Florida A&M University’sOrlando campus held a small networking panel for people who wish to become involved in the real estate industry. The intimate event took place on January 9, 2020, and included finger food, music, a handful of vendors and company spokesman, and two guest speakers. FAMU Professor Paulette McFarlane and one of her students, Maya Mitchell, spoke about their experience in the field and how they believe this new initiative will be beneficial.
FAMU’s Real Estate Programis a fairly new academic initiative executed by the School of Business and Industry (SBI). This educational program provides students with the opportunity to learn residential real estate, commercial and real estate property management. The program was originally derived from the FAMU Real Estate Club. The club was started when John Crossman, founder and CEOof Crossman & Company,visited FAMU several years ago and got students interested in the program.
Crossman & Company, headquartered here in Orlando, is one of the largest retail leasing, management, and investment sales firms in Southeastern U.S. Founded in 1990, the real estate company’s main goal is to service retail landlords and clients. According to the Florida Department of State’s public records, Crossman & Co has been licensed since 1992.
MBA candidate and Real Estate club member Maya Mitchell, who spoke at the panel says she believes the club gives students the opportunity to reach their goals in the field. “What we provide to the student body is open membership to all majors and students, and a chance to do one an event a month,” Mitchell explained. “We’ll have someone from commercial or residential real estate come in and speak to the students about their background and gives tips that they have learned along the way. We also attend conferences that are sponsored—so it includes travel and admission.”
The program is mainly online and is geared toward students obtaining their professional real estate license.There is a process that students must go through in order to retrieve their real estate license. The first step is to complete a 63-hour course in order to obtain the pre-license.Once students have passed the pre-license course they must register with the Department of Business and Professional Regulations(DBPR) to apply for their real estate license.
The course also prepares students for the state exam that they also must successfully pass before becoming officially licensed. According to her public licensee fileon Florida’s DBPR site, Paulette McFarlane has been a licensed commercial real estate instructor since 2012; and a licensed real estate broker since 1989.
McFarlane noted that one of the most exciting aspects of real estate is the constant changes.“What I enjoy doing in real estate is viewing commercial property, seeing the development that has taken place around us, and how value has changed over time,” MacFarlane explained. “I’ve seen the growth in Tallahassee since the 80s, and now we’re in 2018 and I’ve really seen the transformation.”
After a person officially becomes licensed, every two years they must take a “continuing education” course. This is to assure that everyone stays up to par with ethics, guidelines, and any changes to the market.The very first two years in the program, students are required to take a 45-hour post-licensing course. And then every two years after that, it drops down to a 14-hour course.
With new technological and scientific advances being made, it’s important for students to be proficient in their field. The Real Estate Program is dedicated to providing individuals with hands-on training that will prepare them to be successful in the real estate market.
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