Should we select a listing agent with multiple professional designations?

I believe success and experience is important to know.  The designations are known to us but not the public.

Here's how I describe it to my clients: the real estate license is like a high school diploma. Your broker's license is like a Bachelor's degree. The GRI is like a Master's degree. Your CRS is like a PhD degree! All the rest of the "alpahbet soup" is like post-graduate study But most important, I tell people you need and want an agent who invests in him or herself and who is always looking to learn more.

Roy, designations don't mean much to public, they really don't know what these letters represent and listing one designation after another takes too much space, not to mention hefty yearly dues. I agree with you and many others who commented, sellers and buyers should choose a FT, local Realtor with experience.

I think designations are very good showing professionalism and training by agents in the business a long time. The general public is usually clueless what they mean though and pretty much ignores them. Someone without any designations could work harder than someone with five designations so there is no guarantee the person with designations is better.

Designations can simply mean that the agent has taken extra time and money to better their career.  Investing in yourself and your education can only mean better results for your clients.  I have many designations, and I agree, that some take volume and lot of more training than others.  It is important for sellers to understand what is required to obtain and keep those accreditations.  There is no guarantee that the agent will be better because of them, but more education never hurts!

I have all sorts of designations, but I've never been a fan for putting them after my name. The truth is that my 1500 closed short sales provided more experience than a couple of classes. And, I think that in some circumstances, there is just no substitute for personal experience.

Hi Roy, first congratulations on a well-written post....enjoyed it and all the comments. I agree with the others that most of the designations are known to us but not the public.

Roy, I have more designations than I put on my profile, and use the ones that are most appropriate for the niche I chase. Education should never be negated.

Wonderful advice Roy! It's not about the letters after an agents name but the experience they have and the successes they've had as well.  We once had an agent in our office for a short time that didn't nothing but classes for 6 months.  In that 6 months she didn't sell a single house!  If an agent hasn't been successful at their job in 6 months, why should I hire you?

Roy, I had recently considered a CRS designation but not one association in TN is offereing classes. I would have to travel out-of-state and spend a lot of money so I've put that designation to rest. I find that buyers and sellers never ask. As a matter of fact, they never ask about production either. That particular question really worried me when I first came into the business but I was told no one would ever ask and no one has.

The best designate really is a past client or colleague that recommend you!  Desingations really are not that important IMHO

I have yet to meet an agent with designations that is a "looser"...and it is a documented FACT that agents with designations, earn more than others.

I thought your post was well thought out and written.  I cringe when agents get on a high horse and try to minimize the value of taking classes...they do not know what they do not know.

Sure, consumers do not know what exactly the letters stand for but it does tell them that the agent is motivated enough to make time to BETTER THEMSELVES.  I always go to a professional that has taken the time to get more than just a license to practice.

I have found that advanced education resonates with those consumers that are educated themselves and my designations have helped open doors when I have competed against another Exclusive Buyers Agent for business.

Any one who thinks that it is a waste of time, need to take some classes.

Eve in Orlando

Roy:  Speaking of designations, I think it is so silly-looking seeing an agent, who is probably a very skilled agent, present themselves and their name, and then list sometimes TEN designations.  I am sorry, but it just looks "overdone."  Ninety-nine percent of buyers and sellers have no clue what most of them mean, anyway.  GRI, ABR, and maybe CRS... and that's it.  Anything else is just gobbledy-gook to everyone except another agent who may have those same designations.

That's my two cents.

By the way... some time ago someone else wrote a post about this very subject... and it almost turned into a riot.  I will continue to watch and see if that happens here as well.