From Staff Reports
During the pandemic, home sales in Yukon have skyrocketed, local realtors say.
The need for realtors has increased as well. And the number of people who have a need to change professions has also gone up, said Janet Story, managing broker at McGraw Realtors in Yukon. A new online school has been formed to help people make such a career change.
Bob Haywood, director of education and career director for McGraw Realtors, has announced an online school to help people become real estate agents, and get to work in just two months.
McGraw Realtors purchased Anderson Properties in January and expanded in the Oklahoma City metro area, Haywood said.
The McGraw Real Estate Academy was established in Tulsa a year ago and it is now being offered in Yukon.
“The real estate academy we offer is for anyone who wants to obtain their real estate license and begin working in the career and field of real estate,” Haywood said.
“Our program is unique in that it is self-paced online. We do not offer in-person. It is a strategic move on our part because we are looking for people who are self-motivated, who can dive into something such as online education and get the job done and push themselves through to the final accomplishments,” Haywood said.
Haywood said “a flood of people” are moving into real estate as a career these days because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In Oklahoma specifically, there have been so many furloughs in the oil and gas industry, and we have a lot of people from the industry jumping into real estate,” Haywood said. “I’m seeing people from education also, a lot of teachers are jumping in obviously because of the pandemic and fears of being in the classroom. I’m also seeing a lot of recently graduated college students coming in and that is a little bit new for us.”
Story said in Canadian County homes are selling faster than expected, with homes staying on the market an average of two weeks or less.
“Usually the month of September is slow, but it has stayed very strong and we have stayed very busy,” Story said.
Haywood said, “The real estate market is so incredibly strong right now. The business demands are up,” Haywood said. There are currently about 350 real estate agents working in Yukon.
There is a shortage of available properties because home sales have been so high.
“We have a shortage of supply which creates a sellers’ market. Add to that low interest rates and in a pandemic, when you would think things would just completely fall apart, in Oklahoma it is exactly the opposite. It is stronger than the recovery from the housing crisis in 2008,” Haywood said.
“You can put a house on the market today and if it is priced right, it might sell by the end of the day or you will have multiple offers,” Haywood said.
He said even if there is a shortage of houses to sell, there is always “enough of the pie to go around,” Haywood said.
Anyone who enrolls in the course can complete the virtual school work in 30 days and then become eligible to complete the final exam to become fully licensed.
The cost is $449 and that will cover access to the material, supplemental textbooks, practice exams, online help and an in-person or Zoom studio group, Haywood said. Most people are fully licensed in 45-60 days.
Anyone interested in the virtual school can call the Yukon office, (405) 354-5243 and ask for Janet Story or leave a message. Or call Haywood at (918) 272-7272.
