About

I have been self employed most of my adult working life.  My husband and I were married only a year when his father died and he took over the family dairy farm.  Overnight, we went from being employees to self employed. We  farmed for the next 15 years.  During those years we learned we had to save for taxes and pay ourselves a salary, the value and necessity of maintaining accurate business and financial records and saving for retirement and unexpected occurrences which happened often on a farm or in any business.  When we sold the farm and milking operation IRS audited the sale and we spent several years negotiating with the IRS audit.  When I talk about taxes I truly speak from experience regarding what a self employed individual business must do and maintain for IRS.  IRS doesn’t play!  Today my business is set up in such a way that a notice from IRS does not concern me because I have everything they look for documented as they request. 

I moved from being a self employed dairy farmer to being a self employed real estate professional working as an independent contractor paid only through commissions. From there I became a a broker and owner of two real estate companies.  As a result of my experience as a sales person and broker the next transition was into real estate training.  I have spent the past 15 years traveling the country teaching real estate agents how to establish, run and manage a real estate practice that can be sold when they are ready to retire.  If other professionals such as doctors and lawyers can sell their business practices real estate agents can also. 

The key to a successful self employed business model is to set up, or add to an existing business, the structure and organization that documents the income generated from the business.  The documentation of the book of business and the profit generated through the years establishes value that is a sell-able entity. 

Below is my biography of work as a self employed independent contractor:

BUSINESS ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Tristar Real Estate, Inc. – A commercial and land sales company
Sylvia Shelnutt Realty- A residential real estate sales company

Sylvia Shelnutt Training and Seminars – A fully approved and accredited  Georgia Real Estate Commission real estate school, licensed to deliver continuing education credit, pre, post and broker license traning.
Sylvia Shelnutt Training and Seminars -Originator of the training series: Real Estate in a “NUTT-SHEL” – Real Estate in a “NUTT-SHEL” is a series of classes available for continuing education credit to renew a real estate license in Georgia and many other states that have been created from my experiences as a sales person, broker and trainer to provide the type of information I searched for during my sales career. It is practical, useful, timely information delivered the way most adults want to learn; in an atmosphere of high energy, interactivity, honesty and humor.

I specialize in business building and management, buyer agency, risk reduction, cultural diversity and personal and professional skills training for agents.

On my website, you will find: a detailed description of my training series, information about my consulting services, information about my professional background and qualifications, and how to contact me.

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS

  • Distinguished Real Estate Instructor (DREI)
  • Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI)
  • Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR)
  • Accredited Buyer Representation Manager (ABRM)
  • Certified Buyer Representative (CBR)
  • E-PRO (NAR Online Certification)
  • Resort Second Home Property Specialist (RSHP)

ARTICLES AND COURSES

  • Building a Professional Real Estate Practice Course – South Dakota Real Estate Commission – 2007
  • Successful New Home Sales Course – Oklahoma Association of REALTOR® – GRI Program 2006
  • Lose the Blues – REEA Journal – Spring 2007
  • The EPA Is Playing Hard Ball Regarding Lead Based Paint – Georgia Real Estate Commission News Letter – 1996 – Iowa Real Estate Commission News Letter – 1996
  • 73 Continuing Education Courses approved for CE credit in Georgia

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

  • National Association of REALTOR®
  • Georgia Association of REALTOR®
  • Metro South Association of REALTOR®
  • Real Estate Educators Association
  • Georgia Real Estate Educators Association
  • South Central Real Estate Educators Association

PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Georgia Real Estate Commission Education Advisory Committee – 2010
  • Real Estate Educators Association – President 2008 – 2009
  • Real Estate Educators Association – Board of Directors 2000-2009
  • Real Estate Educators Association – Conference Presenter 1999 -2008
  • Real Estate Educators Association – Instructor Development Workshop Presenter 2002 and 2004
  • National Association of REALTOR® – Presenter 2004 Conference, San Francisco, CL
  • National Association of REALTOR® – Top 10 One America Diversity Instructor – 2002
  • National Association of REALTOR® – Equal Opportunity/Diversity Committee 2004
  • National Association of REALTOR® – Professional Development Committee – 2009
  • Real Estate Buyers Agents Council – REBAC Hall of Fame 2005
  • NAR Learning Library ABR Online Course Instructor for the US and Canada
  • NAR Designation Course Instructor:
  • Accredited Buyer Representative & Manager Courses
  • Realtor Land Institute – Land 101 Course
  • Resort Second Home Property Specialist
  • Senior Real Estate Specialist
  • Green Designation
  • Georgia Association of REALTOR®
  • Regional Vice President 1995-1996
  • Equal Opportunity/Cultural Diversity Chairman – 2000 – Education Chairman 1998 -Education Committee – 1992-1999 – Legislative Committee – 1990 – 1999
  • Metro South Association of REALTOR® – President Elect 1996 – Board of Directors – 1987 – 1996 -Million Dollar Chairman – 3 years – Education Committee Chairman – 4 years
  • Georgia Real Estate Educators Association – President 1995
  • Georgia Real Estate Educators Association – 1991- 2008
  • Georgia Women’s Council of REALTOR® State Secretary – 1995
  • Metro South Women’s Council of Realtors – President 1994
  • Georgia Real Estate Commission – Instructor – Georgia Instructor Training 2002-2008
  • Georgia ReMax Region, Training director 1996