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Professional Development Education Course Descriptions

  • Updated

We have a number of courses available for you to take. While only Paragon Essentials and Tech Tools are mandatory it is strongly recommended that you take a number of additional courses.

Technical Courses

Soft Skill Courses

NAR Designation Courses

Micro Learnings

To sign up for any of these classes please click here to visit the Professional Development tab on the Member Portal

If you have questions about a specific course please contact education@therae.com.

 

Technical Courses

Paragon Essentials

The Paragon Essentials course is not just for beginners, it is a great course to take every few months as Paragon does get updated with changes every 6 weeks or so and there is always more to learn.

In this class, we cover all the basics about Paragon and how the application works.

Paragon is the RAE's MLS® system that contains all the listing data used by the RAE Members.

You will learn how the application works, how to set up all your preferences, and the 3 different ways how to search (Full, Quick and Power). You will learn how you can use Paragon as efficiently as possible for the way you work.

Tech Tools 101

There are so many tools available to RAE members. In Tech Tools 101 course, we provide an overview of 10 technical real estate resources available, and how to use them effectively in your day to day business. Great course for all agents to take regularly to keep up with all the changes.

During this 3-hour hands-on class, we will cover:

  • The RAE Member Portal
    • including setting up your personal information)
  • REALTOR.ca
    • Uploading your profile photo and viewing your listing statistics
  • HPI
    • Home Price Index tool
  • Interactive Maps
    • Edmonton and surrounding communities
  • Spin2
    • For Title Searches
  • Geojet
    • For Lot and additional property information
  • Data-Co-op
    • For searching listings in areas covered by multiple boards in Alberta
  • Paragon Connect
    • The responsive platform for accessing Paragon from your smartphone
  • Supra Key and Lock Boxes
    • Overview of how to access lockboxes for showing properties
  • Showing Time
    • Peer-to-peer messaging system for booking showings and communicating with other agents and your clients.

Designed specifically for those new to the industry or anyone who needs to brush up on what online resources are available.

Stats 101

Have you ever had a client ask you about what is happening in a specific neighbourhood or with the real estate market in general? Let us show you where you can find all the real estate statistics. All agents should know about the Stats tools available, so you can understand what is happening in the market and be prepared to share these facts with your clients!

Attend our Stats 101 webinar as we review the many sources of statistics available to RAE Members.
This course will review:

  • Paragon Hot Sheets
  • Paragon Market Watch
  • RAE Trends
  • RAE Stats
  • CREA Stats
  • HPI tool and more.

All of these together will give you a better understanding and therefore have the skills to be able to properly explain to your clients what is happening in today’s market so they can make more informed decisions.

Paragon Connect

Agents are busy people and always on the go. This course will show you how to access Paragon when you are away from your office. Paragon Connect gives you full Paragon access from your smartphone, anytime, anywhere, including managing clients, searches and listings.

This training session will teach you the basics of how to use Paragon Connect! It is a responsive platform that provides a modern, mobile solution to manage your Paragon data in real-time. Paragon Connect and Paragon Classic utilize the same database, which means any changes made in one will also show up in the other.

So whether it's on a laptop at your office, on your tablet when out with clients or using your smartphone on the go, Paragon Connect will adapt to how, when and where you need to work.

Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) Applications

Learn how to do a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) for your buying and selling clients. We have a number of tools available to RAE members to do a proper CMA.

We will explain what a CMA is. How to search for good comparables, and then how you can use the MLS® data to create presentations of subject and comparable properties to present to your clients.

We will have 2 primary CMA tools; Paragon CMA and Cloud CMA. There are also supplementary CMA tools that we will also discuss:

  • Paragon CMA
  • Cloud CMA

Supplementary CMA Tools

In each of the applications, you will learn how to set up your preferences, including photos, resume and defaults page selections, as well as searching for comparables and adding your subject property; and then finally, how to share the CMA with your clients.

TIP: You will learn how to do a quick CMA in under 45 seconds, which is sometimes all your client needs.

Recommend that you also take the Stats 101 course to give you even more valuable facts to help your clients make an informed decision.

Paragon Client Collaboration Centre

Agents with clients should take this course to ensure they know the most efficient ways to get your clients listing information. In this course, we will show you the different ways of getting that data in front of your clients and how you can both interact with that information to a successful transaction.

There are multiple ways of passing along listing information to your clients. Emails and printed reports are very frequently used, but the most effective is the enhanced Collab Centre. We will show you how to save searches and set up auto-notifications so your clients will get the listings in a timely manner. You will also learn the different ways that you can interact with your clients and how they interact back with you via the collab centre.

Showing Time

ShowingTime is a member-to-member communication tool that is linked to the listing database. You can book showings right from within Paragon. Agents can also manage showings and listings right from the convenience of their smartphone app.

Track all your showings in one location. Keep alarms, door codes and security-related information away from the general membership until a showing has been confirmed. Block off times that clients request no showings. Ensure that no showings overlap.

Your selling clients can get an app so they can see who is showing and when, and they can even confirm showings on their property from their own device.

For your buying clients, their app will show them upcoming appointments and the confirmation status of all the showings that you booked for them. 

A great way to keep your selling and buying clients as well both agents connected and informed. 

We will cover:

  • Setting up your profile
  • How to add showing instructions and other information to your listings
  • Scheduling a single showing
  • Scheduling a multiple showing
  • How to approve showings
  • Setting up the app for you and your clients

Paragon Broker Load

You need to take this Broker Load Course in order to manually enter your own listings at a time that is convenient for you, without waiting for RAE staff to upload your listing. It will also save some money and give you the ability to edit and update your listing in real-time. 

The Brokerload Online Course is an essential class to fully utilize the Paragon platform. Learn how to add or map a listing, upload multiple photos before a listing goes up, map and maintain your listing throughout the life of the post, clone listings, and more.

This one-hour webinar can be done remotely and shows REALTORS® the ins and outs of broker loading.
If you want access to listing input maintenance, you will need to have your Broker/Manager sign the Brokerload Access Agreement and submit it to the association.

 

Soft Skills Courses

Rural Review

If you work in Rural areas or are interested in learning more about possibly selling a rural property? This course will give you some of the things to watch out for and the potential pitfalls that can get you in trouble.

There are a number of things that you need to be aware of as there are some important differences between selling an urban and rural home.

We will cover things such as Water, Sewer, Zoning, RPRs, Contracts and more.

We will also briefly cover how searching for Rural Properties on Paragon has some unique instances that need to be considered.

Step Up Your Social Media Marketing

Hosted by social media marketing expert Beverley Theresa.
Focusing on Facebook and Instagram, this 2-hour webinar will give you the tools to:

  • Design a winning social media strategy
  • Plan social media posts like a professional
  • Create content that resonates and appeals to your audience
  • Use your phone for easy photo/video content
  • Check your stats and analytics to see if your content is engaging

Space Management & Your Job

During this session, the Professional will be exposed to their habits during showings, during the listing and offer presentations, property workups, Open Houses, personal office set up, meeting new clients and operating within a two-meter safety bubble for their safety.

We look at every aspect of the Real Estate Professional’s job, from meeting new clients to conducting showings, open houses, offer presentations in a closing room and client's residence and will provide the Professional with options and tactics to use during the day-to-day job that will increase their personal safety.

The topic of Space Management is by far one of the most important aspects a Real Estate Professional needs to understand in order to be SAFE.

Non-Conventional Weapons

"Non-Conventional Tools Training will provide the Real Estate Professional with a high understanding of how to use items they carry with them every day for protection. The introduction of non-conventional tools during the threat of an attack will come as such a surprise, the Predator will not have the mindset to understand what is about to happen until the tool has been deployed and success obtained.

Participants will require the following items for use during the training session:

  • A training partner if available.
  • Pair of safety glasses
  • Bank Card or Credit Card Pen
  • Belt (Pants or dress or jacket belt) Baseball hat
  • Cell Phone
  • An appointment book or clipboard.

 

NAR Designation Courses

SRS (Seller Representative Specialist)

Designed to elevate professional standards and enhance personal performance, the Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designation is the premier credential in seller representation.

It is awarded to real estate professionals who demonstrate the knowledge and skills essential for seller advocacy.  SRS designees represent a global community of REALTORS® who use their advanced training and expertise to go above and beyond their client's expectations.

The course includes a variety of learning outcomes, including:

  • Increase listings and grow their business
  • Demonstrate and communicate their value package to seller clients
  • Understand and apply the Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice
  • Understand and comply with provincial license law when representing sellers
  • Understand and apply methods, tools and techniques to provide the support that sellers want and need

ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative)

The Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR®) designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation.  The designation program establishes a foundation of training, skills, and resources to help real estate professionals succeed as a buyer's representative.

The ABR® designation's two-day core course is specifically designed to help you conduct a buyer counselling session, sign buyer-clients to a written buyer representation agreement, negotiate buyer clients offers, and bring the transaction to a successful close.

When you decide to earn your ARB® designation, you gain:

  • Ongoing specialized information, programs, and updates help you stay on top of the issues and trends associated with buyer representation.
  • Focus on working directly with buyer-clients at every stage of the home-buying process.
  • Valuable real estate education that elevates your skills and knowledge in the eyes of homebuyers.

RENE (Real Estate Negotiation Expert)

The RENE Certification Course is an interactive experience to help negotiators elevate their game! The course examines all types of negotiation formats and methods so that today’s negotiators can play the game to win. A full spectrum of tips, tools, techniques and advantages will be provided so that negotiators can provide effective results for their client.

The RENE curriculum provides a comprehensive foundation of skills development and interactive learning experiences to help real estate negotiators step up their game and achieve maximum results for their clients.

SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist)

Baby Boomers represent the largest and wealthiest group of homebuyers and sellers in the country.  Understand what motivation this growing market and how to address their needs with the prestigious SRES® designation.

This three-day webinar training program offers real estate professionals the unique opportunity to learn and build key skills in counselling adults ages 50+ through selling their family home, buying a rental property, and moving to a senior community, among other issues. 

Diversity and Inclusion in Real Estate

The Applied Diversity and Inclusion course empower those in the real estate service industry to reach out and serve an increasingly diverse population. Participants will learn about the people who make up the local market, along with their values, customs, real estate needs, and expectations of the professional.

Micro-Learnings

Safety First

When crimes against real estate professionals occur, the majority of them tend to be violent and, in many cases, have resulted in hospitalization and, in some cases, loss of life. To a criminal, a real estate professional is often a soft target.

This 18-minute video is led by our trainers from Safe International Rob & Beth Andres and will give you some initial insight on how to stay safe as REALTORS®.

Dick & Jane

REALTORS® are very concerned about professional conduct and ensuring the highest standards of practice are upheld.

It is extremely important that REALTORS® conduct themselves in a manner that serves to enhance the professional image of the industry, in the eyes of the public.

The following short, 10-part Dick & Jane video series was created to demonstrate best practices in a variety of situations you’ll regularly encounter as a REALTOR®.

Disclose It

Disclosure is one the most difficult things to deal with because disclosure is often based on lawful instruction from your client, and the definition of lawful instruction is at times a grey area.
In this Micro-Learning, we will discuss how and why the issue of lawful versus unlawful instructions arises and provide some information on how to deal with it. 

An Introvert In a Real Estate World

If you’re an introvert, you might think that being a Real Estate Agent is something where only the more socially extroverted shine.

In this short Micro-Learning, you will hear about why you don’t have to be an extrovert to shine in real estate.
 
This Micro-Learning is approximately 5 minutes in length and can be watched as many times as you like.

New Home Warranty – What you Should Know

Before listing a new home for sale, REALTORS® should confirm with a home builder that the home has warranty coverage. Go through this quick guide to help you understand more about the New Home Buyer Protection Act.

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