Summer School: 3 Online Training Opportunities for Real Estate Agents

The kids may be out of school, but class is still in session for agents who want to gain new skills this summer. Just this week, we learned of three new educational opportunities in areas like listing photography and social media. All options are offered online, too, which means that you can work through them at your own pace while powering through the busy season.

Here's a quick rundown of each:

#GetSocialSmart Academy

For years, Katie Lance has been real estate's go-to guru on all things social media. It's likely you've heard her share her knowledge on stage at real estate conferences, or read her name in any number of industry publications.

On Tuesday, Lance launched her latest knowledge sharing venture, the #GetSocialSmart Academy. It's a web-based "learning portal" featuring social media training videos, downloadable materials, and live webinars. The content is based on Lance's 6-week coaching program, and covers topics like content strategy, blogging, Facebook advertising, Instagram, Pinterest, video marketing, livestreaming, LinkedIn, Twitter, and beyond.

Until June 30, Academy membership is available at a deeply discounted "early bird" rate. Check out GetSocialSmart.com to learn more.

• Looking for similar training opportunities? Check out The Paperless Agent and/or their Real Estate Digital Marketer (REDM) certification course.

Learn Real Estate Photography Basics

Did you know that better listing photos can result in a higher selling price? That means if you're not investing in professional listing photography, it benefits you (and your clients) to have a strong grasp on real estate photography basics.

Now there's a course that can help. Noted architectural photographer Scott Hargis recently launched a new class, Learn Real Estate Photography: The Basics, on self-paced learning platform Lynda.com. Learn how to shoot every aspect of a home, with specific tips for capturing bathrooms, kitchens, exteriors, and more. Hargis also touches on preparation, gear, and post-production editing.

To access the course, you'll need to be a member of Lynda.com. They offer a 10-day trial if you want to check it out for free. If you decide to keep your membership, you'll have access Lynda's vast amount of training content on everything from business software to marketing principles to graphic design and beyond.

Homebuyer Education for Your Clients

We're finishing our list with a program designed to help your clients (and, by extension, you).

But first... pop quiz! What's the first-time buyer's biggest obstacle to homeownership? Saving for the down payment! Fortunately, there are an abundance of down payment assistance programs that can help, but many require that buyers complete an educational component to qualify.

That just got easier, thanks to an expanded partnership from Down Payment Resource (DPR) and eHomeAmerica. Now prospective homeowners can access information about down payment programs and their educational requirements on a new search page powered by DPR's program database. They can then complete those requirements on eHomeAmerica's interactive educational platform and move closer to their dream of homeownership.

You can learn more about eHomeAmerica here.