Did you take equator clasess? Why or why not?

Hi ,

I am in the process of receiving equator training and the only options are paid options where I can choose between two designations. One is 60 dollars and the other one is over 400 dollars. I am not interested so much in designations as much as I am interested in being able to effectively use Equator.

Can you please share with me if you received certification with Equator and training and how the training was or was not helpful to you as well as did certifications add any extra business?

Also I noticed that we can sign up for nominal fee for certain zip codes. Has anyone found this beneficial or was it waste of money?

Thank you in advance for your answers

Natalie Arndt BS MA

CDPE

RE/MAX PREMIERE REALTORS

3701 San Mateo Blvd NE

Albuquerque NM 87110

nataliearndt@comcast.net

nmhomesbynatalie.com

505 615-0158

Replies

Donald Johnson November 21, 2011 at 12:26pm

I ran a quick study last year on the Zip Codes BEFORE they hid the results for BPO requests, 64% of the zip codes I was paying for had no results at all in a six month period. Which means 64% of my investment was a waste and I had to produce 4 BPO's just to break even (including my gas, time to travel, zip costs, etc). All I will say is I stopped it immediately. If you're not seasoned in there you won't get any BPO's and even so they all come out at between 10:01-10:04 am ET (or 7:01-7:04 PT - which is where they originate). Which I don't get anyhow. The banking centers are in Charlotte and New York and all these requests come out of California, mostly brokerages turned asset manager, turned crook in many cases. The only place their certifications matter is inside there and unless you pay out several hundred dollars annually you'll never know and that's called gambling.

Secondary note, I hate Equator with a passion. It is a horrible platform to perform Short Sales within, since it was designed to operate for REO's, as evidenced that the only listings that can be posted in the sales area are REO's. Someone paid someone off to get those contracts. It's slow, it's archaic at best, it's totally limited and certainly is not user friendly or designed for us, just the lenders, although they want us to pay for expensive useless "training".

Save the coin and buy silver with it instead.
- Natalie Arndt > Donald Johnson November 28, 2011 at 8:02am
  
  I declined to do BPO's in the past because they are waste of my . I am very particular what clients are take on also.
  
  Thank you for your share.
Kenneth Kelley November 21, 2011 at 6:19am

I too have been on Equator since the beginning and have not paid for classes. I have paid for Zip Codes, which worked out well in the beginning but like everything now has completely dried up.
Keith Maahs November 21, 2011 at 4:58am

Hi Natalie,

I can tell you for certain that I have no busines coming out of paying for zip codes. The price is low enough for someone to say "Wow, I can sign up for 10 different zip codes for a few dollars a month!" and with the idea that thousands and thousands of agents have signed up for this, well, you get the picture. It is a steady monthly bank roll for the Equator group.

Keith Maahs

Coldwell Banker

Minnesota
- Natalie Arndt > Keith Maahs November 21, 2011 at 5:05am
  
  Thank you Keith.
Cindy Nordstrom November 21, 2011 at 4:42am

I never took an Equator class. I have so many people I can use for resources and the bank does help. It's a pretty user friendly program and if you are even mildy computer literate you can make your way through it. I wouldn't mind taking a class just for tips but am not willing to pay for it.
- Natalie Arndt > Cindy Nordstrom November 21, 2011 at 5:01am
  
  Thank you Cindy.
Napua Lucas November 20, 2011 at 3:54pm

I did not take any classes either. I would be more impressed though if some of the BofA reps and negotiators took those classes! Some of them don't even read their emails!!
- Donald Johnson > Napua Lucas November 23, 2011 at 4:26am
  
  That's because they're too busy now watching their stock fall back into the penny stock category. BoA is in deep trouble and when the European meltdown hits home they will cease to be Bank Of America, rather "Bankrupted Our American" homeowners (guess they're kind of like a BOA Constrictor - lol). Regulators are all over them, despite Dover's optimism, the facts speak loud, they're not lending on property, only credit cards and car loans, both of which are extremely high risk practices and to top off their toxic pile from ML & CW, so how are they making money? Not paying investors (stockholders) for years now, while taking "Bonus Pay" for a job well done??? WHAT??? By selling off $100 billion in bad loans (discounting paper down to 10-30 cents on the $ at current prices - which is much further than what they could have settled the note in a short sale or auction). BoA will cease to exist, too big to fail? So was - what was that name again ... oh yeah ... Lehman Brothers!!!
  - Natalie Arndt > Donald Johnson November 28, 2011 at 8:00am
    
    I refer to Bank of America as Bend over America.

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