraise individual properties within a subdivision.
Basic Requirements: Must be 18 years or older and submit a
completed application.
Training Requirements: 2,500 hours of experience in no fewer
than 24 months.
Education Requirements: Must have a Bachelor’s degree or
higher; 200 hours of qualifying education courses.
State Required Test: Yes.
A certified general real estate appraiser may appraise all types of real property.
Basic Requirements: Must be 18 years or older and submit a
completed application.
Training Requirements: 3,000 hours in no fewer than 30 months
of which a minimum of 1,500 hours must be in non-residential appraisal work.
Education Requirements: Must have a Bachelor’s degree or
higher; 300 hours of qualifying education courses.
All real estate appraisers and assistants are required to successfully complete 28 hours of approved appraiser continuing education courses, which must include the seven-hour National USPAP update course, within their two-year license/certification period prior to renewal. Please note that you must complete an additional 14 hours of approved continuing education for each year that has lapsed if you renew 185 days after the expiration date of your license.
- If you performed at least 75% of the work associated with an appraisal (including preparation of the appraisal report), you will receive full credit for that appraisal, even if your work was reviewed by a supervising appraiser who signed the appraisal report.
- Review Appraisals: If you performed a “review appraisal,” whether defined as a “field review” or a “documentary review” or a combination of both, you will receive 25% of the hours normally assigned for that appraisal. You must complete.
- Note: Review Appraisals may be used for qualifying experience credit only up to a maximum of 25% of the required hours.
Note: Experience must be obtained within the five-year period prior to submission of your application. To assure consistency and fairness in evaluating appraisal experience, the Department of State will use an "hourly system" that will serve as a guideline. The hourly system takes into consideration the number and type of appraisals performed and hours worked (including travel).
- Market value estimates as a real estate licensee in connection with the listing and/or sale of real estate (i.e., "comparative market analysis") are unacceptable.
- Business appraisals are unacceptable. (Credit will be given for appraisals of individual parcels of commercial real estate.)
- Personal property appraisals are unacceptable.
- Feasibility or market analysis is unacceptable, except to the extent that the "market value" of a proposed real estate project is being estimated.
Do I have to provide experience documentation at the time of application?
No. However, applicants may be asked to verify claimed experience following initial licensure/certification. Therefore, you must have documentation in your possession to support all "claimed experience."
A mortgage loan originator license authorizes a person employed by or affiliated with a mortgage banker or mortgage broker registered or licensed under New York State Banking Law to engage in providing services to customers by soliciting, negotiating, explaining or finalizing the terms of a mortgage loan on residential real property located in New York State. New York State requires individuals who engage in the business of a mortgage loan originator with respect to New York residential real estate, to obtain a license from the NYS Superintendent of Banks.
NYS requires that in order to obtain a license a mortgage loan originator must complete twenty (20) hours of NMLS approved pre-licensure education courses, including 3 hours of New York State Specific laws and Regulations.
Home Inspection is defined as the process by which a home inspector observes and provides a written report of the systems and components of a residential building including but not limited to:
- Heating System
- Cooling System
- Plumbing System
- Electrical System
- Structural Components - foundation, roof masonry structure, exterior and interior components or any other related residential building component recommended by the Home Inspection Council and implemented by the Department of State through the regulatory process.
New Home Inspectors
Basic Requirements: Have successfully completed high school or
its equivalent; Have no disqualifying criminal convictions.
Education Requirements: Take and successfully complete a course of
study of not less than 140 hours approved by the Department of State. Of those hours,
40 must be unpaid field based inspections in the presence of and under direct
supervision of a Home Inspector licensed by NYS, or a professional engineer or
architect, regulated by NYS.
Training Requirements: Have performed not less than 100 home
inspections (paid or unpaid) in the presence of and under the direct supervision
of a Home Inspector licensed by NYS, or a professional engineer or architect
regulated by NYS..
Test: Have passed the NYS written examination.
Duration: Licenses will be effective for 2 years.