The Columbia Greene Board of REALTORS® is a licensed Real Estate School in the State of New York. We provide Real Estate Salesperson and Broker Continuing Education Courses, REALTOR® Designation and Certification Courses.
Education Policy
CGBR offers its members (in good standing) a free continuing education program run through the calendar year. Core requirements are offered quarterly on a rotating basis with classes offered in-person at the Board office or via Zoom. In-person classes may also be offered hybrid. The free continuing education program only covers classes offered by CGBR (does not cover NYSAR or CE Shop Classes). From time to time, CGBR may run a special program or designation/certification classes for a fee. These fee-based classes are above and beyond the regular CE program.
Maximum class size is 50. A moderator will be utilized as per DOS requirements. Registration takes place online through the website, dashboard link, or by calling the Board office. Once a class is full, members can be placed on a waitlist to be notified should cancellations occur.
Oversight of the Education program is the responsibility of the Education Committee and the Association Executive.
Education Cancellation and No-Show Policy:
Administrative fee of $10 will be charged for all cancellations.
Failure to cancel your class registration (No-Show) will result in a $25 fine.
The Association Executive shall have the authority to decide emergency requests.
The Education Committee is responsible for establishing the cost per class for Non-Members.
To Become a Real Estate Salesperson
Becoming a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson in New York State requires a few things. Requirements:
- Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State.
- Be 18 years old.
- Have successfully completed 77 hours of approved qualifying education.
- Pass the NYS Real Estate Salesperson examination.
- Be sponsored by a NYS licensed Real Estate Broker.
- Have a current NYS photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card.
- Finally, you apply to the Department of State for Licensing.
To Become a Real Estate Broker
Requirements:
- Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State Division of Licensing with the appropriate points from prior transactions. Prior to filing this application, all proposed business names must be submitted, in writing, to the Division of Licensing Services for approval. Upon approval of the name you wish to use, you must then file the appropriate document with either the respective County Clerk’s office or the NYS Department of State, Division of Corporations.
- Be 20 years old.
- Have at least two years of experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or at least three years of experience in the general real estate field or a combination of both.
- Meet the minimum points required for the experience type (e.g., buying and selling your own property, managing property owned by your employer).
- Have satisfactorily completed 152 hours of approved qualifying education.
- Pass a qualifying examination administered by the Department of State.
- Have a current NYS photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card.
Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal
New York Licensed salespersons and brokers are required to complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education for license renewal every 2 years including a minimum of:
- 2 hours cultural competency
- 2 hours implicit bias
- 2.5 hours ethical business practices
- 1 hour legal
- 3 hours fair housing
- 1 hour law of agency except in the case of the initial two-year licensing term for real estate salespersons, 2 hours of agency related instruction must be completed within the two-year period immediately preceding a renewal.
- Licensed REALTORS® are also required to complete 2.5 hours of Code of Ethics training every 3 years. Current 3 yr cycle is 1/1/22-12/31/24
