Roland Castillo attended Austin Institute of Real Estate, a RealtyU® Affiliate, in Austin, Texas received his real estate license on December 30, 2004 and began building his business January 2005. So far he has listed 10 homes and sold nine! “It is my goal to be the Rookie of the Year for Keller Williams Realty and to net a million dollars in my business within five years,” Castillo said.

Daphne Jackson, a single mother of three grown children, passed her exam October 27, 2004 and is a full time Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Mandeville, Louisiana. She has listed three homes and sold four. She is also a public speaker, teacher, musician and enjoys being with people and cultivating relationships. She is a published poet and is currently working on her first children’s book. Daphne’s focus is on building her Real Estate Business and becoming the best in her field.

Terroll Lynn Hardee-Romere has only been in the real estate business only 7 months and has already listed five homes and sold three. Terri as she likes to be called, attended Champions School of Real Estate, a RealtyU® Affiliate in Houston Texas, and is working full time for Keller Williams Realty-Round Rock, in Texas. She is constantly serving the community through volunteer opportunities, serving on Community Boards, School PTA’s and is currently the Executive Director of Serve Our Soldiers, Inc., a non-profit organization she and her husband founded to support their neighbors as they went off to war.

The Real Estate Apprentice Foundation reported that the total grant applications received during Season II were 3,593. From that group the top 5% (171 applicants) were selected to move to the second round. Now in Round 3, Castillo, Jackson and Romere will advance to review by The Real Estate Grant Foundation Judge’s http://www.realestateapprentice.com/judges.cfm final stage for examination. From that group 10 applicants will become Finalists. The evaluation of the applicants’ essays and background was based on communication and salesmanship skills, entrepreneurial spirit, uniqueness and integrity.

The Real Estate Apprentice™ Foundation awards 20 bi-annual grants totaling $250,000 per year. Two Grand Prize Grants are valued at approximately $75,000 each and eighteen Finalists grants are valued at $5,000 each. The Apprentice mission is to assist newly licensed real estate agents entering the industry in overcoming the fears and obstacles associated with beginning a new career and to facilitate the development of top producing sales people by providing quality guidance, products and services to expedite a successful fast track to profitability. Grants awarded do not require any form of repayment.