Graduate, Realtor Institute Now Offered on St. John

As the hot real estate market continues to sizzle throughout the Virgin Islands, agents will have the opportunity to brush up on the latest trends and required courses at the Graduate, Realtor Institute during the last week of October and first week of November.

The classes, which will span eight days over two weeks, will be offered at the Bellevue Village community center on Gift Hill.

Organized by veteran real estate agent B.J. Harris, owner of St. John Properties, this is the first time in at least 10 years that the GRI classes are being held on St. John.

“I offered these classes a long time ago and they haven’t been available here for a long time,” said Harris. “We are bringing in a professional instructor and the class is open to all colleagues on all three islands who want to have the Graduate, Realtor Institute designation.”

Former regional vice chairperson of the National Association of Realtors, Robert Mc-Millan, whom Harris said is “really knowledgeable and very entertaining,” will be teaching the class.

The GRI designation indicates a real estate agent who has taken a series of National Association of

Realtors-mandated courses, Harris explained.

Rounding Out Knowledge
“The courses are basically to round out your knowledge of real estate, marketing and business,” she said. “Classes cover things like financing, realty law and strategic marketing. There are also federal law courses which cover anti-trust law and equal housing law, among other legal issues.”

The classes will begin at 9 a.m. and run until 4 p.m., four days a week for two weeks. Real estate agents are welcome to take part in the entire course or on a course-by-course basis, according to Harris.

Eight Days of Class, 30 Hours of Study
“In order to obtain the actual GRI designation, agents must attend the full eight days and complete 30 hours of independent study, which is available on line,” she said. “There is a test, but if people show up and pay attention, the test is not difficult.”

Harris is a member of the National Association of Real-tors’ board of directors, where she represents the Virgin Islands. She is also on the territorial Association of Realtors’ board of directors and is the chairwoman of the education committee for the St. John Board of Realtors.  

Harris has been a local real estate agent since the early 1980s and has been involved with organizing educational courses since the early 1990s. She wanted to offer a special thanks to Bellevue Village.

“We are so happy to have the space at Bellevue, because the biggest challenge is always finding a place to have the class,” she said.

The entire eight-day class costs $700, but real estate agents are welcome to sign up for one or two classes. For a schedule of classes or to sign up for the course, call Harris at St. John Properties at 693-8485.