Real Estate | Academic Catalog

There are varieties of reasons why people study real estate. Some wish to become real estate agents, and some people study real estate to be better-informed consumers as they work with agents to buy or sell a personal residence. Still others study real estate as a way to acquire long-term investments that could generate rental income for their retirement years. Whatever the reason, this curriculum provides a strong basis for understanding the real estate market.

The Real Estate curriculum is designed to provide students with the preparation for pre-qualification for the real estate sales or brokers examinations.

REALST 062 3 Units

Real Estate Practice

Lecture: 54 contact hours

This course covers the practical techniques of operating a real estate business. Emphasis on daily activities of brokers and salesperson; introduction to appraising, exchanges, listings, advertising, financing, and marketing. Exchanges, specialized brokerage, property management, professional and public relations.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 063 3 Units

Real Estate Loan Processing Fundamentals

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Advisory: REALST 100

This course covers loan processing, specifically the mechanics of mortgage lending with emphasis on ethical practices.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 068 3 Units

Real Estate Appraisal: Residential

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Advisory: REALST 100

This course addresses the purpose of appraisals, appraisal process, and the different methods, approaches, and techniques used to determine the value of various types of property. Successful completion of this course meets elective qualification for salesperson or broker licensing approval.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 070 3 Units

Real Estate Finance

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Advisory: REALST 100

This course surveys the concepts, methods, and techniques of financing residential and non-residential real estate while also identifying and analyzing the various instruments used for such purposes. Instruction covers sources, characteristics, and parameters of mortgage capital; fixed, variable rate, and other alternative types of mortgages; government-assisted financing (such as VA, FHA, and SBA); the secondary mortgage market; mathematical analysis of finance transactions (amortization, loan constants, present and future value, compound interest, APR, capitalization rates, debt coverage, and other financial ratios and ways of determining yield); loan underwriting, processing, closing, and servicing; foreclosures and alternatives thereto (such as short sales) and related antideficiency law issues; guaranties; and leasehold financing; impact of how title is held and real estate tax effects; comparison of investment choices, both before and after taxes are factored in; plus syndication and other equity sharing issues. Successful completion of this course meets elective qualification for salesperson or broker licensing approval.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 074 3 Units

Legal Aspects of Real Estate

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Advisory: REALST 100

This course is an overview of California real property law and its influence on various aspects of the real estate industry. The course examines the legal issues surrounding real estate ownership and transfer, contracts, rights and duties of ownership, conveyance issues, mortgages and deeds of trust, easements, government control and powers, escrow and title insurance, zoning, landlord and tenant problems, real estate brokerage and agency relationships, and agency ethics. This course applies toward education requirement of California Broker’s Examination.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 076 3 Units

Property Management

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Advisory: REALST 100

This course provides an overview of property management fundamentals for the real estate professional, individual owner, or real estate student. Property types covered include office, retail, industrial, condominium, and apartment buildings. Responsibilities of the property manager/owner will be studied, including tenant relations, landlord/tenant law, leasing/renting, human resources, office administration, insurance, financial statements/budgets, building maintenance, vendor services, and property management as a career. This course applies towards the educational requirements for the California State Broker's Examination.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 078 3 Units

Real Estate Economics

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Advisory: REALST 100

This course provides students with a basic understanding of economic factors that affect residential, commercial, industrial, rural and special purpose real estate. The focus is on financing and government policy; urban development and renewal; regulation of land use; business and real estate cycles and mortgage markets and their impact on real estate and investment opportunities. This course satisfies the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) requirement that students pass a college-level Real Estate Economics course prior to taking the Real Estate Broker License Exam. It can also count as the optional course that students must pass prior to taking the California Real Estate Salesperson License Exam.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 080 3 Units

Escrow Procedures

Lecture: 54 contact hours

This course provides students with a real-life application of the steps in a real estate sale including completing and reviewing the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) Joint Purchase Agreement and Escrow Instructions, reviewing the Preliminary Report and solving title problems, learning lenders' closing requirements and the recording process, and balancing and figuring the settlement of the closing funds. Applies toward the State's elective educational requirements for the Real Estate Salesperson license and toward the requirements for the broker's examination.

Associate Degree Applicable

REALST 100 3 Units

Real Estate Principles

Lecture: 54 contact hours

Advisory: ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H

This course includes the fundamentals of real estate including the basic laws and principles of California real estate. This includes the background and terminology necessary for advanced study of real estate. The successful completion of this course meets qualifications for sales person or broker licensing exam.

Associate Degree Applicable

Transfers to CSU only

REALST 601 Noncredit

Real Estate Exam Preparation: CA Licensing

Lecture: 18 contact hours

Advisory: Completion of REALST 100 and REALST 062 and one REALST elective course in order to meet the requirements to apply for the DRE Real Estate Salesperson License exam.

This noncredit course is designed to prepare the student for the State of California Department of Real Estate (DRE) licensing examination. In the course, many real estate topics are covered in examination format. The following topics will be covered: real and personal property acquisition, ownership, estates in real property, joint tenancies, partnerships, sales contracts, homesteads, deeds and taxes. methods of financing, real estate practices, and regulation of the real estate business.