Professional Designations
The Accredited Buyer Representative
- The ABR® designation is the
benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation
is awarded to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent
Council ("REBAC") of the National Association of REALTORS® who meet
the specified educational and practical experience criteria.
There are five major requirements to attain and use the ABR® designation:
- Meeting the REBAC® education requirement --
- completion of a 2-day ABR core course through an accredited course provider,
- or completion of the REBAC® Web course,
- or completion of the satellite television education programming through the RE/MAX Satellite Network
- Completion of one elective course. Current members who have already obtained the ABR® designation are grandfathered as to the elective course requirement.
- Passing a written examination on legal and practical aspects of agency representation.
- Practical experience requirement of acting as a buyer's representative in 5 documented and verifiable transactions. (Valid transactions are those that occurred anytime prior to and up to 36 months after the date the course was completed.)
- You must, at all times, be a member in good standing with REBAC® and the National Association of REALTORS®.
Accredited Staging Professional® - ASP Real Estate Agents have completed the most complete Home Staging Education available. Training under the strict guidelines and Code of Ethics, created for over 30 years, ASP two and three day Home Staging Classes are considered the World Standard in Home Staging education for REALTORS®.
Professional Home Staging is the fastest growing new career opportunity in Real Estate! Recommended by top Real Estate Agents and as seen on television, Home Staging is professionally preparing homes for sale, so that they appeal to the most amount of buyers and generate the highest price in the least amount of time on market. In today's market conditions, Staging sells homes.
Home Staging is NOT decorating, fluffing, interior design or redesign! Home Staging IS detailing, decluttering, depersonalizing and preparing a seller's home to give it a "model home" appearance so that the potential buyer can "see" themselves living in the home.
Certified Buyer Representative
- A recent survey completed by the National Association of Realtors shows
that over 40% of the buyers are now represented in the real estate transaction.
In some states, the figure is over 80%. Considering the rapid growth of
buyer agency, it is imperative that a buyer find an agent who has been
trained to professionally represent them in the transaction.
That, specifically, is the reason the certification mark CBR® Certified Buyer Representative was created. Issued in 1993 by the US Patent and Trademark Office, this mark allows consumers to identify a buyer agent who has been trained and who possesses the skills necessary to represent purchasers in a legal, ethical, and non-adversarial fashion.
Those agents who have acquired this designation have demonstrated their commitment to full client level service to the buyer. They are armed with forms, checklists, and disclosure documents to perform a level of diligence in the real estate transaction that is unparalleled in the industry.
When deciding on an agent to represent
you, ask about their credentials and training. Many real estate agents
attempt to practice buyer agency without acquiring the skills necessary
to perform professional representation. The CBR designation assures
you that the agent you hire has been trained and will perform to the level
of the competent professional, working in your best interest to meet your
personal needs in your next real estate transaction.
Certified International Property Specialist
- The CIPS designation is awarded by NAR. It requires a combination
of CIPS courses, international real estate experience, personal
resume and elective credits that can include a combination of formal education,
language ability, other designations, committee service and international
organization activities. CIPS courses leading to the Certified
International Property Specialist designation provide instruction on: international
economies, capital flow and history of foreign capital, currency, economic
and social factors in capital investment, market assessment techniques,
trends and forecasts, U.S. Tax Laws, tax treaties, state/local regulations,
cultural differences, foreign client expectations, transaction problems,
etc.
The five required core courses leading to the designation are:
- 1. Essentials of International Real
Estate
2. Asia Pacific and International Real Estate
3. The Americas and International Real Estate
4. Europe and International Real Estate
5. International Investment and Financial Analysis
Certified Residential Specialist
- To fill the specific residential needs of home buyer and sellers, the
Residential Sales Council of the National Association of REALTORS®
instituted a class of expert real estate professional: the Certified Residential
Specialist (CRS®). Every
CRS
has undergone a rigorous, specialized course of detailed training, aimed
at making residential transactions as smooth and worry free as possible.
A CRS brings special qualifications to your needs:
- Membership in a local Board, State Association, and the National Association of REALTORS®. Every CRS is part of a much larger network of real estate professionals.
- Successful completion of the courses leading to the Certified Residential Specialist designation one of the most successful residential real estate education programs in the country. Every CRS is a real estate professional equipped with special expertise, thanks to advanced study in listing, selling, investment, tax and more.
- A history of demonstrated sales performance through the documented execution of residential sales transactions.
The e-PRO Internet Professional Certification
program
is the only online training course for Internet professionalism recognized
by the NAR. e-PRO is offered through REALTOR®
University and is the industrys first comprehensive internet certification
program for real estate professionals.
The Internet is changing and evolving almost daily, says Kirk Klinkhammer, executive vice president of WebSuite.com, the company that developed the e-PRO course in conjunction with NAR. Consumers who work with an e-PRO expert can expect to save time, money and maximize the tremendous marketing potential of their properties via the Internet.
An e-PRO certified real estate
agent has joined the ranks of a special community of highly skilled and
continuously trained professionals who provide high quality and innovative
on-line based real estate services. Consumers can identify e-PRO
certified agents through the exclusive e-PRO Internet professional logo.
Graduate, REALTORS®
Institute - The REALTORS®
Institute is a national continuing education program offered by the Texas
Association of REALTORS®. Graduates
have completed courses of specialized instruction in subjects such as legal
issues, contracts, finance, marketing, commercial and investment property,
professional standards, residential construction and environmental law.
The GRI designation is the mark of excellence that means the graduate is a cut above his peers. It represents the knowledge and professionalism needed to operate successfully in today's complex real estate field. In Texas there are over 113,000 active real estate licensees, approximately 42,000 of which are members of the Texas Association of REALTORS®. Less than 8,000 TAR members have earned their GRI designation.
The Texas Association of REALTORS® is one of the largest trade associations in Texas. The Association is dedicated to increased professionalism in the real estate industry and is affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS®.
REFERRAL
& RELOCATION CERTIFIED(RRC) - The Women's Council of REALTORS®
is the only REALTOR® organization to
offer a certification for referral and relocation. The Referral and
Relocation Certification provides professional recognition in the real
estate industry. It acknowledges the REALTOR®
as a specialist in the area of relocation.
Recipients of the RRC are taught how to:
- Respond to corporate relocation needs by providing effective service
- Work effectively with relocation management companies (RMCs) and other relocation oriented firms by meeting their ever-changing competitive needs
- List and manage RMC and corporate in-house resale properties
- Implement a consistent service approach for RMC and corporate business
- Develop a customized relocation kit that communicates information effectively and helps the transferee with the move
- Utilize effective follow-up techniques
- Develop unique sales, service and corporate strategies
The Women's Council of REALTORS®, an affiliate of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, is an association of more than 300 Local and State Chapters across the country. Throughout its 50-year history, members have found support and inspiration in each other and in the Council. Today, WCR provides men and women in the real estate industry with knowledge and skills in business and leadership through its dedication to quality education and emphasis on professional networking. It provides its members with the additional benefit of access to its 16,000-member referral network.
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