The Haywood County Board of Realtors is offering continuing education classes for current N.C. Real Estate License holders. The four-hour class called Mandatory Update will be held in the morning and the elective class Client Level Negotiating will take place in the afternoon Tuesday, March 15. Each class will be led by Ben Wirtz from the Superior School of Real Estate. The cost of the morning session is $60 or $120 for both. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.452.5096.

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A “Home Based Business Expo” will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 26, at the Whistle Stop Mall in Franklin. This free expo, organized by The Center for New Mountain Business, will teach people about home-based business opportunities and small business resources in the area.

The event will offer information from vendors who specialize in areas such as marketing, financing, book-keeping, networking, office supplies and more. Other companies involving nutritional coaching, digital assistance, party hosting and travel planning will be present to talk about job openings in home-based businesses.

Table rentals start at $25 and must be reserved by Feb. 21. 828.369.8660 or NewMountainBusiness.com.

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The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce is offering a seminar on social media from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, April 15, at Southwestern Community College. Topics covered will include blogging, search engines, Facebook, Twitter, Flikr, LinkedIn, Web site analytics and more. The cost of $5 includes a light lunch and computers are provided. Pre-registration is required as these seminars quickly sell out. 828.586.2155.

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Business owners in Western North Carolina counties can now tap a new type of loan through The Sequoyah Fund called The New Economy Fund. It provides loans of $50,000 to $250,000 for green, knowledge-based or creative economy businesses located in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. Loans are available for new or ongoing businesses.

The Sequoyah Fund is a Cherokee-based nonprofit, independent Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and focuses on assisting business owners who are not having their needs met with traditional bank loans. In addition, the fund supports businesses with training, one-on-one counseling and business development resources. 828.497.1666.

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Learn how to sell items on eBay through the Small Business Center of Haywood Community College, which is offering a free seminar Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 6-9 p.m.

Learn best practices to use when setting up an account, how to list items for sale and how to take payments and shipping.

Other topics include eBay features and policies, registering an account, choosing formats and categories, writing descriptions that sell, taking and submitting photos, feedback, using PayPal and shipping tips. Held at the Regional High Technology Center. 828.627.4512.