RISMEDIA, Sept. 12, 2007-Mark Gipple of Belton, Missouri, a rookie agent working full time with Keller Williams – Southland Partners was named as the Grand Prize Winner for the Real Estate Apprentice Foundation’s 6th Season by an independent panel of judges. As the Grand Prize winner he will receive $70,000 in fast track real estate products.
Gipple, licensed as a real estate salesperson in the spring of this year, received his real estate education from Career Education Systems of Kansas City, Missouri. According to Real Estate Apprentice, Gipple has accomplished a great deal for being in business for such a short time, having approximately 20 current listings and has closed half a dozen transactions to date.
“Mark is the epitome of a ‘driven-focused-motivated go-getter.’ His previous small business experience and adherence to his business plan has been his key to success,” says Teresa Miller, team leader of Keller Williams – Southland Partners.
When asked what Gipple would do with his grand prize winnings, he responded with a detailed list broken into 30-day, 75-day, 100-day and 120-day action steps, adding “the stellar list of partners supporting this achievement provides any determined rookie an opportunity to become a heavy weight contender in a relatively short period of time.”
The first runner up for Season 6 is Marjorie Hernandez who is a fulltime agent with Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors working from their Spring, Texas office. Hernandez received her real estate education from Champions School of Real Estate in Houston, Texas. Hernandez, a former Navy Recruiter, says her experience with the Navy, “reinforced discipline, patience, perseverance, adaptability and challenged me to employ and fine tune my analytical and interpersonal skills.”
David Gongora is the second runner up for Season 6 and is practicing real estate for Hialeah Industrial Real Estate in the Miami, Florida area. Gongora completed his real estate pre-licensing courses through RealtyU Affiliate, Gold Coast School of Real Estate in Florida.
The remaining ten finalists for Season 6 include; Julie Baker – Prudential Kansas City, Overland Park, Kansas; Jo Anne Armstrong – Pat Lowery Real Estate, Houston, Texas; Annie Whisler – Air Capital Real Estate, LLC, Rose Hill, Kansas; Teresa Russell – Nino and Associates, Houston, Texas; Rachel Townsley – HomeIndex REALTORS, Lubbock, Texas; Kent Simpson – Prudential Foothills Real Estate, Tucson, Arizona; and Kathy Hines – Century 21 Judge Fite Company, Richardson, Texas.
$70,000 of Success Tools
Gipple will receive the following fast-track success education and tools, courtesy of various benevolent and visionary Real Estate Apprentice Foundation Sponsors:
– A comprehensive personal identity and marketing package created by Hobbs/Herder including: custom logo and stationary package, marketing campaign and corporate brochure, personalized PowerKardsTM and the design and construction of a branded Web site.
– Hands-on technology and business systems consulting by McLean International including business vision and marketing plan coordination; office setup for maximum functionality and efficiency; the selection and set up of electronic signatures and voice messaging; file organization and sales support consulting on a pre-listing package, listing package and buyer package; and the creation of a listing system, closing system and contact management system.
– Unlimited access for two years to an online real estate mentoring service offered by iSucceed, including weekly Tele-Seminars, hundreds of business tips, tools, money-making systems and marketing strategies, a special “Ask your Mentor” program and Home Seller’s and Buyer’s Workbooks.
– An open platform Transaction Manager Software Solution by First American Residential Group that provides an integrated set of tools used during all phases of a real estate transaction, from listing to closing. This highly configurable technology currently serves many constituents, including the residential real estate professional, Multiple Listing Service, commercial agents, new homebuilders, title and closing operations. The Transaction Manager automates and documents manual processes, increasing user efficiency and enriching the experience.
– CreateAPlan will facilitate business planning needs for two years through its online business planning software that provides complete monitoring of all key business indicators, including marketing events, listings, sales, expenses and much more.
– Thomson Learning is providing a comprehensive set of real estate books.
– The highly acclaimed Accredited Seller Representative (ASR) course and designation sponsored by the Seller Agency Council.
– A versatile and easy-to-understand Mortgage Calculator and Laser Dimension Master with the complete starter package for the Qualifier Plus IIIx Calculator provided by Calculated Industries.
– A comprehensive suite of detailed information about any neighborhood in the country, including facts about schools, home values, crime rates, cost-of-living and other demographics from eNeighborhoods. Its Power Suite also includes a Neighborhood Report, contacts, CMA, BuyerTour, Flyers, Campaign Manager and Web site.
– A unified real estate management and business platform that provides task supervision, contact management, and fax delivery, by RealAgentSuite.
– Membership in The Real Estate Cyberspace Society with a treasure chest of secrets about marketing real estate on the Internet.
– One full year’s subscription to the online and print magazines Broker Agent News and RISMedia Real Estate, the most trusted names in real estate news.
– A starter kit plus a 12-month subscription that allows you to create stunning Internet and CD-based virtual tours for your listings, including neighborhood tours for those out-of-town buyers sponsored by VisualTours.
Season VII Now in Full Swing. The seventh season of the Real Estate Apprentice Foundation’s grant competition began on July 1 and ends December 31, 2007. Apply for a free Real Estate Apprentice Grant today. All applicants receive a minimum grant of $250 in real estate-oriented educational products and services, just for answering three essay questions.
For more information, visit www.realestateapprentice.com/apply.cfm.