The first training session is scheduled for Friday 11 July in Chorley (Preston) and the second will take place in the Gatwick area in late July.
As an agent of The Home Portal, brokers will be able to provide a complete one-stop solution for their clients including marketing, home information packs and legal services and generate an additional income stream to compliment their mortgage business.
Brokers can choose their level of involvement, either as an introducer only (Virtual Agent) or, after completing one of the training courses, as a home sales consultant (Virtual Agent Plus), which means that they can advise on property values, take measurements and prepare details. This will enable brokers to operate as a mini-estate agent. Any home visits required will be conducted by professional home sales advisers, so brokers can sell The Home Portal packages with the confidence that their client will be looked after in a professional manner.
The course cost is £175 (no VAT) per delegate. Topics covered on the course include:
• Preparing yourself for an appointment
• Conducting market appraisals and presenting your assessments to clients
• Closing the deal and maximising fee earning potential, including HIPs and legals
• Professional measurement, photography and property description
• The general law of Estate Agency
• Estate Agents Act 1979
• Property Misdescriptions Act 1991
• Local marketing and use of the online print shop
• Use of the website and back office systems
• Overview of secured loans and debt solutions
Richard Unwin, general manager at The Home Portal commented: “This is a great opportunity for brokers and IFAs to generate additional income while at the same time securing the mortgage sale. Statistics show that over 75% of people interested in buying property look on the internet first. Public confidence in online property marketing is growing, but at the same time willingness to pay large fees to traditional estate agents is decreasing. This is leading more and more people to online property marketing portals as a viable solution.”
