American School of Real Estate Express www.realestateexpress.com 90-Hour Nevada Pre-License Course Catalogue Volume II September 2013 6512 S. McCarran Blvd. #C, Reno, NV 89509 Home Office: 12977 North Forty Drive, Ste. 368, St. Louis, MO 63141 Toll free number: 1-866-739-7277 Email: CustomerCare@RealEstateExpress.com Table of Contents Faculty and Contact Information... 2 Interaction with Instructor and Staff... 2 Technical Support... 2 Customer Service... 2 Calendar of School Holidays, Vacation Periods, and Dates of Each Term... 2 Program Goal... 3 Pre-Requisite Requirements for Enrollment... 3 Absences... 3 Course Length... 3 Grading System and Criteria... 3 Rules of Student Conduct and Conditions for Probation or Dismissal... 3 Fees... 3 Withdrawal/Cancellation Information... 3 Payments... 4 Funding... 4 Student Indemnification... 4 Testing... 4 Class Schedule... 4 Credit Allowed for Previous Education and Training... 5 Equipment Needed... 5 Placement Assistance... 5 Requirements for Graduation and Completion Certificates... 5 Facilities... 5 Non-Discrimination and ADA Policy... 5 Privacy Policy... 5 Accessing the Online Course... 5 Procedure for Quizzes and Practice Exams... 6 Course Materials... 6 Proctored Course Final... 6 Course Objectives... 7 Course Units... 7 Account for Student General Indemnification... 8 Page 1 of 9
Faculty and Contact Information Course Instructor: William Wilkis, CDEI Telephone Number: 866-739-7277 (9:00 AM - 4:00PM M-F CST) E-Mail Address: nvinstructor@realestateexpress.com (seven days a week till 6:00 pm CST) Nevada Office: 6512 South McCarran Boulevard, Suite C, Reno, NV 89509 Mailing Address: 12977 North Forty Drive, Suite 368, St. Louis, MO 63141 Office Staff: Email Address: Owner: Director: Tom Davidson, Vice President Denise DeWoskin, Director of Compliance Debby Toso, Director of Student Services Laura Eberle, National Sales Director Rochelle Heuer, Grades Administrator Jean-Tu Jackson, Grades/Compliance Assistant Cherrelle Richardson, Academic Advisor Katelyn Cormak, Academic Advisor Brooke Burgan, Academic Advisor Brett Bognar, Academic Advisor Patricia Thompson, Academic Advisor CustomerCare@RealEstateExpress.com McKissock LP William Wilkis, CDEI Interaction with Instructor and Staff The Nevada Pre-License course content is delivered to online, with supplemental materials included. Students have access to their instructor and our staff through a variety of means: Welcome Email Upon completion of registration, the student will receive a personal Welcome e-mail from their instructor. Live Help - Before registering, students can have real-time dialogues with a staff member on the site, through the Live Help window. Student Forum - Another avenue of dialogue where the Instructor answers questions, but makes all answers visible to all classmates. Private Email Students receive access to their Instructor's private e-mail address, for any individual correspondence. Private Telephone - Instructors can be reached at our toll-free number during business hours 866-739-7277. Technical Support RealEstateExpress.com has provided reliable, secure course delivery to thousands of professionals from coast to coast since 1997. We have made thousands of upgrades to the system in that time, and continuously increase server capacity and speeds. In that time we have helped people use our system effectively on a variety of platforms, so that today, we have few surprises. But, if a student has difficulty of any kind, we are committed to helping, and provide a fast and easy way to dialogue with us through an online Technical Support contact system. Customer Service Contact links are provided on every page of the course by clicking Contact Us in the upper right hand corner of your screen, or can be sent directly to CustomerCare@RealEstateExpress.com. Email is the preferred method of contact. Evenings and weekends, support is provided via email. When on the site, look for the Live Help Icon in the left margin of each page. Click on the "person" for instant, live help. Phone support is provided weekdays, 8:00 am 5:00 pm CST (4:00 pm on Fridays) at 866-739-7277. Calendar of School Holidays, Vacation Periods, and Dates of Each Term Students have unlimited access to this online course, to work at their own pace and convenience. Our site is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 52 weeks a year. Courses can be accessed for six months from the date of registration, with courses expiring at midnight of the last day. Our office is closed in recognition for the following holidays: New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Page 2 of 9
Eve Day, and Christmas Day, however students still have access to their course. Emails and phone calls will be answered the next business day our office is open. Program Goal This course is expressly designed for potential licensees as defined by the Nevada Real Estate Division, for the purpose of sitting for the real estate salesperson s exam. Anyone who desires to assist others in the sale, leasing, management, or exchange of real estate must hold at least a real estate salesperson s license. This course covers all subjects mandated by the Nevada Real Estate Division, and includes instruction in real estate law, types of interest and ownership in real estate, home ownership, legal descriptions, titles, liens, taxes, encumbrances, listing advertising, appraisal, finance, closings, and professional code of ethics. Pre-Requisite Requirements for Enrollment There are no prerequisite requirements to take this course and no special computer knowledge or program training is necessary. In fact, if you can move a mouse, point and click, and type a few words on your keyboard, you are more than qualified. You must be at least 18 years of age, and pass a background and fingerprint check to be licensed in Nevada, after completing the 90-hour prelicense course. Absences As this is a self-study internet course, there is no way to have missed sessions or absences. Once registered, a student s course is available for 6 months. Students have the ability to work at their own pace and complete their course at any time in that 6 month period. Course extensions are available, if needed. Course Length This course has been designated and certified as a 90-hour course by the Nevada Real Estate Division. The course must be completed, by completing the course final within six months. If the course is not completed in six months, a 60-day extension can be purchased for $100.00. We recommend that you take the course in 50-minute intervals. Take a break and come back. The maximum time per day is eight hours per day. If you spend eight hours a day, the earliest you can complete the course is in 11.5 days. Grading System and Criteria To complete this course and receive a Completion Certificate, students must successfully complete the following requirements: Read all units and pass unit quizzes, and pass the Proctored 100-question Course Final Exam with a grade of 80% or higher. Three hours is allowed to take the Course Final Exam. Completion of this 90-hour course qualifies the student to sit for the Nevada state salesperson licensing exam with PSI. Rules of Student Conduct and Conditions for Probation or Dismissal Students are expected to complete all of their coursework. Instances of cheating or fraud may cause a student to forfeit his/her course and may be reported to the Real Estate Division. Profane language is not allowed in the Student Forum or when contacting staff or instructors. Fees Tuition for this course is $400.00. This includes all of online supplemental materials, completion certificate, technical support, and customer care support. Final Exam reset fees (if needed) are $50. Course extension options, if needed, are as follows: 7 day course extensions are $30, thirty (30) day extensions are $50, sixty (60) day course extensions are $100. Proctor fees, license exam fees and state license fees are separate entities and not part of this course. Withdrawal/Cancellation Information Occasionally emergencies or circumstances arise that could suddenly prevent a student from beginning their course immediately after registering. If that happens to you, don t worry. American School of Real Estate Express has a liberal Refund Policy in accordance with Nevada Law, NRS 394.449. American School of Real Estate Express students have the right to cancel for more than a full week, (until midnight of the eighth calendar day after registration) and receive a refund (less a 10% administrative fee) without penalty. In simple terms, a student is entitled to a tuition ($219.00 for individual course, Fast Track Packages cannot be separated as individual purchases) refund if both of the following conditions have been met: American School of Real Estate has received an email canceling the student s registration and requesting a refund within 8 calendar days of the student s registration date; AND Page 3 of 9
Student Catalog American School of Real Estate Express The student has not logged (beyond this enrollment agreement and affidavit) into and/or begun the online course. The refund will not be paid until the written refund request has been received. The refund will be paid within 15 days of receipt of the written refund request (email). The 10% administration fee will be withheld from the refund amount. Your cancellation request must be received by midnight of the eighth calendar day from your registration date. If the student has completed a portion of the course and requests to withdraw, a pro rata refund will be issued in accordance with requirements in Nevada Law, NRS 394.449. Students are entitled to refunds, less the 10% cancellation fee for Pre-license courses based on the chart below. Students who have completed more than 60% of their course are not longer eligible for a refund: A student terminating training.. Within the first 10% of their program (Working in Unit 1through 2) After 10% but within the first 25% of program (Unit 1-2 completed and working in Unit 3 through 6) After 25% but within first 50% of program (Unit 1-2 and 3-6 completed and working in Unit 7 through 12) After 50% but within first 60% or program (Unit 1-2, 3-6 and 7-12 completed and working in Unit 13-15) After 60% (Units 1-15 completed) (if paid in full, cancellation charge is not applicable) Is entitled to a refund of: 90% less cancellation fee 80% less cancellation fee 50% less cancellation fee 25% less cancellation fee NO REFUND To request a cancellation, you must contact American School of Real Estate Express, LLC, first via email: CustomerCare@RealEstateExpress.com, and then by phone at 1-866-739-7277. Payments Payment for the Course is due upon registration through an approved credit card or check through this secure site. If you do not have a credit card or checking account and wish to use some other form of payment, (such as cash or cashiers check), you can request special handling by e-mailing the administrator: Customer Care. Payments made in any way other than online credit card or online check may incur a special handling charge. Please view our complete refund policy as above or here. To view our Performance Guarantee, click here. If you have chosen a payment plan, the two remaining payments will be made automatically over the next two months, on the same day of the month as your original registration. If your payment does not clear, your course access will be deactivated and you will be contacted to choose another form of payment. Confirmation emails will be sent for payment plans and payments when they are made, via the email address you provided at registration. Funding As a Non-Degree school, tuition is paid at registration by credit card or online check debit. We do not offer any funding. Student Indemnification (For Nevada Students Only) For information on the Nevada State Student Indemnification Fund, please refer to NRS 394.553 and NAC 394.652 found on page 8. Testing When you complete Prelicense course, you must pass a 100-question course final. As required by NRED Rules, a proctor must be present, in an educational facility, for each of these final exams. More proctor details are included in your course materials inside your course. You have two chances to pass this exam. If you do not pass one of the two exams, there is a $50 fee to retake the exam. After you pass the course, you can schedule your licensing exam with PSI, the chosen proctor by the State of Nevada. They have locations throughout the state for your convenience. Their candidate handbook and contact information is provided inside the course with your course materials. You can also visit their website at www.psiexams.com. Class Schedule Courses can be accessed for six months from registration date, with courses expiring at midnight of the last day. 24 hour a day access is available. Page 4 of 9
Credit Allowed for Previous Education and Training The Nevada Real Estate Division requires that students to complete a 90-hour Pre-license course before they are eligible to take their state licensing exam and apply for a license. RealEstateExpress.com does not grant credit for previous education and training. Equipment Needed Computer with Internet Connection: Operating System: Windows (2000, XP or higher) and Macintosh. Microprocessor: 486/25 or higher Memory: 64 MB Minimum (greater memory will improve performance) Internet Browser: Our course is best viewed in Internet Explorer for PC s and Safari for Mac s. Adobe Reader: Our supplemental materials are PDF files Printer: For printing online supplemental materials Placement Assistance RealEstateExpress.com does not offer placement assistance. Requirements for Graduation and Completion Certificates To complete this course and receive a Completion Certificate, a student must successfully complete the following requirements: Read all units and pass unit quizzes, pass the proctored 100-question Nevada Course Final Exam with a grade of 80% or higher. After the Nevada Course Final Exam has been passed, and the proctor is verified, a Completion Certificate will be available on the student s home page. Completion Certificate s are needed to apply for a license. Students are able to print as many copies as needed. PSI licensing exam information is provided for in the Exam Instructions file located in the supplemental materials section of a student s course. Facilities Students have the ability to work on their online course from any computer with an internet connection whether it is at home, work, public library, etc. Therefore, a description and floor plan of our facilities does not apply. Non-Discrimination and ADA Policy Real Estate Express will not discriminate on the basis or race, color, sex, religion, national origin, handicap or familial status in the establishment of fees, entrance qualifications or standards for successful completion of this or any course. Privacy Policy We have one of the most stringent and comprehensive in the industry, and completely updated. It can be read it in its entirety by visiting this page on our website: http://www.realestateexpress.com/general/privacypolicy.asp. Accessing the Online Course Your course is progressive, and can be completed at your own pace within a 6 month time frame. After you successfully log into your account, the page will say, "Welcome (your name) to your Personal Homepage!" Under the green bar in the middle of the page, you will find the name of your course listed as a blue link. Look under the green bar and click on this blue link and you will be taken to your Course Outline. To open your course, click on the blue Nevada Pre-License Course link under "Course Sections." On the next screen, you will see a list of all the units in your course. Only units that are blue links are open to you. If you are just starting your course, click on Unit 1 (the only blue link) and begin reading. When you have finished reading a screen, click on the green Next button at the bottom of the page to move on to the next screen. Keep reading and clicking "Next" until you get to the end of a unit, where you will take a short quiz. You must pass this quiz at 80% or better to move on to the next unit. If you pass the quiz, but it shows on your Unit Outline that it is "Incomplete," try clicking on the "Refresh" or "Retry" button on your web browser because it is pulling up an old page from memory, instead of reconnecting to our server. If you need to leave in the middle of a unit, click on the "Bookmark & Exit" navigation button on the bottom of the page. The next time you log into your course, you will see your blue bookmark link on your home page under a purple bar. Click on this link (instead of the link under the green bar) to go to your bookmarked place. Once you click on a Page 5 of 9
bookmark, it disappears, so if you need to leave in the middle of the unit again, simply click on the "Bookmark & Exit" button to set a new bookmark. The course is progressive. This means you cannot get to unit two, until you pass the quiz to unit one, etc. This guides you through the course in the proper order. It also provides a system where you cannot move on until you understand the current unit you are in. As you understand the material, you pass the quiz and progress through the course. At the end of the unit content is a 100 question practice exam. You must pass this before you can access the course final. IMPORTANT: At the top of the Course Outline, you will see a link to your online supplemental materials, including the Math Guide, Proctor Instructions, and Exam Testing Booklet. Please take time to read all of your online supplemental materials. These materials are PDF files - you can view them online, save them to a disk, or print them out. If you need help opening PDF files, please email customercare@realestateexpress.com and ask for our PDF Troubleshooting Email. The online textbook is supplemental - do not confuse it with the actual course. You must always return to the Internet to take the actual course and receive credit. From your home page, you can take advantage of the group forums by clicking "Ask the Expert." Check out all the links and see all that is available to you. If you need assistance email us at CustomerCare@RealEstateExpress.com, or call us during business hours. If you don't understand something about real estate, email your instructor as indicated in the email he sent you. Also make sure you read the course information email sent to you from Customer Care. Procedure for Quizzes and Practice Exams Each main section of the course is followed by a quiz. The quiz is multiple choice. You choose your answer by clicking the radio button and at the bottom of the page, click continue or grade, whichever applies. The next page will show your percentage score at the top. It will then list the question, the answer you gave and the correct answer to each question. If you pass, you click continue and it takes you to the next available unit. If you do not pass, you can click the retake quiz button and retake the quiz, or opt to review the unit again. You cannot progress to the next unit until you pass the quiz for the current unit. There are 24 unit exams and one practice exam prior to the course final exam. You are allowed three hours to pass the proctored course final exam. Course Materials Aside from the online course, all course materials are in the supplemental materials grid that appears at the top of your course home page. Each text item in a box is a link to the material. Course Syllabus Pre-Course Orientation Pre-Course Affidavit Course Check List State Law Glossaries Math Guide Free Real Estate Textbook Course Final Proctor Instructions License Exam Instructions Proctored Course Final The Nevada Real Estate Division requires that this COURSE Final be proctored and timed, allowing three hours to complete the final. Instructions for finding your proctor and scheduling your course final are provided for you in your course materials. An 80% pass rate is required to complete the course. If you do not pass the first final, a second one is available. If you do not pass the second final, there is a $50 fee to retake that part of the course. As your course final exam is required to be proctored, we have devised a simple proctoring system for our students. Our past and present students in five different states have used this system for the past three years with much success. First, please print out the following files, which can be found in the online supplemental materials section of your course: Proctor Instructions for Student Instructions for Proctor If after reading the above files you are having trouble locating a proctor, here are some helpful tips: 1. Look in the yellow pages for libraries and colleges. You can contact universities, state colleges, or community colleges. You can also try technical schools, high schools, or tutoring companies such as Sylvan Learning Centers. Page 6 of 9
2. Search the internet using www.google.com, or the search engine of your choice. Online searches will provide phone numbers as well as directions: Search for "libraries in... (fill in your city and state)" or go to http://www.publiclibraries.com/ Search for "colleges in... (fill in your city and state)" or go to http://www.univsource.com/region.htm Search for a Sylvan Learning Center location at: http://www.educate.com/centerfinder.html Suggestions on when you should schedule your state exam: We recommend scheduling exam during our office hours, Monday through Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm CST and Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, so that assistance is available should you experience a problem. If you decide to schedule your exam on an evening or weekend, phone support will not be available. Allow approximately one minute per question (example: a 50 question exam would require 50-60 minutes). Proctoring Fees: Generally, public libraries do not charge to proctor exams, while most universities, colleges and Sylvan Learning Centers will charge anywhere from $5 - $100. You are responsible for any proctoring fees associated with having your final exam proctored. Course Objectives Review the general rules and regulations governing the real estate profession in Nevada Review the disclosure requirements of a real estate licensee Read about various land-use issues and regulations Review the primary environmental hazards and issues relevant to Nevada real estate Understand the regulations for advertising and Internet advertising for real estate professionals Learn about the enforcement of real estate license law Discuss the Sherman Antitrust Act and antitrust violations Learn about the Nevada Real Estate Division and its duties and responsibilities Learn the differences between the Nevada real estate salesperson, broker-salesperson and broker professions and duties Read about the educational and other requirements to become a real estate broker in Nevada Learn the statutory and regulatory requirements in handling client's funds Become familiar with escrow handling in Nevada Discuss the regulations under the Nevada Residential Landlord and Tenant Act Learn what is needed to renew a license Learn about the continuing education course requirements for a real estate salesperson Learn the ways agency or brokerage relationships are created in Nevada Learn the importance of the common interest development laws in Nevada Residential Landlord Tenant Act Become familiar with the required disclosures for common interest development re-sales in Nevada Examine the specifics of Nevada real estate contracts, including listing and purchase agreements Learn the methods used to determine value through real estate appraisal and valuation Understand the differences between appraisal and competitive market analysis Read about FHA and VA loans and the requirements for each Learn the differences between institutional and non-institutional lenders in Nevada Learn about mortgages versus deeds of trust in Nevada; the term "mortgage" is (counter-intuitively) used in a deed of trust situation Learn about the Nevada Homestead Exemption Understand which acts constitute violations of the law in Nevada Review the various disciplinary actions that may be taken against a Nevada real estate licensee or someone performing the activities for which a real estate license is required Learn about the three types of licenses/certificates for Nevada real estate appraisers Review licensing issues including applications, qualifications, types of licenses and educational requirements Review agency representation issues and the specific duties owed to each party Page 7 of 9
Learn about the National Association of REALTORS and its Code of Ethics Learn about rights and estates in land ownership Learn the physical and economic characteristics of real estate Read about zoning laws, building codes and police power Discuss freehold and leasehold estates Discuss the regulations for corporate real estate licenses Learn the correct ways to provide a legal description of a property Learn about titles, abstracts, deeds and deed restrictions Read about encumbrances, liens, encroachments and easements Understand the Federal Fair Housing Act and the Nevada Fair Housing Act Learn the importance of fair lending laws Understand the rules regarding escrow holders in Nevada Learn the ways to tell real property and personal property apart; how to make real property into personal property, and vice versa Learn the various math equations with which you must be familiar as a real estate licensee Course Units This course contains 25 user-friendly units, a practice exam and the course final: Unit 1 Course Introduction, Nevada License Law and Regulations, and the Nevada Real Estate Division; Unit 2 Nevada License Types, Requirements and Duties; Unit 3 Nevada Real Estate Education and License Requirements, and the Real Estate Education Research and Recovery Fund; Unit 4 Agency in Nevada; Unit 5 Agency and Escrow Regulations; Unit 6 Nevada Real Property Sales, Common Interest Development Sales, and Subdivided Land Sales; Unit 7 Nevada Time Share and Campground Membership Sales; Unit 8 Real Estate, Property and Ownership; Unit 9 Estates and Bundle of Rights Unit 10 Instruments of Transfer and Deeds; Unit 11 Trade and Professional Organizations, and Ethics in Real Estate; Unit 12 Fair Housing and Non-Discrimination Laws; Unit 13 Real Estate Contracts in Nevada; Unit 14 Nevada Required Real Estate Disclosures; Unit 15 Brokerage and Broker-Salesperson Relationships and Compensation; Unit 16 Listing and Buyer Agency Agreements; Unit 17 Leasehold Estates and the Nevada Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Unit 18 Property Management; Unit 19 Real Estate Finance; Unit 20 Government Participation in Real Estate Finance, including FHA and VA programs; Unit 21 Conventional Loans, the Secondary Mortgage Market, and Financing Laws; Unit 22 Land and Environmental Issues and Laws; Unit 23 Appraisals and Valuation; Unit 24 Math Equations; and Unit 25 Course Review. 100-Question Practice Exam 100-Question Proctored Course Final Account for Student General Indemnification NRS 394.553 Account for Student Indemnification. 1. The Account for Student Indemnification is hereby created in the State General Fund. The existence of the Account does not create a right in any person to receive money from the Account. The Administrator shall administer the Account in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission. Page 8 of 9
2. Except as otherwise limited by subsection 3, the money in the Account may be used to indemnify any student or enrollee who has suffered damage as a result of: (a) The discontinuance of operation of a postsecondary educational institution licensed in this state; or (b) The violation by such an institution of any provision of NRS 394.383 to 394.560, inclusive, or the regulations adopted pursuant thereto. 3. If a student or enrollee is entitled to indemnification from a surety bond pursuant to NRS 394.480, the bond must be used to indemnify the student or enrollee before any money in the Account may be used for indemnification. 4. In addition to the expenditures made for indemnification pursuant to subsection 2, the Administrator may use the money in the Account to pay extraordinary expenses incurred to investigate claims for indemnification or resulting from the discontinuance of the operation of a postsecondary educational institution licensed in this state. Money expended pursuant to this subsection must not exceed, for each institution for which indemnification is made, 15 percent of the total amount expended for indemnification pursuant to subsection 2 or $10,000, whichever is less. 5. No expenditure may be made from the Account if the expenditure would cause the balance in the Account to fall below $10,000. 6. Interest and income earned on the money in the Account, after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the Account. 7. The money in the Account does not lapse to the State General Fund at the end of any fiscal year. (Added to NRS by 1995, 323) NAC 394.652 Account for Student Indemnification: Duties of Administrator upon closure of institution; arrangement for students to attend alternate institution; refunds. (NRS 394.411, 394.553) 1. Upon notification of the closure of a licensed institution in which students are currently enrolled, the Administrator shall take reasonable steps to: (a) Notify each student that he may be entitled to a refund from the Account; (b) Obtain records relating to enrollment, academic progress, and payments of money for tuition and other fees for each student; and (c) Arrange for the students to receive education at another licensed institution. 2. If the Administrator arranges for students to receive education at an alternate licensed institution pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 1: (a) Money from the Account may not be used by the Administrator to pay for the alternate education. (b) A student may, but is not required to, attend the alternate licensed institution. 3. A student is not eligible for a refund from the Account if: (a) A reasonable arrangement has been made for the student to attend an alternate licensed institution; (b) The student has completed at least a majority of the academic requirements of the program agreed upon in the enrollment agreement; or (c) The student does not notify the Administrator within 1 year after the official date of closure of the licensed institution that he wishes to be considered for a refund. 4. The Commission will review applications for refunds at regularly scheduled meetings of the Commission. 5. Refunds must be made to the person or entity who paid the tuition and other fees to the licensed institution, as documented by receipts or other documents available to the Administrator. 6. As used in this section, Account means the Account for Student Indemnification created by NRS 394.553. (Added to NAC by Comm n on Postsecondary Educ., eff. 1-23-96) Page 9 of 9