Your Ultimate Guide To Securing Your PRC Exam Permit (For Real Estate Board Exam)

Photo 1 -- This blog is dedicated to Mommy Marilou who
warmly assisted us during our "exam permit day" at PRC.
For your notarization, photocopying and ID picture needs,
just  look for her. Their stall is located on leftmost side
facing PRC -- the one on the side of FEU.

TIP: Notary Public fee at her stall is Php50.

This is an ultra-detailed step-by-step guide complete with photos and tips -- to getting your Real Estate Board Exam Permit at PRC. Have fun!

And yes -- you're welcome. :)

I -- BEFORE PRC
1. Register online -- www.prc.gov.ph/online/application/apply.aspx

TIP: You might wanna do this early in the morning or late in the night. When there are too many people accessing this link -- tendency is for the remaining users not to be able to load the site.

2. Complete ALL the requirements:

• NBI Clearance - For PRC Purposes
• NSO Birth Certificate
• TIP: Some people say Passport ID is being allowed. For verification.
• Review Center Certificate - With Doc Stamp bought at PRC Coop, Notarized
• Transcript of Records (TOR) - For Board Examination Purposes, With photo
• TIP: Some people say Diploma is not allowed anymore. For verification.
• FOR MARRIED FEMALE ONLY - NSO Marriage Certificate

  

  Photo 2 -- This is the window selling doc stamps at the
  ground floor. Do not buy doc stamps elsewhere! On the other side
  is the window selling PRC envelope.

• Community Tax Certificate or Cedula
• ID Picture - White background, With your full name below (Surname, First Name, Middle Initial), 2 pcs.

3. Photocopy EVERYTHING above except the photos.

4. I also suggest that you bring the following before going to PRC.

• Php900 -- Exact amount for payment -- just to avoid hassle in getting change
• Others -- Plastic envelope for the requirements above, black ballpen, glue stick, blue stamp pad, alcohol, tissue, fan, snacks, cold drinks, business cards and reviewers
• Group mates -- It's better together --especially in times like this! What more if you have a gang of 4 awesome men like us? Just kidding. But seriously, I am not sure if I will be able to make it without the help of these awesome guys -- Ryan, Tristan and Sugus. (Guys, thank you!) If you need to go to the comfort room, you can have someone to save your seat. If you need to clarify something, you can ask someone among you who readily has the answer. The list of benefits goes on and on. Just come with a friend -- don't be a loner. This business is about helping each other right?
• PRESENCE OF MIND & LEGIBLE HANDWRITING -- Lots of this! 



Photo 3 -- This is how the fourth floor at PRC looks like -- at 9:00am.
As the day unfolds, more and more people start to come in and
the temperature starts to rise too. Better wisely pick your time
of going to PRC.

• DO NOT BRING HEAVY BAGS. WEAR COMFORTABLE CLOTHES -- There's a lot of moving around that's gonna happen inside a crowded room! You have been warned. :)

===============================

PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION

Address: P. Paredes St. corner N. Reyes St., Sampaloc, Manila

TIP: The whole process below took me around 3 hours -- from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

===============================

Photo 4 -- If you don't like how this looks like, better bring
 your own glue stick and blue stamp pad --
along with your alcohol and tissue to clean your
fingertips afterwards.

II -- AT PRC COOP - GROUND FLOOR

1. Buy 2 pcs. Doc Stamps and 1 pc. PRC envelope.

WARNING: Do not buy doc stamps and envelope outside PRC. These are considered fake ones.

2. Glue 1 pc. Doc Stamp on your Review Center Certificate.

3. Proceed to PRC FOURTH FLOOR. 

III -- AT PRC FOURTH FLOOR  

A. STEP 1 -- SCANNING
1. Drop 1 pc. ID Picture inside one of the open boxes. That's it!

2. Proceed to STEP 2 -- PROCESSING.

B. STEP 2 -- PROCESSING

1. Line up and prepare all the original copies and photocopies of all the requirements listed above.

TIP: This process is the one that will take most of your time. I say, grab your sandwich and bottled drink -- and then start munching. If you feel like talking to the one next to you, take out your business card. If you are in the zone for reviewing, that would be awesome too! 

Photo 5 -- This is my information sheet with doc stamp.

2. Once you are in front of one of the windows, hand all your papers to the attendant. Once done, the attendant will give you your INFORMATION SHEET (with photocopy of requirements) & PERMANENT EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION RECORD CARD. 

At the window, there's also a separate sheet -- a control sheet -- for all the issued record cards. The attendant will ask you to register on it using the control number on your record card.

TIP: Accomplish the control sheet first -- before the information sheet & record card.

3. Accomplish your INFORMATION SHEET & RECORD CARD. Using the tips below.

ON THE INFORMATION SHEET:
a. Glue 1 pc. Doc Stamp on the left hand side of the sheet. See Photo 5.
b. Affix your signature and then write the date.
c. Place your right thumb mark on the space provided.

Photo 6 -- This is my record card with my thumbmark
and signature.

ON THE RECORD CARD:
a. Fill out the information needed. See Photo 6.
b. Affix your signature on the space provided.
c. Place your right thumb mark on the space provided.

TIPS: Accomplish the thumbmarks last -- as the ink may smear on the papers. 

Also, have your Cedula ready with you as the details therein shall be needed for the record card.

Lastly, if you have corrections on the information sheet & record card, just correct it neatly. No need for your initials/signatures.

4. Once done, proceed to STEP 3 -- PAYMENT.

C. STEP 3 -- PAYMENT

Photo 7 -- This is my Notice of Admission (NOA).
This is your goal for the day.

1. Prepare the exact amount -- Php900 -- to avoid the hassle.

2. Once you get your receipt, proceed to STEP 4 - ISSUANCE.

D. STEP 4 -- ISSUANCE

1. Present your accomplished information sheet, record card, receipt and PRC envelope to the attendant at the window.

2. Wait for your name to be called and your NOTICE OF ADMISSION (NOA) shall be given to you.

3. Congratulations! You are done! See you on May 24, 2015 -- to my fellow real estate board examinees this year. :) God bless you!

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The 5 Senses Memory Enhancement Project

Are you preparing for an exam that involves a lot of memorization of new terms, dates, concepts and
mathematical formulas? Let me guess. You are a fellow reviewee for the LAST Real Estate Board Exam this May 24, 2015? Well, if you are, then you might want to check this brief article below which I curated from all over the internet.

When I first searched for tips in enhancing memory and concentration on the internet, I saw that there are memory-enhancing music, memory-enhancing smells, memory-enhancing foods and etc. I thought, why not put all these scientifically proven memory-enhancing goodies altogether and target all the five senses? This moved me to create my very own 5 Senses Memory Enhancement Project – which I am sharing to you now.

Enjoy!

STEP 1 - HEARING

Remember the Mozart Effect? According to research, music composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart enhances mental activity. Others say that songs with 60 beats per minute work for them while they are studying. Others prefer “nature music” to relax their senses. I say, go with your own flow. As for me, I prefer the binaural beats. There are claims that binaural beats not only help people memorize, it also help in dieting and improving athletic performance. Some people mix binaural beats with some classical music, but I like it as is. This sample binaural beat from YouTube is my favorite.

STEP 2 - SIGHT

In 2009, The New York Times published an article about a study of the colors red and blue and their effects on the mental activities of humans. The study showed that those who were exposed to color red scored higher than those who were exposed to color blue in a series of tests that involved details such as remembering words and checking spelling and punctuation. On the other hand, those who were exposed to color blue scored higher in tests that involved creativity and thinking outside the box.

So, then, how much of color red do you need? Not much. Any small red-colored object will do.

Get this 100% natural Rosemary Oil from Human 
Nature for only PhP295. 

STEP 3 - SMELL

The Huffington Post published an article last 2013 about the findings of some researchers from the University of Northumbria. The researchers placed a group of 66 people in either a rosemary-scented room or another room with no scent. The participants were then given various tests to assess their memory functions. The results? The participants from the rosemary-scented room performed so much better.

Great to know that 100% natural Rosemary Oil is available in the Philippines through Human Nature!

STEP 4 - TOUCH

There are acupressure points all over our body that, when pressed, can enhance memory and concentration. Using the same Rosemary Oil that you smelled, apply a little amount on those acupressure points and then start pressing. Please check out the links below for references and instructions.

• Modern Reflexology
• Herbal Shop 

STEP 5 - TASTE

Did you know that chewing gum can enhance your mental performance? Well, choose the sugar-free ones. Consuming pure sugar can cause your blood sugar to drop suddenly which can hurt your concentration. Find out more from an article here by NBC News.

Nutrilite M Boost is exclusively distributed by
Amway Philippines. For more information,
please visit www.amway.com.ph.

Furthermore, there are foods to take and foods to avoid.

EAT MORE

• Oily fish - sardines, salmon, tilapia and bangus
• Peanut -1 hand scoop per day only
• Egg - thrice a week only
• Avocado
• Coffee - 1 to 2 cups per day only
• Coconut Oil
• Beans and Legumes
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Dark Chocolate
• Red Cabbage
• Rosemary
• Spinach
• Sunflower Seeds
• Tomatoes
• Whole Grains

AVOID

• White flour

FOOD SUPPLEMENT

Because of our busy schedules, I know that setting aside time for shopping for all these memory-boosting items, let alone preparing and cooking these, is almost impossible to do. Good thing I was able to get hold of Nutrilite's M Boost, which is made of exclusive Cistanche tubulosa extract which helps improve memory, focus and recall. So if you have a busy schedule like mine and don't have time to shop and prepare these memory-boosting items, you will surely love this product by Nutrilite. Nutrilite's M Boost is exclusively distributed by Amway Philippines. For more information, please visit www.amway.com.ph.

RESULTS

I am very happy to announce that I was able to pass the 2015 licensure examination for Real Estate Brokers. Aside from that, I also ranked first during the mock exam in my section at Urban Institute of Real Estate in Asian Institute of Management, Makati City.

Sources
1. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/memory/how-to-improve-your-memory.htm
2. http://www.sunwarrior.com/news/brain-foods/
3. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/24/memory-improvement-tricks.aspx
4. http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-boost-your-brainpower

4 Business Principles That May Help Startups

A few days back I had the awesome privilege to talk to two amazing people named Nap Garcia and John Martin Figuracion, founders of a startup called ProTEES Project. The project offers high quality shirts for groups and individuals with advocacy -- at no cost. I fell in love with the idea the first time I really get to know about it because I really believe in the genius of mirroring other causes using one's own business.

Because of that extended talk with Nap and John, I realized that there a lot of ideas a marketing professional like me can offer to those who are contemplating or currently putting up a startup business. I myself am a startup founder and my business called #BOTV is still on the works. I will definitely work on this project right after I am done will all these present commitments -- isa-isa lang.

Anyhoo, below are the 4 business principles that are stuck inside my head and ready to be shared anytime to any startup founder who may need it.

1. Business Model Canvas

What I really like about this tool created by Alexander Osterwalder is that it outlays in a single sheet of paper everything that you need to know about your business. It allows you to enumerate your Key Partners, Key Activities, Key Resources, Value Propositions, Customer Relationships, Channels, Customer Segments, Cost Structure and Revenue Streams in one place. Looking at them in one place gives you a sense of unity and oneness that should be present in all the elements of your business. Without this "solid feel" about your business, it's almost very difficult to describe it in a few words -- let alone starting it. By looking at everything that you need to see about your business, you must be quick in recognizing patterns and even roadblocks that shall allow you to strategically improve on things before you finally run your business idea. The Business Model Canvas is a wonderful creation and it's free! Download it here.

2. Positioning

What often startup founders forget because, sometimes, they become too enamored with their ideas is the importance of the "positioning" of their brand. Positioning (in my own word) is simply how your customers view your brand. It must be simple, single and solid. Before you launch your business to the market, make sure that your co-founders can explain the brand using just a few words. In fact, allow other people (in a mini-FGD, perhaps, during the conceptualization of the business) to describe to you your brand. If they find it hard it to describe your brand using just a few words, you have a problem. Tweak everything that can be tweaked -- your brand name, your logo, your tagline, your Business Model Canvas, your ads and etc. -- until you arrive at a satisfactory description of your own brand rendered by other people.

3. Blue Ocean Strategy

I learned about the Business Ocean Strategy way back in 2007 and I still believe that it is one of the greatest business principles ever invented. The book basically argues that to win in a market competition, a business need not compete. Instead, it must create its own "niche" away from the bloody ocean of competition where everyone is killing everyone. To be able to create one's own "niche", it must be able to differentiate itself from the competition. BOS suggests a practical way of doing this. Having the competition as the basis, a business must be able to Eliminate, Reduce, Raise and Create certain elements of it. For example, Ton Ton Thai Massage was able to create its own niche for itself by eliminating massage oils in its services. It then raised the use of garments in lieu of massage oils. Because of this, a certain segment of the market which dislikes massage oils during massage is being catered. Also, some market segments prefer stretching than rubbing which makes them a perfect target market for Ton Ton Thai Massage. Do not forget though that the end of BOS is encapsulated in two words -- value innovation. The result of BOS-ing your business must drive down the cost and drive up the innovation.

4. Simplicity 

One of the most prized possessions that I have as a marketing professional is the book called "Simplicty: The Secret To Effective Marketing" by Sunny Goh. The book basically guns for a single principle and that is, without suprise, simplicity. In everything that you do, never deviate from this principle. Some startup founders commit the error of spending time, energy and money on some things that can be acquired in the future because they become too excited. I say, if your business requires you to spend so much money on the onset, you are in for some hard business. Remember that you have to work as fast as you can to gain the ROI. So, as much as you can, spend and focus on things that really matter for the business.

*Please feel free to share this blog post to your friends and teammates.

Notes and Thoughts on How To Start A Realty Office Lecture by Mr. Christian Narito

These are my notes and personal thoughts on Mr. Christian Narito's lecture on "How To Start A Realty Office" at AIM Conference Office last April 6, 2015.

4 Questions You Should Ask Yourself

I personally believe in the power of asking one's self. When the going gets tough, it will certainly help us to get going when we remember why we are going after a goal. Asking one's self uncovers a lot of things about our motives and beliefs which are most of the time the basis of our decisions. Embarking on a journey in real estate is not a small feat. It is a decision that affects not only you but also the people around you - your family, your clients, the government and the society as a whole. It is important that we ask ourselves the following questions to help us "keep our feet on the ground while reaching for the stars."

1. What drives me? What do I want?
2. What do I know?
3. Am I ready? Is my network ready?
4. What are my needs and targets?

3 Questions to Self-Inventory

Similar to the 4 questions above are these 3 questions to self-inventory. What I noticed though is that these questions are digging deeper and are far more personal. I believe that the cross-section of the answers to these 3 questions is the "sweet spot" or the "gold mine" that every aspiring real estate brokers should pursue.

1. What am I good at?
2. What makes me happy?
3. Who will help me?

4 Types of Real Estate Brokers According To Networks

If there is one thing that really stood out during Sir Christian's lecture that is the importance of having a solid network that will help you in your practice. Without him directly saying it, I am under the impression that one cannot be successful in this practice if he is working alone. Working with people is the best way to go. The soonest that you do it, the bigger the possibility of success.

1. Walk Alone - As their name implies, they prefer to work alone. They do not recruit.
2. Local Broker - They have established networks but are limited only in a particular location.
3. Recruiter - They proactively recruit salespeople to work with them.
4. Networker - They have multiple networks of clients and recruits. They have fully realized the importance of working with people as real estate practitioners.

3 Types of Brokers According to Niche

These are types of brokers according to niche or focus.

1. Geography - These are brokers who focus on a particular location.
2. Market - These are brokers who focus on a particular market segment (e.g. low-end, high-end and etc.)
3. Product - These are brokers who focus on particular projects or brands.

Additional Tips

1. Train your people on how to listen, not just talk.

We used to believe that salespeople should be great talkers. I believe that. However, there is a far greater skill that must be developed and that is the skill of listening. Without great listening there is no great talking. If we don't know how to listen well to our clients, how will we know the right words to say and when to say it? Aspiring to become great listeners allows us to understand that the sale is not about us but, first and foremost, about the need of our clients. Without their willingness to purchase, we don't have a sale. And most of the time, their willingness to buy is dependent on how we were able to cater to their needs. So, listen.

2. Money is a deficient motivator.

Money is good motivator but only to a certain extent. Managers shouldn't fall into the trap of motivating people through money alone. Truth is, if we only motivate our people through money, time will come that our best people will have a lot of it, that they won't be as motivated to do the tasks as they were before. Learn how to mix and match the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards and offer them to your people.

3. Never ignore the gatekeepers.

Why do we always gun for the decision-makers when we can't even get through the gatekeepers? Most of the time, the decision-makers are the husbands. It then follows that the wives are the gatekeepers. If we only intend to talk to the husbands because we have no use for the wives, we are certainly losing the battle. If we will be able to talk to the wives well, they will might as well do our job for us by convincing their husbands to purchase the property that we are offering them.

4 Tips in Studying for the Real Estate Board Exams

1. Dedicate your first 2 hours of the day to intensive studying. 

Dan Ariely said that we are most
productive during the first 2 hours of our day because our cognitive capacities are high during this time slot. If you don't have a 9-5 job and you decided to take the real estate board exam, you are lucky that you have the time. But if you have a 9-5 job every day, you still have no excuse. You just have to force yourself to sleep early and wake up early then dedicate yourself to intensive studying. After all, we all have to practice waking up at around 5:00am because the board exam shall begin at 8:00am on May 24, 2015.

2. Absorb as much as you can from the live lectures. 

I am a voracious note-taker. I used to profess that I learn a lot when I write what I learn. But this can't always be the case when you are studying the laws of the land. During live lectures, make sure that your attention is 101% on what is being said by the lecturer. You will learn a lot from the stories that illustrate the laws needed to be reviewed for the board exam. Yes, I still take down notes but it's much more limited now. I am now doing my best to practice learning by listening because I don't want to miss any detail from the stories being told by the lecturer.

3. Test. Test. Test. 

Do not be afraid of practice tests! Why? To pass the board exam is our goal after all. We have to get used to being tested by now so that by the time the board exam comes to us, we will be more than ready. I am very proud to be a part of Urban, my chosen review center. Mr. Enrico Cruz always gives us practice tests during break times and every single session, I feel that there is a little amount of confidence being added inside me.

4. Scan what you have read before you sleep. 

I got this from a professor in UST. He said that he used to scan (no need to comprehend) what he have read before he sleep. It's like cementing in the subconscious what the conscious have already learned. You might wanna try this. My professor said that it works for him a lot.

*Please feel free to share this blog post to your friends and teammates.