Not part of the curriculum. As a managing broker I taught contracts, multiple forms, at least once a month. It was an all day session. Why? Because otherwise my license would be at stake!

It seems to be the broker's responsibility here but there should probably be a mandatory class about it that every new agent has to take, haha.  There have been so many deals that I have worked on where I have to ask them to do an addendum to clean up all of their mistakes or I will just do it and ask them to have their clients sign it, haha.  This even happens with supposedly seasoned agents.

I think this is best done at the brokerage level.  The national or state level administrators don't understand the nuances of managing a transaction.  As Wayne Martin said, a managing broker is liable so it is in their best interest to make sure their agents know how to best represent the public.  

We have mandatory post licensing courses that go through contracts and other things. Then your RE Broker will support you as an agent with regards to these matters. 

Exactly and when I read or recall licensing test questions and scenarios and how they do not complete purpose or motivate, I wonder what good are they? Human nature studies, procedures, paperwork, or just about anything connected to buying, selling or investing should be the focus of agents.

Broker responsibility & always has been. I took my job seriously when I started so I made sure what to do & what was next.

Evidently it is not a concern of the powers to be, go figure.  

Maryland REALTORS is currently backing legislation to require this. Unfortunately too many newly licensed agents affiliate with the wrong Broker which  is the wrong model for a newbie!! 

Because it's not part of the curriculum.  If you want the curriculum changed, you should talk to your state real estate commission or your state legislature.

Also, it is hard for residential agents to fathom this, but not everyone gets a license because they want to sell houses.  Many students in a prelicensing class have other plans to use their license.

Contracts are certainly part of what you learn in Georgia.  As for deal flow, that's different with every deal and/or office and should be learned on the job.  That's why I recommend to students they work somewhere with a mentor program.

Our state requires a 12-hour new agent course after passing the test. Of course, that is still not sufficient to learn everything needed, especially forms. It is a good start, however, until a DB trains their newbies.

When new forms come out or are superseded, our office will do a lunch & learn to discuss them but agents must show up!

THEY SHOULD BE taught more than they are in the scant required Contract Writing - HOWEVER it is so all encompassing and changeable with EACH transaction it could not possibly be over YEARS of education.

As for deal flow, THAT should be addressed more in pre-licensing but we're daring to dream here. My office policy, and in the listing and deal file IS a printout of the required file contents and 'evolution of an escrow' . . .

Pre-licensing is 'how to pass the test'

BROKERS need to take the training from there - or not

CE should help but it often doesn't. 

Good point, agents should be trained to do so, but the RE classes only focus on what's needed to pass the licensing tests. Perhaps this should be introduced as a CE class, but normally the brokers should take care of this as part of on the job training. 

Oh my heavens, you just hit a nerve with me on this.  Major peeve of mine. I have yet to receive an offer that is completed, and completed correctly! 

Because the test doesn't ask about that and the classes simply teach you what you need to know to pass the exam.  It's like with any state exam, and I've taken many.  Think back to when you (or your kids) got a driver's license, did they teach you how to drive in class, or did they teach you the rules of the road and show "Red Asphalt"?  Was it a separate company that took you behind the wheel for on-the-road training?

Same thing here.

That is what a broker should be working with you weekly till you have it down.

Why Indeed. 

Why aren't all licensees taught basic business practices - they just bought one by getting licensed, but they still think its just a job they got.

Real Estate sells one of the most expensive consumer products through some of the most ill-prepared sales people on the planet.

This is why I've coached and taken classes annually for 28 years.

Had a chapter on contract writing in my course and married to a great broker who reviews in a timely manner and generally before it goes anywhere for any signatures.  

As to workflow... we have processes in place with forms and checkboxes for everything.

Every brokerage I've been associated with had regular classes and training on how to do sales contracts and classes on annual updates to contracts. The agent just needs to attend... I found that to be more of an issue... that agents didn't attend. Sale contracts and agency contracts are a part of the pre-licensing curriculum in North Carolina, as well.

Your guess is as good as mine Tim Bray Makes no sense, does it?

The state teaches about the laws, your brokerage should be teaching you how to sell real estate.

When I started out my Broker covered those things VERY well Tim Bray . If your Broker did not then he/She deserves a kick in the pants.

Tim , I’ve been training agents on this for 40+ yrs. 

There is only so much a New Licensee can retain . Until they have filled out several of these , they will make mistakes. It actually may be a Lack of Supervision issue 

Every deal is different so only the basics could be taught and a separate class would be required for deals that are not the norm such as short sales. Every contracts class I've ever taken here has been taught by a real estate attorney and I love getting the information from the source since contracts change periodically and I know what I'm learning is accurate. I don't think it is something that could be taught in the prelicense class for that reason. We also have various addendums that we need to learn so far too much to cover in a prelicense class.

Between broker training, 45 hour post license class, CEs and the classes offered at our Board of Realtors, there are plenty of opportunities for a new agent to learn if they are motivated. It's not uncommon to see the same people in those classes while those who need to attend the most don't.

There are all kinds of classes in person and online.  Most respectfully companies teach this to new and existing agents regularly.

Apiring realtors are almost exclusively taught what is needed to complete the required courses and what they will need to pass their real estate exams. Law school doesn't teach you what you need to know in daily practice but rather provides you with a larger framework with understanding the law and you learn the daily practice aspects within the context of the job. In this aspect, Law School and Real Estate Training programs are the same.

It's also worth noting- In NY, the lawyers complete the contract. While I don't deal with the contract (and many agents in other locations do)- we have other aspects of the deal here that agents in most of the nation don't deal with.  

Don't know, but there are too many of them.