It all started with a simple e-mail query from Charlottesville realtor Alisa King who wanted to attend a homeownership conference hosted by HUD Richmond. "If I attend," she asked, "will I be able to earn continuing education credit?"

Virginia's Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation requires realtors, appraisers and other real estate industry professionals to complete continuing education courses approved by the State.

The simple answer was, "no." But HUD Richmond didn't let it drop there. And it's glad that it didn't.

In Virginia, realtors, appraisers and other and other real estate industry professionals registered with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation must renew their licenses every three or four years. Critical to renewal is proof that the professional has completed a specified number of continuing education courses approved by the State.

• Approve HUD Richmond as a "real estate school."



• Approve three courses curriculums -- "Introduction to FHA," "FHA Loss Mitigation Programs," and "Saving Time and Energy with Energy Efficient Mortgages" -- as the first continuing education offerings by HUD Richmond.



• And approve Ginger Holman and Dave Dwyer -- both experienced single family professionals -- as HUD Richmond's continuing education instructors.

On July 17, the State's Real Estate Board of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation approved all three elements of HUD Richmond's proposal, making HUD Richmond one of the Department's first offices to offer continuing education opportunities to real estate professions. Thanks to the Board's action, school's in at HUD Richmond.

"We are very excited," said Field Office Director Mary Ann Wilson. "When we first got the e-mail inquiry from the Charlottesville realtor, we didn't quite know what to do with it. But with a little bit of thought and a little bit of research, we realized that it was a great idea, a wonderful way to market FHA products and increase our partnerships with the real estate industry. Now that we can offer these credits, realtors and others have one more incentive to get to know -- and, even better, to work with -- HUD."