NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The real-world applications of what you learn in high school might not always be so clear. But in one Niagara Falls High School classroom, the lessons hit home.
“It’s a good starting point, the baseline for students once they’ve completed high school, to kind of know the real estate industry and kind of dabble in it if they choose,” said Giulio Colangelo, a business teacher at Niagara Falls High School.
Now in its third year, the real estate class is empowering students, whether for selling, buying, or investing in real estate.
“I like the idea of it being a real-world application,” said Niagara Falls senior David Hedgepeth. “That’s something more than just learning an academic subject, but also a useful skill that a lot of people know and use in their daily lives.”
You can bet that there is a lot to learn.
“We’ve covered comparative market analysis,” said Colangelo. “We’ve done floor planning. We’ve identified the exterior of a home, the interior of a home.”
“Learning about the houses and renovation aspect of homes, that has been interesting,” said Hedgepeth.
“We learned about the stock market a lot, which I enjoyed that,” added senior Camden Reygers. “I didn’t expect to learn that in here.”
It’s building the foundation of a career.
“There’s a lot of young real estate professionals in the business right now that I’ve worked with in my previous brokerages,” said Lakea Perry-Burton, a senior agent with Redfin Real Estate.
A partnership between the school and an outside real estate company allows students to finish their 77 hours of real estate courses, so they could literally get their diploma and sell houses at the same time.
“I know it could be very intimidating, especially […] if you’re an introvert, not used to talking, but it helps pull out their personalities,” explained Perry-Burton.
While they weren’t sure if any student has gone into real estate after all this, there are lessons to be learned.
“I think I’ll be able to stick to a budget better,” said Reygers.
“Seeing factors that you’re looking for, and also not compromising, is a big thing,” added Hedgepeth.
“After school, it’s just global,” Reygers said. “[You can use it] the rest of your life, so you use it for more time than you know, honestly.”
Sometimes that knowledge is all you need.
“They are prepared and they have the tools to make an educated decision once they finish high school,” said Colangelo.
Perry-Burton noted that real estate doesn’t have to be a full-time job. Students could also so it part-time for some extra money while in college.