BEND, OR -- The number of new real estate brokers in the High Desert has steadily rebounded since the recession, signaling an improving housing market. Glenda Lantis, Director of Continuing Education at Central Oregon Community College, says the school’s real estate classes are also growing. "In fact, we’ve added sections to this real estate broker license exam prep class. We started with one section this fall and we’ve added at least one more. We have a couple sections for winter, and we’re expanding into the property management license as well."
COCC stopped offering real estate classes during the recession, but has served 158 students since restarting the program just over a year ago. "We’re teaching classes for people to learn the skills and learn about the examination that they have to take to become a real estate broker or certified property manager. What they do is they take the class with us and prepare for the examination, then they can actually take the exam locally."
The Central Oregon Association of Realtors (COAR) reports nearly 250 new realtors so far this year, more than double the number of new agents registered with the organization in 2011.
