Real Estate Senior Graduation Project

[bcampbell]

I apologize first off if this thread doesn't belong in this section of the forum, as I am new to the site. I'm currently a junior in high school and must complete a senior project in order to graduate. We are to pick a topic of interest and then develop a product, presentation (12-15 minutes), paper (8-10 pages), and portfolio. I am extremely interested in Real Estate and hope to become a Realtor eventually. My whole reason for this thread, is that I have to come up with an essential question with which has enough information to create the paper, product, presentation, etc. with. I was just curious if any people who are experienced with Real Estate could give me any ideas. Any help is much appreciated.

- Blake

[Mike Taylor]

There are tons of real estate topics you could talk about, especially right now. What kind of class is it for? Would it be more business related or more socially related?

[bcampbell]

There are tons of real estate topics you could talk about, especially right now. What kind of class is it for? Would it be more business related or more socially related?

It's not for a specific class, it's just a project all students have to do in order to graduate their senior year. It could be on anything, so business related would work or socially related could work as well. I'm just having problems narrowing it down to a specific topic that would have enough info to write 10 pages about and talk about for 10+ min.

[Macye Kirkpatrick]

What about since you all will be graduating soon and hopefully purchasing a home in the future realizing it's better to purchase a home than throw it away on rent.

So the topic "First time homebuyers and the process". From building a good credit rating to getting the right mortagage to shopping for that home.

As a young person protecting and building your credit score is important and no better time then when your about to go out into the world. My son was greated at his Freshman year of college by many companies who gave him credit cards and as young people do he built a nice balance in addition to his college education and graduating with a credit card debit and education cost can get yourself off to the wrong start.

Good luck with the assignment and best of luck with your future goals.

[TobyMunk]

How about looking at the For Sale By Owner process. Or how real estate agents market them selves and their homes. Or what lead to the real estate crisis we are in. Or first home buying. Or buying vs renting. Or comparing different markets around the country and why they are what they are. Or looking at second home ownership and vacation homes. Or how to become a real estate agent and all that comes with it. Or the real estate financial models and interest calculations. Or real estate investing as a profession. Or .... there are a million topics.

[JJohnson1985]

I would suggest to go to your state's web site. Go to the department of Commerce, or whatever department deals with real estate licensing in your state. Learn what it takes to become a real estate sales agent. The education and the licensing process. Learn the technical. If you are really wanting to did, go beyond the licensing and look at what agents are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do legally in your state. Each state is different.

Since you are a junior and still have most of next year to complete this, including the summer, you may even want to learn, or watch your market in your area. Find a source and watch it monthly, or weekly, or even daily. How many homes are being sold? How many are on the market? How long is one listed until it's sold? Are prices going up or down and by how much? Make a spreadsheet to fill out. Make it so you just have to fill in the answers/numbers each time you check. Also, pick an area that's not too big, but big enough that you can record enough good info with. If in the city, an area around 25,000 people is a good number I've heard.

Spend time on this site and read the posts on this site. Use the search feature. See how people involved with real estate tell their experiences and what suggestions are given. Make note of the problems and questions that people involved in the industry ask, and if possible those answers. Maybe even buyers/sellers/renters.

Learn what a fiduciary relationship is, and how it applies to the agent and client relationship. People use Realtor® and agent interchangeable, but there is a difference and do you know what it is?

One basic function of a sales agent is to bring different parties together and be a guide or glue. I ask you, who are all the parties involved and what are their roles in the transaction.

Please forgive my run on sentences, I tend to do that. Good luck. :)

[RE Consulting Services]

Hi Blake,

I'm a real estate coach and have been in the business for 14 years. Aside from that, more relative to you perhaps, I also once had to do a senior project and did one so amazing, I was named Marketing Student of the Year. A question you could pose: How can one be a successful real estate agent in today's market? I'm offering a web-based class on this very subject that starts on the 25th. Because there are so many aspects involved with this one question, I'm sure you could more than fulfill your requirements of presentation time and paper length. I'd be happy to help in any way I can... just let me know.

-Angela