Edith, Hi. How are you? I purchased your new 8th edition Modern Real Estate New York State license book a few weeks ago for my sales course. I am quite overwhelmed with the book though. What chapters are needed or required for the NY State license exam? My instructor said 1-18. That is a lot of  chapters to know. What do we really need to know to pass the state exam? Email me back when you can.  Thanks! Jason
 And I answered:
 “Your instructor is right.  The first 18 chapters of the book cover material the state wants you to know before you get your first real estate license. The rest of the book is useful as a reference when other matters come up, but those later chapters are intended for the more advanced brokers’ course.”
 So he emailed back:
    
Edith, Hi again! My instructor and professor for the class is not that good. He is not even a real estate sales or broker agent. He is a real estate lawyer. So you need to know chapters 1-18? That is a lot of chapters to read and know. What information and definitions do you need for the state license exam? I don’t know how much of those chapters I  “really” need to know. There is way too much information in them. I have the study guide also. Is that the most important  information? Enough to pass? — Jason
 

I have always sent an individual response to every reader letter.  So I answered again:
 “That real estate lawyer is just the person to help with the technical material you need to know.  After you get your license, your supervising broker will teach you practical applications and the marketing business in general.
 “The course isn’t meant just for passing the state exam.  You need the information so you can safely assist buyers and  sellers with important financial decisions.”
     
Edith: Thanks for the information! What did you think  of this web site, New York real estate license professor?  I  am thinking of subscribing to it. I can’t remember all 18  chapters though.  Is the study guide enough to review from?  The one that goes with your book. Email me back when you get  this message. What is most important from those 18  chapters?—Jason
 I tried again: “That web site offers Internet training, most of it not specific to New York.  Extra study is always valuable, but it can’t be substituted for the course required by the state.  As for those 18 chapters that worry you so: your instructor will tackle them one at a time, and you can learn the material bit by bit.  Don’t look ahead too far and perhaps you’ll feel more comfortable.  Each chapter ends with a brief summary of the main points.  That should be helpful, along with the list of key terms, the new vocabulary to learn with each chapter.”
     
Hi. I will review your book. Chapters 1-18. I think the  internet site is good also. I will join that. I have one more  question for you. How is the study guide to review the most  important information? Did you write that also? Thanks! Jason
 

Well, I really do answer every email and letter, but–gentle reader, I have to confess I didn’t answer that one.  Enough is enough.  And it didn’t stop him anyhow:
   
Edith: Did you get this last email OK? I did not hear back from you yet. So I don’t know if you got it. I need to get more information from you about your book and the real estate course. So that I can pass the sales exam.  Email me back when you get this message. Thanks!—Jason
  Because the whole thing gave me a chuckle, I printed part of the exchange in a column, and what’s interesting is that many people wrote in with exactly the same career advice for Jason.  A few samples:
 
ADVICE FOR JASON   
Dear Edith:  I am just amazed at Jason’s inability to read or comprehend your answers to his questions.  Buckle up, lad, sit down with a nice can of Pepsi and read chapters 1-18 if you would like to join the ranks of real estate agents.  If your emails are any indication of your reading comprehension, please choose another field of interest.– C.
  Edith: Perhaps Jason could get a job on one of those late night shows where he might be good at stand-up comedy.–W.
           
Dear Jason, A career in real estate would be a disaster for you and anyone unfortunate enough to rely on you.  You need to find some other career better suited to your abilities, although I can’t think what that could be. –M. R.   

 Excerpted from I’ve Heard It All and So Should You: Confessions of a Real Estate Columnist, by Edith Lank, copyright © 2007. Available November 2006: Call  800/621-9621 to pre-order your copy.