The Real Estate Course

The University was offering an Evening Class in Real Estate.
I enrolled.

Like most people, I had no idea what it was involved in being in the Real Estate business. 
 - I merely thought that I enjoy looking at houses. 
 - I also thought Showing houses would be fun. 
 - Besides, the course at the university would only cost me $20, a discount for staff members.
How cool was that? 
And if I did not like the course, I would think of something-else.
I was still working at the Library.

So, I took a semester of Real Estate Course in blind faith! 
Three Hours' Credit!

The course was taught by an attorney. 
He made it very unexpectedly interesting. 
He said that he did not wish to dwell on mere terms. He explained them to us clearly but briefly.
"You can learn the terms in depth by yourselves. Understand them and Remember them," he said.
"You are going to deal with people's money, you need to take it seriously."
He also said that we could work out the math problems ourselves - he meant Closing Statements.

He put Emphasis on the Legal Matters - Contracts! 

He taught me business law!

He wanted us to make sure that we would not get us and our potential clients into trouble. 
Be very careful writing contracts. 
Understand them. 
Leave no gray areas . . .

He opened my eyes!
Dealing with Real Estate was no child's play!
He made me realize that it could be a worthy career - helping people realizing their dreams of Home Ownership, dealing with their single most important investment in life (for most people), and earning an income by doing so.

It was not at all difficult to get a Real Estate license in Oklahoma then. And it is still not that difficult these days.
All one needed to do then was to take a 45-hour (clock hours, mind you) course offered by some Real Estate School. A week and half would do it. Two weeks tops. Then you would simply take a one-day test. You pass. Viola! 
Find yourself a Broker to take you on and you can start selling Real Estate.
Small investment. 
Dreams of big commissions?

I was doing a whole semester of studying!

Was I doing it wrong?

I would later find that I did the Right thing.

There were always a large number of people wanting to get into this business. Sadly, most  of the licensees had no earthly idea what the job really entailed. 
The most common saying was: 
I can get a license selling Real Estate. 
I can do it in my spare time. 
I can sell real estate, now I am retired. 
I will do it part time. 
I can make a lot of money just by showing houses.
It's an easy job.  

Really?

Of course, at the time, I was probably very much one of the Herd.
I took the course for the semester.
I passed the test for my license in Oklahoma.
I got my license.
I was going to find a Broker, 
I was going to work part time,
And, I held on to my job.

Thanks to my great teacher, I found my profession. Of course, I did not realize that at the time.

We had more than thirty people in the class. Only two or three of us eventually ended in the Real Estate business. I was the one who lasted. I did take the job seriously and loved it.

Thank you, my wonderful teacher. 

He later became my friend, and helped me many a time when I had my own Office.