Training helps Realtors serve clients succeed

The Daily Inter Lake

Kathy Warmoth describes herself as a "gypsy at heart."

She says she loves moving into new homes every few years - something she did four times when she lived in Portland. She kept the same moving boxes for 10 years, just in case.

When it came to starting a new career, though, Warmoth wanted a company she could stick with for a long time - and one that would be equally committed to her.

"I got my real estate license when I moved back to Montana," she said. "Then I started asking around about who had training. Everyone said go to Coldwell."

Warmoth was one of about 15 agents who completed a three-week training program last fall with Coldwell Banker Wachholz & Co. The course, which recently received the Flathead Basin Commission's Stewardship Award, covers everything from contract writing and home financing to septic regulations and water rights.

The training "goes far beyond what is legally required to become a licensed realtor, and emphasizes specific information that will allow agents to provide clients with advice regarding best management practices for waterfront property," noted the commission in its award presentation.

Dave Stone, the former Flathead High School teacher and part-time broker who was recruited to develop the classes, said it's intended to help both the agent and Coldwell Banker's clients.

"Real estate is an easy business to get into, but it's difficult to succeed," he explained. "Most new agents fail in the first few years. We tried to put together a program that would familiarize our agents with some of the issues that contribute to their success. Hopefully, it will help them ramp up their careers quicker."

The company benefits as well, not only because clients get a higher level of service, but because the program is attracting some talented new agents.

Warmoth, for example, was the national sales manager for a vegetarian food processing firm before switching careers. Garrett Menaker, who now works in Coldwell's Columbia Falls office, was a "proprietary equity trader" on Wall Street before moving to the valley.

"I traded stocks using the firm's capital," Menaker said. "I had $10 million in buying authority, but probably only had a million dollars invested at any one time. It wasn't a very personal job - I'd sit in front of a computer all day, staring at the screen. I wanted to do something that dealt with people.

"People dream about owning a home. Helping them fulfill their dream is much more satisfying than having a good day trading stock."

The Northwest Montana Association of Realtors is another major source of training for local agents.

"We offer more than 100 continuing education hours per year," Executive Director Kathy Schulte said. "The state requires that agents take eight hours per year. Most of our members average more than 20."

Individual classes typically last two hours, she said. Some of the topics include fair housing laws, tax updates, ethics, home financing, mold removal, noxious weed identification, water rights, marketing and subdivision regulations.

"We bring in a lot of nationally recognized speakers," Schulte said. "We're mostly concerned with teaching about the things that protect the public. For $125 a year, our agents can sign up for as many classes as they want, and the public benefits by having Realtors who understand these issues."