Back to School

On my bucket list has been getting my GRI designation. GRI, by the way, stands for Graduate, Realtor Institute. It is a national (or international) designation that is not easy to get. However, it is a great tool to learn as much as I possibly can to help me help others.

The process includes 12 intensive classes, of which there is an examination after every class. Less than 20 percent of agents ever attempt it. I was told if getting my broker's license was like getting a master's degree, a GRI is like getting a Ph.D. in real estate. Today after my head stopped spinning, I realized why people don't do this. Even with as much as I know, it is obvious I have a lot to learn.

Last December I got a random e-mail offering me a scholarship for one class. This was in the middle of my "should I stay or go," phase (which you are welcome to read about in the December 2017 archives). For grins, I applied for the scholarship and was the recipient. At the time I thought perhaps I was the only one who applied. When I got to class today, I found out, nope. There was a whole room full of folks who weren't so fortunate. Anyway, I had this class paid for. Which is pretty cool. The rest of my classes won't be free. In addition to the free class today, at lunch names were drawn and I won a free Cutco knife. So, bonus.

Today's hours of intensive study was on the financing process. I am not a loan officer. Nor do I have any interest in being one. Especially after today's class. I got many nuggets of info, including one major headache from sucking in all of the information. Our class was taught by a retired marine turned loan officer named Jimmy. He was dynamic and interesting but the entire experience was more of a boot camp type process, with a bit of "hey, here's how you market yourself" kind of sales motivation thrown in for good measure. I have to say I learned a lot. After class I got to go home and take the exam (we have 48 hours after the class to do this). I passed, so now I only have 11 more classes to go.