Becoming a PartnerFirst Member

What are the benefits of membership?

There are many! As a Premium Certified Member, you’ll enjoy:

• The most complete short sale training available
• Participation in lender-initiated short sale programs
• Immediate access to available listing opportunities 
• Your name and profile on at least four mortgage servicer databases
• Your choice of available coverage areas—up to seven ZIP Codes per servicer
• Your name and profile on consumer-friendly Find an Agent database  
• Continuous updates via webinars, tutorials, blogs and more
• A complete library of marketing resources 
• A video library of educational material and industry updates

How do I sign up?

1. Access our Registration Page.
2. Register and create a basic user account. 
3. Apply by filling out the Agent Application.
4. Choose Premium or Premium Certified Membership. 

About PartnerFirst

Who is PartnerFirst?

We are a team of professionals with backgrounds in the real estate and mortgage fields who have combined our talents to meet the needs of the housing market on a nationwide level.  PartnerFirst is a pioneer of the top-down, lender-initiated short sale model, which is being adopted by mortgage servicers throughout the country. 

Our executive team includes specialists in real estate, mortgage servicing and loss mitigation. They are complemented by a staff of educators, writers, editors, graphic designers and information technology specialists. PartnerFirst member agents are served by our agent relations coordinators, who provide guidance, answer questions and solve problems. 

What does PartnerFirst do?

We  train real estate agents in all aspects of the pre-foreclosure market , then connect them with homeowners and mortgage servicers to achieve solutions that benefit all parties. When appropriate, the agents can help homeowners pursue short sales. The homeowners benefit from the expert help of trained, certified professionals; the mortgage servicers and investors resolve their distressed assets in the most efficient way; and the agents gain entry into a growing sector of the real estate market. 

Our business model contains several elements:

• Education. Our Pre-foreclosure Specialist Certification (PSC) has become the industry standard in default training for real estate agents, recognized by mortgage servicers, component servicers, real estate trade organizations, asset managers, default service providers, homeowners, and most importantly—individual real estate agents. It is the only course available today that  focuses on top-down, lender-initiated short sales, which are becoming more prevalent nationwide. The PSC course is supplemented by several other training modules that focus on specific subjects  essential to serving the pre-foreclosure market . 
• Nationwide agent network.  Mortgage servicers typically have many delinquent borrowers for whom a short sale would be the best solution, but for legal reasons they are constrained from referring them to individual real estate agents. PartnerFirst bridges the gap with a brand-neutral agent network, offering homeowners a roster of local agents from which to choose. The servicers must also be confident that any agents they refer are competent in the highly-specialized field of short sales. PartnerFirst vets all the agents in its network, and awards those who complete our rigorous training program the prestigious Pre-foreclosure Specialist Certification.    
• Agent Management Services. A successful short sale depends largely on the skill and diligence of the real estate agents. But few mortgage servicers have the time or resources to monitor the day-to-day performance of the agents they work with. Again, PartnerFirst bridges the gap with its agent management services platform. We assign specific, sequential tasks for agents who accept assignments. We require them to post periodic updates on their progress—and we score them based on their performance. 
• Homeowner Find-an-Agent database. The PartnerFirst agent network is available to consumers as well as mortgage servicers. Each qualified agent is placed on an easy-to-use web-based Find-an-Agent resource where homeowners can find them.  Consumers can choose from a select group of agents in their local area. 

Why is brand neutrality important? 

Distressed borrowers deserve an unbiased resource they can use to locate qualified agents from a variety of brokerages and brands. That’s what PartnerFirst provides. Mortgage servicers also must be careful to comply with the Real Estate Settlement Practices Act (RESPA), which limits their ability to direct consumers to specific service providers. The PartnerFirst brand-neutral policy addresses these issues in a way that benefits everyone. 

Who are PartnerFirst’s clients?

PartnerFirst has established relationships with national mortgage servicers and component servicers which endorse our training program and use our agent network. We also work with major real estate brokerage brands, and government-sponsored enterprises (GSE’s) such as Fannie Mae. We have conducted training for nationwide trade organizations such as the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), and are recognized by several minority trade groups. 

Our Education Program

What’s in the PartnerFirst education program?

PartnerFirst offers a suite of training modules for agents, including:

• Pre-foreclosure Specialist Certification (PSC). The flagship of PartnerFirst’s education program, PSC provides a complete overview of the pre-foreclosure market and shows agents how to navigate short sales to a successful close. It focuses especially on the lender-initiated short sale movement, and prepares agents to function in this new environment. PSC has been praised by experts in the real estate, mortgage servicing and loss mitigation fields as the most complete training of its kind available. 
• HAFA Specialist Certification (HSC). The federal government’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program is playing an increasingly important role in the short sale field. No agent should approach homeowners without a thorough knowledge of this initiative, which HSC provides. As the HAFA program is periodically revised, HSC is continuously updated to reflect the latest changes. 
• FDCPA Training. When real estate agents approach borrowers at the request of mortgage servicers, they must comply with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).  PartnerFirst’s FDCPA Training provides an overview of the law’s provisions for agents. 

Agents who complete the entire PartnerFirst training suite earn the PSC Mastery designation, which brings added prestige and credibility with homeowners and mortgage servicers. 

What’s special about the PSC designation?

The PSC course is the result of a collaboration between several top minds in the mortgage servicing and short sale fields, who bring decades of collective experience to their task. Its content has been scrutinized by representatives from the nation’s top mortgage servicers, trade organizations and governmental agencies, and is continuously updated in response to events. PSC is the only training that focuses on the trend toward lender-initiated short sales. The result is a well-planned, easy-to-use, powerful educational tool for real estate agents who want to enlarge their skill set. 

How can I earn the PSC designation?

You can complete your PSC training live or online:

Live Seminar. An engaging two-day workshop that will take you from short sale basics to mastery-level techniques. You’ll walk away with a complete knowledge of the default field—and the PSC Course Manual for future reference. Watch for the next live training in your area. 

PSC Online. A comprehensive online course that provides over eight hours of valuable content. Receive the value of the live training in the comfort of your own home. PSC Online supplements its PowerPoint slide format with voiceover narration, punctuated by video chapter introductions and summaries.

What topics does the PSC course cover?

PSC provides detailed training on every phase of the short sale process. As a PSC graduate, you’ll possess a level of expertise that is in great demand—and short supply—in today’s market. 

Here’s a chapter-by-chapter breakdown:

1. Short Sale Overview

• Short Sale Defined
• The Players
• The Process
• The Benefits 
• The Top-Down Model

2. The Downside of Short Sales

• Credit Damage
• Tax Liability
• Remaining Debt Liability

3. Working With the Homeowner

• The Homeowner-first Mentality
• Foreclosure Alternatives
• Homeowner Questions
• The Listing Appointment

4. Marketing the Property

• Pricing the Property
• MLS Tips
• Handling Offers

5. Submitting the Package

• Loss Mitigation
• The Package
• Waiting
• Tips for Success

6. Getting Approval

• Strategies
• Managing the BPO Process
• Getting to Yes
• The Approval Letter
• Rejection

7. Managing Junior Liens

• Overview
• Lienholder Incentives
• Release vs. Satisfaction
• Types of Liens
• Charge-offs
• Strategies

8. Crossing the Finish Line

• Pitfalls
  
• The Closing Process
• The HUD-1
• Mortgage Insurance

9. Working with Government Entities

• Overview
• Fannie Mae
• Freddie Mac
  
• FHA
  
• VA

10. HAMP and HAFA

• Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)
• Bringing Second Lien Holders Onboard: 2MP
• The Short Sale Option: HAFA
• Fannie and Freddie Versions of HAFA
• HAFA Timeline

11. Setting Yourself Apart

• Ethics
• Representing Buyers
• Best Practices

12. Bonus Chapter: Lead Generation Strategies

• The Basics
• Types of Leads
• Direct Mail
• Internet Marketing
• Social Media
• Referrals
• Door-knocking and Canvassing
• Creating a Homeowner Outreach Assistance Program

Can I earn continuing education credits with PSC?

Yes, depending on which state you operate in. PSC has been recognized by several state real estate departments, and has applications pending in several others. Continuing education credits (CE) range from 8 to 12 hours. 

What happens after I earn the PSC designation?

You can proudly add the PSC designation to your list of credentials, and it will appear with your name on our agent databases. Your monthly Premium Membership will allow you to access a network of other PSC agents and industry professionals that will provide networking and education opportunities. 

You can also take advantage of the wide-ranging content in the PartnerFirst Members Area, including:

• Monthly live training webinars
• Pre-foreclosure marketing materials
• Live “Ask the Expert” forums
• Huge library of archived tutorials on a variety of important topics
• Free servicer-specific training modules equipping you to work with PartnerFirst’s clients