How to Get Your Real Estate License in TN

This blog entry is pretty straight forward. I am going to tell you how to get started in real estate. Why am I doing this? Because I love my job and I know, for sure, that some of the people that read my blog would love it too. Plus I am opening an office in Rutherford County and I WANT some of my friends, neighbors, family and acquaintances to come join me. So, without further ado, here are the steps:

1) Decide you want to do it.  Ask some people in the business. Do some research. Read the rest of this blog. I know, this sounds dumb as a first step. But I'm telling you, this is the most important step. Like anything worthwhile, it is a lot of work. Just the process of getting your license is a lot of work. It's not necessarily hard work, just a lot of it. If you just think you might want to maybe do it, you won't. Decide you are going to do it and then do it. Making this decision 100% will determine the outcome.

2) Assess your finances. Now that you know you are going to do it, figure out when you are going to do it. The "when" can depend on the $$$, at least a little bit. It will take a relatively small, but significant, up front investment to get it done. I will summarize the fees below. PLEASE look over that before you start as you will need to have much of that money up front. It will start to feel like you are bleeding money. It won't hurt as bad if you are prepared for it though.

3) Decide how you want to do it. Are you OK taking classes online? Do you have the time to go to real estate school all day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks? Do you need night classes? All of those options are available. Here are some resources:

• http://www.tncli.com/   This is the school I used. I did the day classes and really enjoyed it. I learn better that way. I am not disciplined enough to do that much content online. Some are, I am not. CLI's in person 60 hour pre-licensing class is $350 (paid for A and B together)
• http://www.tntrees.com/   Heard a lot of good things about this school. Trees' 60 hour pre-licensing class is $350 (paid upfront). They have a location in Murfreesboro and Nashville.
• http://www.successrealestateschool.com/  Relatively new school in the Nashville area. I know the director. He's a good guy and a smart Realtor. Success Real Estate's pre-licensing in person class is $350, their online version is $259.

4) Enroll in the courses, attend every meeting, absorb as much as possible. Once you finish the first courses, (Pre-Licensing A and B) you will be given a certificate to fill out and you can schedule your test.

5) Start talking to managing brokers. You may have already done this. If you haven't, you should now. Interview them. Hopefully they will interview you. Be wary of brokers that make wild claims or ones that assume you belong at their office without even knowing your name. Some offices like to "warehouse" licenses and won't offer the support you need to get started. For some, this is fine. For most, you will have a hard time being successful. Ask a lot of questions. Here are just a few:

• Ask what they pay for you (cards, signs, marketing, copies, lockboxes, office space). All of them are slightly different. See which one fits better. 
• Find out their commission split and their policy on growing this. 
• Ask what their training actually entails. All brokers are going to tell you they will train you. Few actually do a good job of it. 
• Do they offer a mentorship program? 
• Does that program cost you any money? Some charge just to participate, some charge only when the lead closes. I know which one I would prefer!
• Do they offer leads? 
• Does participation in their lead system cost you money?
• Are the leads that are generated "scrubbed" or "raw"? This is a big deal. If you get 400 leads a month but they are all "Michael Jackson" or have phone numbers of (123) 456-7890, are they really leads?
• What sets that brokerage apart from others?
• What activities are going to be expected of you (open houses, floor time, cold calls, direct mail, etc.)?
• What is the office's target market (where does the office spend its marketing dollar, can you capitalize on that)?
• Does the office market itself?
• What "fees" does the office charge? Some charge a "desk fee", some charge a "marketing fee", some charge a "technology fee". Some charge no "fees", per se but they charge a set amount on each transaction. This can vary widely and you may have to ask several different times and different ways to get the full answer. If it feels like they are covering something up, run.

You will be tempted to focus solely on the commission split. I encourage you to look deeper. An office can give a big split but then turn around and nickel and dime you for every little thing (copies, custom marketing, leads, signs, etc.). This structure may be fine for you if you are more independent and going to do a lot of that stuff yourself anyway. Other offices give a decent split and give good services. Some offer a low split but do EVERYTHING for you. It truly is about finding the right fit for you.

6) Take your state and national test. There is one test location in our area. PSI Exams--1100 Kermit Drive, Suite 103 (close to the airport). Cost is $55. Study for this test. Some of the schools offer a cram session (usually around $100). I highly recommend you take this test as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the more information will leak out of your brain.

7) You will be told immediately if you pass or not. Assuming you passed, you have to register for the 30 hour "Course for New Affiliates." Pretty much everyone offers that class as a correspondence class. Most charge $185 for it. Finish it quickly, turn it in, get your certificate.

8) With all the paperwork and certificates you have accumulated at this point, you are ready to ship it off. Finish interviewing managing brokers and decide who you want to affiliate with. They should be able to put your package to send to the State together for you. You will have to have Errors and Omissions Insurance (~$250 for 2 years, prorated) and will pay an application fee of $110.

Below is a summary of the required fees/charges you will run into:

Total Cost:
Pre-Licensing Course                                                   $350
PSI Exam                                                                       $55
Course for New Affiliates                                            $185
State Application                                                          $110
Local/State/National Realtor Association application   $200 (GNAR)
Local/State/National Realtor Association dues             $525 (GNAR, prorated based on when you join)
Errors and Ommissions Insurance (can vary)               $250/two years, prorated
Sentri-Lock access card                                               $120/year, prorated
Realtracs New User Fee                                                $25
Realtracs Membership                                                  $112/quarter

Some other costs you will likely incur:

• Business cards--could be free from your brokerage, could cost anywhere from $20-$100 for your first few
• Signage--again, could be free from your brokerage, could cost as much as $100 each (or more!)
• Lockboxes--sentrilocks (electronic, very safe) cost about $100. Combination key boxes are $15-$30. Buy these as you need them--don't stock up on them in the beginning
• Marketing--be cautious about this money. Outside companies will bombard you with all kinds of promises. The best initial marketing is free--call people, tell them what you are doing, knock on doors, hold open houses. Bottom line--MEET PEOPLE, TELL THEM WHAT YOU ARE DOING and ASK FOR BUSINESS.

I write this not to discourage you. I want some fresh ideas, new agents in my office. If you want to do this, I want you to do it. I also want you to be prepared for it. I want you to be able to focus on the important stuff because you are not freaking out over whether or not you can afford to pay for MLS access. At our office, we can get you started quickly. You can be on the lead network in just a few weeks. You will get scrubbed, real leads almost immediately. Best part is, you don't pay for those leads until you close them. I would love to tell you more. Let me know if you are interested.

The Truth--Small Business is THE Fabric of Our Culture

This series has been focused on lies in our culture. This blog is going to change it up a little and focus on a truth that many people know. They just might not know HOW truthful it really is. All of this blog is going to focus on small business. Specifically, it is going to focus on my life experience with a particular small business, Crosslin Supply. Many of the people that read this blog know that Crosslin's sold to national company, ProBuild a few years ago. ProBuild closed its doors in Smyrna on Friday of last week. This morning I was "inspired" by a dream to write about Crosslin's and what it has meant to my life. My story is not unlike countless others who have been impacted by family run, small businesses across the country.

We moved to Tennessee from Texas when I was almost 5 years old. My dad worked for my grandfather in his auto repair garage in Smyrna. My mom worked for Kroger for a short time and then went to work for a lumber yard in Smyrna, Crosslin Supply. A few years later, my grandfather closed his shop and my dad also went to work for Crosslin's. You could say I basically grew up at Crosslin Supply. It certainly helped shape my life. Below are some of my memories and the lessons I learned because of Crosslin Supply:

Lesson 1--people want to be treated well and will pay a little more if they are. Time and time again I would wonder how Crosslin's could compete with the big stores like Lowes. The answer was always the same--people go to who they know and who they know will treat them well. Everyone wants to be treated like they are important (even if they are not). That deck that the DIYer is building is the most important thing in that guy's mind right now. It may only be $1,000 worth of lumber but it is his crowning achievement. He may not be as important to your bottom line as the customer that builds 100 homes a year but it IS important to that customer that he is treated like you couldn't survive without his business. If he gets that treatment, he will be a fan of your business and will even pay a little more for the same product. If you slip up, even once, he will go to the big box store where he doesn't expect good treatment but will get a cheaper product. In other words, if I get crappy service at both places, why would I pay more for it?

Lesson 2--Go the extra mile--period. I learned that no matter what, give all that you can to your clients or customers. It makes you feel good and you never know what else that will bring you. I remember when the Kingdom Hall in Smyrna was being built. They wanted to build it in just a few days. They requested, and Crosslin's agreed, to have 24 hour access to building materials. My dad stayed at the store through the night and delivered stuff to them in the dark and at all kinds of times. It was cool in its own sort of way. Only a small business would do that.

Lesson 3--When the employee takes pride in the job and are rewarded for it, you will be successful as an owner. There are countless examples of this at Crosslin's. From the doors that were built on site for customers to the organization system and the racks that the employees built to the times when special cuts were requested and the employees took pride in helping someone out. My dad and others helped build many of the sheds and other buildings on that property. They took pride in that place and were often rewarded with bonus checks or lunches or even just pats on the back. Either way, the employees were part, if not most, of the success of the day to day operations. Combine that pride with the relationships built by Mr. Crosslin, Mr. Victory and all the sales staff and you had a great place.

Lesson 4--Weave yourself into the community. There are so many examples of this one from Crosslin's. The company sponsored all kinds of athletics in the community. "Crosslin Supply" was on thousands of little league shirts and school shirts and signs at ball parks and everywhere else. Kids grew up with that name on their backs and then got a job there after high school. They learned to work hard and work harder at college so they wouldn't have to keep working hard in the lumber yard. I heard that one a million times.

There was also the old man's coffee club in the break room. There is a really cool table up there with all kinds of bits, blades, nuts, bolds, etc. carved in. There was a group of old men that would congregate there regularly to drink coffee, tell lies and solve the world's problems. They didn't buy lumber, they didn't work there, they just met and talked. It was part of the community.

The Fish Fry--once a year Mr. Lee Victory would host a fish fry at his home (that is now Ms. Imogene Bolin's law office). My dad and several other Crosslin employees would help set up the event. I always got to go before it got dark and the party really kicked in. That was the first time I met a political leader. I met and had a picture made with Governor McWherter. At that age, it didn't matter what party he was or what his politics were, he was the Governor!

Lesson 5--Your life is shaped by your upbringing and you never know when that will become evident. I grew up in the construction industry because my parents worked at Crosslin Supply. It was the topic of discussion at the dinner table. It was our weekends (driving to look at new homes being built). It was my first job--dad got Mr. Parker to hire me. All of that led me to have a keen interest in homes, their construction and the artistry involved. It also gave me a pretty good working knowledge of the builders, different methods, problems and "the right way" to do things. This body of knowledge has made me, at least I think, a pretty good Realtor. Whats really weird about that is that I NEVER would have said, prior to about 4 years ago, that I would want to be a Realtor. I was a teacher and I enjoyed teaching. It was stable. Then it wasn't. I learned that stability in the job is in the eye of the beholder. Businesses close. Good employees get fired. I can be successful as an independent person and that is more stable than any "job". 

In addition to "life lessons" (and those were just a few of them), I have so many memories that involve Crosslin Supply. This is the part that I dreamed about. It was a sort of montage of all kinds of memories. These are going to be kind of unorganized, quick shots of memories. I hope you enjoy reminiscing with me.

• Mr. Victory's hats. Coon Victory's office was outlined by hats. There were all different varieties. I will never forget coming into the office at about age 8. The fire truck had been at school and we all got those plastic fireman hats. I gave mine to Mr. Victory and he hung it on his wall. It was there until he left. I was so proud to have a hat on his wall.
• Crosslin picnics--So many memories here. These are just the tip of the iceberg.
• we always had the kid shoe races. All the kids would take their shoes off and throw them into a pile. We would then race to put them back on. Epic fun.
• Softball game--wow, that was fun to watch the old people play
• BINGO--Mr. Victory would call Bingo and it was, by far, the highlight of the night.
• Kamikazee Kelly--I believe it was Mr. Victory's 50th birthday (correct me if I am wrong) and the employees hired Kamikazee Kelly to come visit during the picnic. It was hilarious
• Riding Bicycles--I don't know if Mr. Crosslin or Mr. Victory knew it but Jeremy and I were up there all the time. Dad would go service the trucks or build new racks or during inventory, or any number of other times. We would bring our bicycles and ride all over the place. It was an awesome place to ride with all the ramps and jumps and cool things to do. When they first built the drywall warehouse, the floors were incredibly slick and with a little speed, you could lock the brakes and slide forever. There was this little yellow plastic wedge thing that we used as a jump. One time I was riding super fast and hit that jump. I was too close to the stack of drywall and crashed into it. I thought I broke my wrist and my bike. It was scary.
• The intercom system--when mom and dad first started at Crosslin's there was a back counter and a front counter. The back counter had an intercom that went to the warehouse where my dad worked. He thought it was hilarious to take the high power nail gun and shoot the speaker/microphone so that it made a terrible noise in the store.
• The burn pit--ok greenies, this one is not for you. The coolest burn pit in Smyrna was at Crosslin's. As a 10 year old boy, I was infatuated with fire. It was humongous.
• Friday morning donuts--There was a company wide Friday morning meeting every week. It was early. Jeremy and I had to go to Crosslin's because it was too early for us to be dropped off at school. the upside was that there was always donuts at the meeting!
• Paint calibration--My Aunt Jo was the paint mixer person who first got the computerized color matching system. She taught me how to use it and I looked forward to Fridays booting up the computer. You used a green slide, a white slide and a black tube to calibrate it.
• Clayton--this guy was awesome! He was one of the nicest men I ever knew. Crosslin's sold Holland Grilles for a while and Clayton was the man on this grille. He cooked all kinds of things. Everyone's favorite was when he would cook tenderloin and biscuits on the grille (bake the biscuits on it--awesome).
• Building all the additions--Crosslin Supply changed A LOT in the time that my parents were there. Dad helped build a ton of the additions. The little office wing, the expansion of the office wing, several warehouses, the remodel inside from two counters to one big one, so much more.
• Other community involvement--furniture building for local teachers, building things for the community--gazebo at the rock school park, deck at the rec park, and much more
• Not all times were good. When you are family you have sad times too. I think Crosslin's was a family.  Here are some of the sad or scary times I remember (I know there were tons more)
• Larry Gilliland (probably misspelled) passing away
• Mr. Crosslin dying
• Mrs. Mullins falling off the upstairs dock
• Brian Craig (son of one of the employees) drowning
• Clayton dying
• In addition to this very small sampling of stories, there were countless "characters" that have places in my memories of Crosslin's. Here is a very short list of the ones that come to mind right away: Mr. Crosslin or "Frank Jr." (I don't think I ever met Frank Sr.), Mr. Coon Victory and his dad, Mr. Victory, Willie Collier, Ms. Betty, Ron, "Tallboy", Sam, Sandra, Leigh Ann, Joanna, Izzy, Mary Elizabeth, Eddy, Terry Medders, Shorty, Bubba, Mr. Irvin, Elaine, Randy Horn, Brian, Rick, Gene, Sharon, Eugene, Mrs. Eugene (Catherine), Ray, Chris Wray, Kelly, Dean, and literally hundreds more.

I always try to have a take away from my blogs. This one is very long. Even with this abnormal length, I have not done justice to the role one small business played in my childhood, youth, young adulthood and even adulthood. The takeaway is this, small business is the most important "cause" in capitalism. Go, support businesses like Crosslin's. Someone is depending on it. These types of businesses are so incredibly important to our culture. Check out www.simatn.org for a list of small businesses in Smyrna. Look them up and go support them.