How IEA initiated my real estate career
My failed attempts at RES exams in 2014-2015
I thought I should be marketing and closing several property deals by 2015 when I first attempted my RES exams in late 2014. Yet that wasn’t the case. I failed my last 2 attempts in RES, and I wasn’t sure what else I could have done to clear both my papers. Nevertheless I decided to give it one last try, and this time round, I told myself I would not get distracted with my revision. I would see to it that I would pass both papers in one go.
Unfortunately, despite my utmost efforts, I still didn’t manage to clear any of the two papers. I started to doubt if fate meant for me to embark on my real estate career. In the coming one year, I had 3 more chances to enrol for RES exams, but I decided not to. I was too embarrassed to face my previous failed attempts. I then let my eligibility expired upon reaching 2 years from finishing my RES course.
I chanced upon IEA in 2019
Fast-forward 4 years, I continued to keep in touch with my course-mates; a few persevered and managed to clear both their RES papers (and some of them only managed to clear in their 6th attempt). It just so happened I chanced upon IEA website and came across RES trainers which some of my (now) property agent course-mates highly recommended; my property agent friends ranked IEA’s RES trainers among the most learner-centric trainers they had come across. They shared with me that one really had to continue clearing useful CPD courses to keep oneself updated to stand out from other property agents.
Perhaps, I needed better guidance from better trainers who could explain the concepts especially the complicated legal concepts and the financial calculations. My friends encouraged me to give IEA a try, and I plucked up my courage to give it another try.
IEA Trainers made the difference
I discovered that I kept getting the answers wrong, as I wasn’t getting the concepts right from my previous RES course. Chris, Robin and Jimmie were able to explain the concepts in a way that was simple enough for me to understand and remember, and most importantly apply those concepts to answer RES exams questions. This made a huge difference. I was a lot more confident, as the answers no longer seemed random to me. I was able to break down the questions and make the right MCQ choices unlike what I did in my past 3 attempts.
Picking up the pieces again
Even though I was a lot more confident, I decided to spend just as much time as I did previously to prepare for both RES papers. A few of my property agent friends recommended I focused my efforts on just one of the papers and to clear one paper first, before attempting the next paper. However, I felt it would be a waste of my money, as I would have to pay for both papers anyway, as CEA didn’t permit candidates to register and sit for one paper.
I understood my friends’ concerns. I was now married, and had a young baby. I was now also more senior in my role, having been promoted 2 years back. So, I would have less time and would be more easily distracted compared to 4 years ago. Nevertheless, I split my time to prepare for both papers. I also went through the revision offered by IEA trainers.
I sat through both papers in one weekend. I wasn’t confident of all my answers, especially when it came to financial calculations. However, I felt pretty good about my chances to clear both papers this round. I understood the concepts well, and the right MCQ choices stood out for most of the questions I attempted.
Almost one month came to pass, and the day of reckoning arrived. I started noticing my chatgroups buzzing that late morning. We were supposed to start receiving email from the exams provider. Several of those who passed had received good tidings via their email. I checked my email. No message arrived yet from the exams provider and it was already way past noon. Some course-mates were speculating that those who passed would receive the email early while those who didn’t would receive the email much later. That feeling of possibly failing again this time started to creep into me. My close friends told me to disregard and patiently wait for the email. It finally arrived late afternoon. 2 passes in one go. I did it!
Kudos to IEA Trainers
I would not have been able to clear both RES papers, had I not gotten my concepts right this round. And I really thank IEA Trainers, Chris, Robin and Jimmie, for their lessons. I put in a big thank-you in my chatgroup to all 3 trainers! Encouragement from my friends mattered as much! I would not have had the courage, and I also would not have sought out the right course, if not for them. Now, onward to my real estate career
