Understanding REALTOR® designations A to Z
When selecting a Spokane real estate professional, carefully considering their industry education and professional standing is an important step. After all, your REALTOR® will lead you through a complex negotiation and transaction process in which hundreds of thousands of dollars are very likely involved.
Did you know there are more than a half-dozen affiliated institutes, societies, and education councils within the National Association of REALTORS®? Many diverse programs have been developed to assist REALTORS® in increasing their knowledge in order to effectively serve their clients. Upon completion of required courses, each affiliated group awards professional designations to acknowledge a REALTOR’S® expertise in various real estate sectors.
The following information, found on the National Association of REALTORS® web site at www.REALTOR.org, highlights several of our industry’s professional designations, and should help readers in understanding the education that is connected to these designations held by Spokane REALTORS®.
ABR®
The Accredited Buyer Representative designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation, offered through the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) of the NAR. Just 15 years ago, the notion of buyer representation was a foreign concept in the real estate industry. Now, the Real Estate Buyers Agent Council has over 50,000 members and more than 38,000 ABR® designees.
During the past 10 years, Washington REALTORS® has presented 112 ABR® accreditation courses, attended by close to 4,500 students. By offering its courses all around the state and engaging highly regarded instructors familiar with Washington’s real estate regulations and markets, the ABR® program has been especially well received. In a recent survey conducted by the Center for Real Estate Research at Washington State University, the Washington REALTORS® program was cited as the most popular choice among the more than 200 organizations in the state offering real estate training. More information: www.rebac.net.
ABRM®
The Accredited Buyer Representative Manager is similar to the ABR® designation, but is geared to real estate firm brokers, owners and managers that have or wish to incorporate buyer representation into their daily practice. More information: www.rebac.net.
CRB®
The Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager designation is recognized industry-wide as a measure of success in brokerage and real estate business management. The designation is awarded by the Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers to REALTORS® who have completed the Council’s advanced educational and professional requirements. CRB designees consistently increase their level of industry knowledge, advance their career potential, increase their firm’s success, and benefit from active involvement in this network of real estate professionals. More information: www.crb.com.
CRS®
The Certified Residential Specialist designation is awarded to experienced REALTORS® who complete advanced training in listing, selling, pricing, technology, and marketing, and also meet rigorous production requirements. More than 39,000 REALTORS® around the country have the advanced training and transaction requirements needed to be a CRS®. More information: www.crs.com.
GRI®
The Graduate REALTOR Institute designation, offered by NAR, is the mark of a real estate professional that has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional service by securing a strong educational foundation. REALTORS® with the GRI designation have completed at least 90 hours of coursework on real estate topics that include real estate law, marketing and ethics. More information: www.realtor.org/griclear.nsf.
PMN®
The Performance Management Network is a dynamic new REALTOR® designation. The curriculum is driven by the following topics: negotiating strategies and tactics, networking and referrals, business planning & systems, personal performance management and cultural differences in buying and selling. More information: www.wcr.org/Performance
ManagementNetwork/.
SRES®
The Senior Real Estate Specialist designation program trains REALTORS® to ethically serve the real estate needs of clients age 50+, when selling, buying, relocating, or refinancing residential or investment properties. The Council tracks senior-specific lifestyle and housing issues and educates REALTORS® with the best options and information for their clients when making life-changing decisions. More information: www.seniorsrealestate.com/sarec/.
In addition to professional designations, your REALTOR® may also have one or more specialized certifications offered through the NAR, including:
e-PRO®
An e-PRO is a REALTOR® who has successfully completed the e-PRO training program for real estate professionals. Endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS®, the e-PRO training is delivered 100 percent online, teaching the nuts and bolts of working online in real estate channels such as web site management and optimization, online information management tools, and valuable technologies to successfully reach and meet the needs of today’s technology-driven consumer. An e-PRO REALTOR® can help you take advantage of the latest Internet innovations resulting in considerable savings and speed whether you are a buyer or a seller of property. More information: http://www.epronar.com/.
AHWD®
The At Home With Diversity certification is a ground-breaking professional education initiative designed to provide America’s real estate professionals with training and tools to expand homeownership opportunities for more Americans. Those with the AHWD Certification have been professionally trained in, and are sensitive to, a wide range of cultural issues inviting a wider range of business from a greater variety of cultures. For more information on this course and its business principles, visit NAR’s “Equal Opportunity and Cultural Diversity” web site, at www.realtor.org/divweb.nsf.
REALTOR®
The REALTOR® professional designation is only to be used by a real estate broker or sales associate who is a member of a board associated with the National Association of REALTORS® or with the National Association of Real Estate Boards. REALTOR® is a registered trademark.
On a local level, REALTOR® proficiency also includes industry leadership. Each year, a governing body of Spokane REALTORS® is elected by their peers to maintain their local Board of Directors and oversee their local REALTOR® organization. Hundreds of hours are volunteered to maintain the high standards of all REALTORS® who are members of the Spokane Association of REALTORS®. With the exceptional training provided by the local, state and National Association of REALTORS®, we hope you will feel confident contacting any one of Spokane’s dedicated, professional REALTORS® for your current and future real estate needs.