Education

Every two years, real estate licensees must complete 18 hours of CE to maintain their real estate license in the state of Wisconsin, as required by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. Coursework must be completed by December 14, 2024.

For the 2023-24 biennium, the 18 hours of required credits include the completion of 18 one-hour course topics, comprised of 12 mandatory courses and six elective courses. See below for the course topics and descriptions.

Mandatory (18 one-hour courses)Mandatory (licensees must take 12 hours)

Mandatory (licensees must take 12 hours)

• Course 1: Buyer Agency In Wisconsin*
• Course 2: Contract Drafting in Wisconsin
• Course 3: When the Wisconsin Transaction Does Not Close*
• Course 4: Department of Safety and Professional Services Discipline Roundup*
• Course 5: Wisconsin Legislative Updates
• Course 6: Wisconsin Case Law Related to Real Estate
• Course 7: Inspection and Testing in the Wisconsin Offers to Purchase*
• Course 8: Antitrust for Wisconsin Licensees*
• Course 9: Fair Housing I for Wisconsin Licensees — State Law**
• Course 10: Fair Housing II for Wisconsin Licensees — Federal Law**
• Course 11: Advertising for Wisconsin Licensees*
• Course 12: Financing and Appraisal in the Wisconsin Offer to Purchase
  Electives (licensees must take six hours)
• Elective 1: Disclosure for Wisconsin Licensees
• Elective 2: Seller Impersonation Fraud
• Elective 3: Personal Transactions for Wisconsin Licensees
• Elective 4: Incentives in Wisconsin Real Estate Transactions
• Elective 5: Commissions and Dispute Resolution in the Wisconsin Listing Contracts
• Elective 6: Personal Property and Fixtures in Wisconsin Transactions

*Completion of these five courses satisfies the National Association of REALTORS®’ Code of Ethics requirements.
**Completion of these courses satisfies the National Association of REALTORS®’ Fair Housing requirements.

Course descriptions

Course 1: Wisconsin Agency Law

This course walks licensees through the various agency relationships between licensees and their clients. Licensees will also review their duties to all parties and to their clients as well as explore the creation and termination of agency relationships.

Course 2: Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Disciplinary Actions*

This CE course teaches licensees about cautionary tales of what not to do and how to stay on the good side of the DSPS. This course includes case studies of real disciplinary actions against Wisconsin licensees and highlights pathways to professionalism for tips for best behavior. Additionally, licensees will review the aspirational Preamble to the REALTOR^® Code of Ethics for more ideas about how to enhance professionalism.

Course 3: Commissions in Wisconsin Agency Agreements, Offers of Compensation and Antitrust*

In this course, licensees will explore how to correctly complete the commission sections of various agency agreements to accurately represent fees charged to consumers as well as how to stay far away from antitrust violations. Additionally, licensees will receive a review of the “do’s and don’ts” of referral fees in Wisconsin.

Course 4: The Inspection Contingency in the Wisconsin Offers to Purchase 

This course provides a step-by-step review of the inspection contingency in the offers to purchase as well as how to correctly use amendments and notices after the inspection. Lastly, this course will remind licensees of the correct form and requirements for an inspection report produced by a Wisconsin-registered home inspector.

Course 5: Wisconsin Legislative Updates Related to Real Estate

In this course, licensees are informed about what their elected representatives have been up to in the Capitol and how those legislative developments relate to real estate. This course provides an overview of changes to various administrative code provisions promulgated by state agencies that affect the world of real estate.

Course 6: Wisconsin Real Estate Case Law Update

This course reviews important court decisions from the last couple years and highlights how those decisions affect property rights, land use or possibly licensing law in the state.

Course 7: Advertising for Wisconsin Real Estate Licensees*

This CE course instructs licensees of important advertising rules in Wisconsin. Mistakes in advertising are a common cause for complaints about licensees, so learning the rules is the best way to avoid such complaints. Licensees will also review the marketing section of the listing contract during this course.

Course 8: Default, Earnest Money, and WB-45 Cancellation Agreement and Mutual Release

Default, earnest money, and the WB-45 Cancellation Agreement and Mutual Release form are all topics no one wants to talk about, but the reality is that sometimes transactions do not close, so licensees need to be familiar with these sections to be able to talk to consumers when the transaction is not going to close. This course will remind licensees to present options — not legal advice, as well as walk through the details of disbursing earnest money when held by a firm, including by way of a WB-45 Cancellation Agreement and Mutual Release.

Course 9: Financing Commitment and Appraisal Contingencies in the Wisconsin Offers to Purchase

In this course, licensees receive step-by-step instruction on how to use the financing commitment contingency and appraisal contingency. In addition, licensees will be reminded of what happens when a buyer makes an offer that is not contingent on financing.

Course 10: Fair Housing in Wisconsin Transactions*

This course reminds licensees of what constitutes a protected class as well as the practices that are prohibited under fair housing law. Additionally, various training opportunities to learn about and avoid implicit bias will be covered.

Course 11: Agent-to-Agent Relationships*

This course provides gentle reminders to licensees about how best to interact with their colleagues to achieve the objectives of their parties in a transaction. Cooperation, access to property and offer presentation will all be reviewed in addition to a review of responding to offers as well as the confidentiality of offers in Wisconsin. Lastly, some lessons on open house and showing responsibilities will be covered.

Course 12: Seller and Licensee Disclosure in Wisconsin Transactions

This course takes licensees on the somewhat murky journey of deciding who needs to disclose what to whom, when and how. It is not always easy to decide whether something needs to be disclosed, so this course includes several scenarios for licensees to walk through to help evaluate future disclosure conundrums.

Elective 1: Short Sales and Foreclosures in Wisconsin

Short sales and foreclosures are topics no one wants to talk about, but the reality is that sometimes property owners fall on hard times and may find themselves facing a short sale or foreclosure. This course reviews tips for licensees when listing or writing offers on potential short sale properties as well as the role of the lender in such transactions. Additionally, a short lesson on the foreclosure process in Wisconsin will be covered as well as what role a licensee can play when a property owner is facing a potential foreclosure.

Elective 2: Changing a Property's Use in Wisconsin

This course walks licensees through many of the “what ifs” that come into play when a person wants to change a property’s existing use. This can include developing vacant land, special considerations when dealing with waterfront property, subdividing a parcel and more.

Elective 3: Other Wisconsin Approved Forms

In this course, licensees review forms beyond just the agency agreements and offers to purchase. The WB-44 Counter-Offer and the WB-46 Multiple Counter-Proposal will be highlighted in addition to a review of the “do’s and don’ts” of using addenda

Elective 4: Closing of Buyer’s Property Contingency, Secondary Offer, and Bump Clause in the Wisconsin Offers to Purchase

This course reviews how these often-related offer provisions interconnect with each other when there may be multiple buyers interested in a property. In addition, this course reviews how to use each provision as well as explore how the provisions work together.

Elective 5: Drafting Contracts in Wisconsin Real Estate Transactions

This CE course takes licensees back to the basics of contract drafting to avoid issues of interpretation, questions and disagreements between parties regarding the meaning of contract provisions. Poorly drafted contracts lead to problems. This course revisits questions of personal property and real property, including questions of what is or is not a fixture. The importance of clear dates and deadlines for performance will also be covered in this course.

Elective 6: Risk Reduction for Wisconsin Licensees

This course helps licensees identify risky real estate practices and consider ways to reduce or eliminate risk. This course provides instruction on how to navigate as-is sales and reminds licensees of their disclosure obligations related to compensation and interest. Lastly, it will give licensees tips for how to minimize risk when buyers are choosing not to include contingencies or deciding to waive contingencies.

*These five courses combined satisfy the National Association of REALTORS^®’ Code of Ethics requirements.