Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995.™
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Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995
Champions School of Real Estate A S S O C I AT E S I N P R O G R E S S - A d v e r t i s e r P r o f i l e b y R i k i M a r k o w t i z
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hampions School of Real Estate, this year celebrating its 30th anniversary, was founded in 1983 by Rita Santamaria to provide students with an unparalleled, quality learning experience in Texas. Santamaria, a Florida native, got her start in real estate when she moved to Plano three decades ago. While working as a broker in Houston, Santamaria began seeking out ways to advance in her career, but found few viable options—especially for women and individuals with a limited schedule. Part of Champions’ mission is to provide students with “current information on what is happening in the real estate market today, [and offer] qualified instructors who love to teach,” according to Santamaria. Champions started as a small school in Houston and, according to Kelea Piper, the Central Texas marketing director, “Santamaria has built the largest real estate school in Texas.” Today, Champions has classrooms in Austin/ Round Rock, three sites in Houston and Dallas-Ft. Worth and a campus in San Antonio and Plano. Students can take classes on-site—but for those who live too far from a bricks and mortar location or have an inflexible schedule, Champions offers online and correspondence classes. From the start, it was important for Santamaria to design classes for individuals at various stages in their real estate career—from
pre-licensed to continuing-education curriculums. Champions also has comprehensive Texas home inspection, appraisal, and loan originator certification programs. “By taking our proprietary fast-track program,” says Piper, “students can complete their education in half the time than an ordinary real estate school. We are able to provide 30-hour credits in two days versus four days and a student can accomplish in a one-week night class what other schools do in two to three weeks.” To earn their real estate license, students are required to complete six courses at Champions. On the fast-track program, attaining a license in less than a year is a very attainable goal. Another unique characteristic of Champions is that Santamaria goes above and beyond the state commission’s minimum requirements. According to Piper, “Champions is different in that we have a requirement that the instructor must have prior teaching experience. If there was any question about Austin’s real estate boom or whether a downturn in the market is on the horizon, Piper assuages any doubts, explaining that the Austin/Round Rock campus is practically bursting at the seams. “We are doubling in size in Austin alone,” says Piper. “It’s a great time to get into the industry. For that reason, we expect to expand sometime in 2014.” Their primary purpose may be preparing students for their real estate license exams, but
www.myRealtyLine.com
September 2013
faculty at Champions are community-minded as well. In 2010, the four-time Pinnacle Awardwinning school partnered with the Capital Area Food Bank and hosted a food drive at its Austin/Round Rock campus. Champions became a MyCAA-approved school in 2009. The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program offers spouses of veterans financial assistance for a variety of work-training programs and certifications. Each year, the school offers a two-day Super Star Marketing course. In 2012, past Williamson County Association of REALTORS (WCAoR) Rookie and REALTOR of the Year, along with a past Platinum Top 50 Winner, shared their professional tips and tricks with students. This year, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) recognized Champions School of Real Estate for excellence in training and professional career growth. Several faculty and alumni have also been recognized by esteemed organizations. Houston Woman Magazine named Rita Santamaria one of “Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2010.” A Women’s Council of REALTORS (WCR) Affiliate of the Year, Piper was recognized for her commitment to excellence in March 2013. Instructor Becky Hill was named Statewide Member of the Year for her WCR participation. According to Piper, “time and time again, our students win rookie of the year awards and are recognized for their achievements. For REALTOR Magazine’s 2012 30 Under 30 class, all but three Texas winners were past or current Champions students.” “We couldn’t be more proud of our work and our students. Our faculty is very important to us,” says Santamaria. In the near future, Champions sees endless growth. “Forbes just named Dallas the best city for good jobs earlier this year,” says Piper. Houston snatched the
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Rita Santamaria, President
Kelea Piper, Central Texas Marketing Director
second spot followed by Austin and Ft. Worth in third. Real estate plays an important role for these cities to maintain their top positions. “We really care about our students and it’s our goal to make sure they succeed,” says Piper. RL
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