159 Rookies Move into Round Two

Real Estate Apprentice rookies again compete for top title and $125,000
RISMEDIA, Jan. 25?Out of a nationwide group of 2,688 applicants for Season III of the Real Estate Apprentice Grant competition, 159 scored 80% or better on their essays and were selected to move into round 2 of the free real estate product and services grant program.

?Each of the 159 applicants were sent 5 additional essay questions for them to answer in addition to standard background verification questions,? said Dr. Martin Oliver, the Real Estate Apprentice Foundation’s Deputy Executive Director. ?In general, the essays were top quality and it was very difficult selecting the 2nd Rounders? he added. With a 7 day deadline to complete the next phase, 30 chosen Semi-Finalists will have their essays and background analysis sent to an official panel of 14 Judges who will chose ten Finalist. One Grand Prize Winner will receive $75,000 worth of real estate education products and services and nine Finalists will receive similar items valued at $5,000. All awards are donated by leading real estate industry companies whose intent is to place rookie agents on a fast track to success and to help reduce the rookie agent failure rate.

The second round group of 159 applicants represented a large geographic span across the US including states such as: Alabama. Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Tennessee, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

The Real Estate Apprentice Grant Judges include such luminaries as: Jeremy Conaway, Stephen Roney, Kenneth Jenny, Thomas Dooley, Stu Siegel, Dr. Kenneth Edwards, Greg Herder, Kendra Shearer, Kendra Todd, Lennox Scott, Terry Moeler, Hugo ?Skip? Weber, and Allen Dalton. ?This is a magnificent group of 13 people – all heavy-hitters that are stepping up to bat on behalf of Rookie agents,? said Stefan Swanepoel, Founder of The Foundation.

The Real Estate Apprentice Foundation is widely recognized as the only Public Benefit Corporation of its kind in the real estate industry that provides real estate education, products and services free of charge to new agents. The Real Estate Apprentice Grant Program launched its 4th season on January 1, 2006. The Foundation proudly announced last week that its grants had quadrupled in value since first opening its doors in 2004. Now, surpassing over $1 million in annual grants, the Foundation expects to confer grants to over 5,000 new agents entering the industry this coming year.

Grant participants that have committed to sponsor new agents and help make a difference include: First American, Hobbs/Herder, RealtyU?, iSucceed, eNeighborhoods, McLean International, The Real Estate Simulator, Thomson-South-Western, CreateAPlan, CourseDates, Saris Technologies, ExpressCopy, VisualTour, Seller Agency Council, Real Estate Professional Society, The Real Estate Cyberspace Society, Calculated Industries, RISMedia and Broker Agent News. According to representatives of The Foundation, not only is sponsorship a great way to fulfill a company?s corporate responsibility of giving back to the very industry that supports it, but is it a unique way to illuminate the company?s products and services and gain significant marketing awareness.

The Foundation maintains and posts complete details of all past winners, eligibility requirements, judges and sponsors on their website at www.RealEstateApprentice.com. Companies interested in becoming involved with the Real Estate Apprentice Grant Program should contact the Deputy Executive Director Dr. Martin Oliver at
Dr.Oliver@RealEstateApprentice.com or by phone at (949) 600-7188.