REAL ESTATE PRIMER.

By Robert Kevin Brown and Albert H. Sturgess Sr. '17.Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall,Inc., 1961. 249 pp. $7.50

The authors of this so-called "Primer" do a masterly analytical piece of work which should be a "must" for the tyro bent on a real estate career. It is also a reference book and refresher course for experienced brokers and salesmen of all ages.

Starting with the five essential qualities necessary to the molding of a successful salesman, they stress and discuss in detail initiative, faith, confidence, imagination, and perseverance - qualities that are fundamental necessities in any selling career. Next they present successively and successfully chapters on "Creative Selling of Real Estate" and "Ethical Behavior.",

Getting down to cases, they devote considerable space to the "Art of Listing," and progress through the process of "Securing, Typing and Qualifying Prospects," they come to the discussion of Sale Contracts. They then proceed to "Financing the Deal," which is, of course, the most important part of the transaction from the prospective purchaser's standpoint and the salesman should be thoroughly conversant with the lending policies of government insured and guaranteed loans by the Veterans Administration and FHA, local banks, building and loan associations, insurance companies, and private investors.

One of the most difficult of operations from the salesman's standpoint comes under "Estimating of Market Value." The authors go into complete detail, and advise the practice of the fundamentals of their outline.

In "Closing the Deal" every precaution should be taken by the salesman to make sure he has the answer to every pertinent question that may come up at the final signing of the papers. If a mortgage is involved, go over the details with the lending agency before the final meeting to make certain there is no misunderstanding of the terms agreed upon and that your buyer understands those terms.

In the chapter entitled "The Deed" complete coverage is given to the several types and steps from the drawing of the instrument to the delivery, acknowledgment, and recording. (To insure a properly drawn document a lawyer's services should be engaged, as such an undertaking is definitely Legal work and should not be assumed by a real estate salesman. This for the protection of all concerned.)

The chapter on "Insurance for the Homeowner" is of excellent informative interest but in this writer's opinion should be dealt with by a trained insurance expert and only touched upon in a general way by an expert real estate salesman, as in this day of specialization each profession demands complete concentration in their separate fields, comparable to the passing of the "physician and surgeon" era.

The authors conclude their volume with the preamble and complete Code of Ethics of the National Association of Real Estate Boards, which Association has done so much to raise the level of the real estate profession and give its members the exclusive use of the term Realtor, which insures a prospective buyer an honest deal.