If you have been in the real estate industry for any amount of time, you know about Continuing Education (CE for short) — and that all CE classes are not created equal. We get it – as certified home inspectors, we are also required to complete CE annually to maintain our certification, and those licensed in Wisconsin have to keep up with that state’s requirements as well. 

Did you know that Marigold offers 3 CE courses? If not, now you do! I’d love to take a few minutes to break down what each course covers and what it could offer you.

Home Inspections: The Essentials (1 hr CE)

Every real estate agent will hopefully experience a home inspection at some point in their career — on the listing side, the purchasing side, or hopefully both. In this course we cover:

• What a home inspection is
• Why home inspections matter
• The different types of inspections
• What gets inspected
• Ancillary services
• How to read a report
• Common defects
• What to look for in a home inspector

This course is great for those who are new to the industry or would like a refresher. We’ve had agents who have been in the industry for years walk away learning something new — or realizing the inspector they’d been using wasn’t doing as much as they should. You’ll also leave with some helpful tips for better serving your clients ahead of their general inspection.

Ancillary Services (1 hr CE)

During a general home inspection, the major components are inspected and tested — but there are additional tests and inspections that can provide a much deeper understanding of a home. In this course we talk about:

• What ancillary services are
• Break and explain each one down
• Go through expected timelines (for example, why it’s preferable to have a radon test dropped off and started 2 days before the home inspection)
• Why they matter for your transactions

This class sparks a lot of great questions! When was the last time you thought about a sewer line inspection? If a home was built before 1978, has it been tested for lead paint? Noticed moisture in a room and wondered if there could be mold? There’s an ancillary service for all of that — and who knows, you might even want to schedule one for your own home. 

Pests in the Home (1 hr CE)

Just this past winter, we had the joy (read: not joyful at all) of dealing with northern flying squirrels in our attic. If you want to hear the whole story, you’ll have to come to this class! In addition to that adventure, we cover:

• Common pests found in homes
• Why they’re a concern
• How we inspect for them (spoiler: a lot of homes have had a pest of some type and never knew it)
• How they’re addressed,
• Why this matters for real estate transactions

This course is especially practical — after taking it, you’ll be able to spot potential issue areas while walking through a home.

Final Thoughts

CE doesn’t have to be a chore. Finding the right course with a trainer who is competent and engaging can make the whole process enjoyable! Marigold would love to connect with you about leading a CE course — either at your office or at ours in Coon Rapids. 

Reach out if you have questions about what that looks like or would like to schedule a course for your team. You can schedule 1 course or all 3! We also team up with other great local CE educators in the industry so we can help get you connected to a create a great event!