Board approves proposal for SFCC real estate course

Students interested in real estate could have the chance to learn more about the subject and the industry at State Fair Community College, starting as early as this fall.

The board approved sending a proposal for a new specialty in its business management degree and a professional certificate in business management with an emphasis in real estate appraisal to the Missouri Department of Higher Education for approval at their meeting at the college Monday evening.

The real-estate-related programs are a response to need in the community, particularly in the Lake of the Ozarks area, said Brent Bates, vice president of educational services for the college. The region is one of the fastest-growing in the state.

“If you look at the number of licensed real estate agents in Lake of the Ozarks, it’s just amazing. So we were looking for training for folks involved in that discipline,” he said.

Bates anticipated that there will still be interest in the program, despite national downward trends in the real estate industry.

“Typically, (Lake of the Ozarks has) been a really strong real estate market, and I think it remains so. The folks that we’ve been in contact with recently are still really excited, so I think there’s still demand,” he said.

Deborah Degan-Dixon, dean of extended campus and professional development services for the college, said the degree or the certificate will not make a student an agent or appraiser. The degree, with its business management core, would attract students interested in working at real estate offices, brokerages, title companies or in pursuing real estate agent or appraisal licenses.

The certificate would fulfill the academic portion of the requirements to become a state certified residential real estate appraiser, said Dean Dorman, county assessor, who helped design the curriculum. The degree would fulfill the academic portion of the state certified general appraiser requirements.

“The (associate degree in applied science in business management with real estate specialty) is the broad portion. If you want to go into appraisal, if you want to go into sales, it’s a good background,” he said.

“Even (for) people working at the office, to have just a basic course in real estate is helpful,” he said.

Bates said that students could begin the degree or the certificate program in the fall, if state approval is in place.

“It should be a pretty routine approval at the state,” he said.