Buyers Agent Institute - Ben Handler

G'day all,

This online buyers agent institute course by knowledge source keeps popping up on my social media feed and curious if people think it is worth paying for?

Have any of the good folk here on PC had any experience either positive or negative with the course or the guy Ben Handler who founded it?

The website seems focused on making big dollars but I can't find any independent reviews.

 

Many of the REBAA www.rebaa.com.au members have seen the course content and comments are that it is big on marketing and sales techniques and low on fiduciary duty to a client and how to value a property. Other than that, it is too new to have reviews as such.

Personally I'd be spending the $4-6K he charges for the BAI course, to do a REI approved real estate licence first.

 

Looks like it's an offshoot of Handler Cohen, buyers agency.

 

Cohen & Handler went their own separate ways a few months ago.

 

Don't see much point in it tbh..

Rather do course to get full real estate license and may be seperate marketing course...

Way overpriced I'll say.

 

Thanks. The cost seems very dear for an online course, you would hope the course content is fairly comprehensive.

Couldn't work out from the website if there is an actual accreditation or if it is at least endorsed by an authority?

It would be interesting to get an understanding of how they identify and negotiate A grade investments. Not interested if it's just sales and marketing.

 

Hi Guys,
I have actually done the course and it was incredible. I have been operating for around 8 months based in Adelaide. I have done many property related courses out there over the years and this is hands down the only one that teaches realistic information that you can expect in the real world! Ben and the buyers agent institute was instrumental in my success to date. You can check out Fourtier property and see the positive client reviews I have been getting and it was purely because of the expectations that are delivered in the course.

The cost of the course has been cheap in comparison to what I have learn't and the money its produced. Happy to chat to anyone that wants further info.

Luke​

 

G'day Luke, thanks for sharing. I saw your video testimonial on their facebook page so they must have done a great job to turn you into such a huge fan.

If you don't mind. How much was the course? And Is it accredited by an authority or count as CPD points?

I downloaded the website course info which as pointed out, comes across like a sales pitch, heavy on self promotion but little info about selecting good investments or actually buying property. It was also worryingly short and looks like it only takes a few hours to complete a bit like a Udemy course? Is this right or am I missing something?

Did Ben Handler say why he quit being a buyers agent and left Cohen and Handler? Seems like a weird choice.

 

Gday Mr sponge,

What the course does do that many other courses don’t is provide you with real life and relevant information. The most important thing about any business and in particular being a buyers agent is marketing. It’s all about building a business.

Looking and searching for properties I’ll be brutally honest is a only a very small part of the role. Majority of the time is spent on getting leads and turning those leads into clients. Without that, you don’t have a business. Doesn’t matter if your a rockstar at finding properties, if you don’t have client, you’ve got nothing! Not a dime and not a business.

Ben has a huge passion for helping people and this is why he moved on. People can always form an opinion about someone without knowing the facts. Many people start assuming things when people change careers but most of the time they need a new challenge and want to give back.

In terms of the fees for the course, it’s probably best you get in touch with the institute. Alternatively if you want to hear from a students perspective, I’m happy to chat over the phone to answer any questions you might have.

Hope this helps

 

100% agree with @Propertunity here. Is it a genuine educational course that teaches and equips potential BA learners with the actual knowledge (both legal and practical) and tools needed to become a professional well-trained BA and ensure a quality outcome for their buyer clients or is it more about getting "rich quick" and engaging in cheesy marketing and sales tactics to get deals done (and make 7 figure incomes in the first 3 years?!) Ben's BAI has teamed up with the same marketing company that promotes/promoted spruikers such as Rick Otton, Dymphna Boholt and other "educators" - modus operandi is to nationally promote speakers and profit-share in the courses that are then on/upsold as a result of the initial "workshops" and "free seminars". They also assist the speakers to create more events and courses so that they can all earn more $$$..... sounds like marketing fodder to me.

I've seen the course content and am certainly not impressed. Along with many other REBAA colleagues, we deem it to be extremely superficial and lacking credibility with no real consideration given to ethics, due diligence or fiduciary duty to clients. The content of the course obviously isn't deemed sufficient to provide an actual qualification (a restricted Cert IV leading to the provision of a BA licence by Dept Fair Trading), otherwise the BAI would apply to be an RTO (registered training organisation) under ASQA.

At the moment in NSW (as minimum) you require a restricted BA licence to operate as an independent BA and charge clients for your services. With the licensing changes coming via DFT, all aspiring BAs will need to increase their learning, however, and obtain the full Cert IV in Property Services (all units of competency) so they hold a full RE licence. I consider this more than sensible, but also believe that any RE agent wanting to move into BA should also undertake the "Act as a Buyers Agent" UOC (unit of competency) to at least gain some understanding and skillset working for buyers. It definitely involves a different set of core competencies, tasks and skills specific to our industry and what we cover as buyer advocates. In my humble opinion, even this is insufficient but working in industry first, gaining experience and learning from an excellent BA mentor/boss on the job can also pay dividends in building credibility and practical skills.

In my opinion, being good at what I do (buyers agency) is not predominantly about building a business and engaging in time-consuming marketing. It's actually about helping purchasers on the journey of making potentially life-changing decisions in real estate, decisions that are huge financially and require professional assistance, well informed research, strategy and skill.

If you genuinely want to spend $$$ on a course training how to become a BA here in NSW, first obtain your complete RE licence via a reputable RTO (such as REINSW) including the BA modules, join REBAA (the only national body for independent buyers agents) and start working for a reputable BA already in business. If you want to engage in specific marketing or business courses or qualifications there's a plethora of choice out there to improve in these areas too. It all comes down to research, personal preference and cost

 

Well said @Jacque.

 

WOW. Just WOW. So as a client, what specific value or expertise would deliver me?

 

Have you ever run a business? If there's one thing that determines the success or failure of a business, it's sales and marketing.

You can have to best service, expertise or product in the world, but if people don't know about it, your business is not going to be successful. Or should I just start to write a list of lousy products with good marketing campaigns that make a huge profit?

Ever wonder why some jerks get all the girls and the nice guys finish last? One of them is good at self promotion.

Consumers don't like to hear this, but at least @17210 is being honest.

 

Yes. I run a business. I understand your point. But I stand by my question.

 

No, It is not an accredited course in any way.

 

Hmmm lot's of toing and froing here.
Check out Ben Handler talking on the Property Investory podcast as he talks all about the new course, his parting with Mr Cohen I think is touched on a little, and you learn what he is like as a person (he has a lot, I mean a lot, of ongoing coaches in his life-so natural for him to run a buyer's agency coaching course).

The main point of the course from what I understand is how to get started as a buyer's agent and build clientele. He talks about how most members continue their day jobs and do buyer's agency on the side until they build a big enough business. I don't necessarily think, as others have pointed out, that it deals too much with what to buy-otherwise Handler is giving away his special sauce for Handler & Cohen. Most buyers agents have their niches & one would think those doing the course come from all around the country, so if Handler said only buy in inner Sydney it wouldn't really work would it? Nor would teaching someone from Kalgoorlie about Brisbane building permit law necessarily be all that.

One thing I will give Handler is aside from property, he seems to be quite a driven, life oriented lad=as in is able to juggle many hobbies.

 

To be a buyer's agent in NSW, you must first hold a full real estate licence or work under someone who has holds a licence. A little bit hard to build a business when you're clearly not qualified to hold a licence.

 

I think the idea is that these people do hold said licences.
A licence stays with you so long as you keep paying the annual fee in VIC, imagine it is similar in other states & territories.

 

When I started out as a BA over a decade ago, I thought I may be able to do the same. In practice it just does not work. For just a few examples:
Sometimes I get an email at 11am on any given day, saying there will be a database only showing of a property at 3:30pm same day. I quite often buy a property like this (which would be impossible if I was working a day job).
Contracts very often need to be exchanged anytime of the day or night depending on competition for a good property. P&B reports need to be ordered and reviewed and comments / explanations given to intending purchasers.
Clients expect (and rightly so) to be able to communicate with you by phone or text or email and get a prompt reply. Day job bosses are going to be duded or your BA clients won't be serviced properly.

 

I don't doubt with some professions it could be difficult, but others maybe not=
One building inspector I knew in Geelong was an ex-real estate agent. He could probably be a very good buyer's agent for the area and his job would allow him flexibility (as technically both are self employed).
I'd argue maybe a smaller day job and it might work for some=depends on the markets you are working in/service you are offering.