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Getting Real Estate Designations

After getting back in the real estate industry I decided that education would be an important part of my business plan. I started by attended several orientation type classes through the Board of Realtors. I soon after I began the quest to gain the GRI designation. I chose this one first for two reasons.

It covered all facets of the business and would give me a well rounded working knowledge.
You do not have to join any organizations and pay annual fees.

CRS Logo What I found was that some classes were very good, but many more were just too basic. I was bored silly in a few of them and thought of them as an endurance test. I stuck it out and got my GRI designation.

Towards the tail end of earning the GRI designation I signed up for CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) classes. I knew the CRS designation was the top designation for a residential real estate agent to get. I took my first class in Waikiki and absolutely loved it. The quality of the instructors and the materials was excellent! I took another in Waikiki and then one in Maui. The Maui class made a huge impression on me. Besides the fact that Ed Hatchthe instructor was so good, studying with agents from other states and counties was an education in and of itself. I was inspired by the class that I have since collected several of Ed Hatch's CD sets that I listen to in the car. I was close to finishing my CRS designation and because of the impact the class in Maui had on me I wanted to attend one in another state. After some negotiating I convinced my brother Russ to attend a CRS class in Columbia Missouri with me. What a wonderful choice! The class was tremendous and the agents in our group were from every corner of the country. I highly recommend doing something like this to everyone.

Since getting my CRS designation I have taken a few more classes and attended my first Sell-a-bration in Las Vegas this year. If you have never done it, it is a must. I am planning to attend every year from now one. The next we are hosting in Waikiki in January 2008. Please come and join us. I am planning a gathering for Active Rain members tied to the event.

Last year I met my third goal and that was of getting my broker's license. Customers and agents look at you different when you are a licensed broker. The designations and the broker's license makes a statement to them that you take this profession seriously and you are investing in you business and ensuring that you are the best trained possible.

With all of that said, I am at a turning point. I am now looking at a few of the designations that in the past I did not take that serious, but am now giving a second look at. Century 21 is making a push to get more designations. That is one influence on me. Recently I interview Tony Marriot and saw his list of designations. It is the longest of anyone I know. I thought long and hard about it and though of two things.

He is one of the smarter folks in the business I have spoken to.
I said wow, the first time I saw his credentials. I wonder what others think when they see his list

For me I want to always continue to grow and learn. So I have decided to continue on with my real estate designations. I passed on getting the ePRO and ABRin the past because I felt the CRS covered the same topics. My friend Celeste "Sally" Cheesemanwho is kind techie reported she enjoyed the ePRO program and learned some good stuff.

I think the ABR will be good also. The question of a buyer agency agreement continues to come up and I feel I should review this topic again.

I will let you know how they go.

I forward to your feed back on these designations or any others you think was a good choice for you.

Posted by Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® on 04/21/2007 11:26 PM

Comments (51)

crs, gri, abr, epro, hawaii, century 21, mililani

Originally posted at: Hawaii Randy's Real Estate Opinions: Getting Real Estate Designations

This post has been included in Hawaii Information Honolulu County, HI Information

51 Comments on Getting Real Estate Designations

APR

2007

Randy,

I have heard mixed reviews on the e-pro designation. I am starting to look at the GRI designation, but I am wondering if the designation influences clients. I am sure the education is great.

With Century 21, I did the Fine Homes and Estates Designation, which is pretty basic, but it has influence my clients. I feel it has given me an edge.

Rich

I'm with you on the ABR. I am planning on taking the class this week. I wasn't that crazy about the buyer's agency agreement because I felt if I was giving my clients my all they would be loyal and for the most part they have. All of a sudden however I have had a rash of unloyal clients and that has be re-thinking buyer's agency.

Randy ~ I would suggest you look into the CIPS designation. Considering your location I would think you have an opportunity to deal with many International buyers/sellers. The CIPS is both challenging and very rewarding. Check it out!

Randy,

What do you think about the SRES? In Iowa (the state with the oldest population), this is beginning to get some attention.

Lucky :)

I have an ABR and a GRI I feel honestly feel that they look real good behind the name. I am also a member of Women's Council of Realtors.

Designations are important but they don't make the Realtor! I have worked with GRI and ABR and the rest of them and it doesn't mean anything to me or my client at the table. We negotiate from strength.

Hey friend Randy...you're funny....that's right. Yeah, I knew half of what was presented in e-pro...but learned a lot as well. Plus, I liked all the sites they rerouted me during the class.....

To add to my current designations of GRI, e-Pro, & ABR, I'm interested in the Senior Housing Specialist designation.

Randy - thoughtful post - I believe we all benefit from on-going education - right now I'm working on my MAR - Masters of Active Rain. It's amazing the amount of practical, real world knowledge that can be found here.

i am an education junkie. Don't have the GRI but here's m experience on a few:

ABR - awful class - spent 3/4 of two days ONLY discussing agency (has to be better for most folks)
EPRO- EXCELLENT certification (plus you don't need to pay dues each year to keep it as it's a certification and not a designation)
ASP - not NAR approved but great (Accredited Staging Professional) - super info/skills
CRS - the best of the best
SRES- learned a ton when I thought I already knew a bucch about seniors and their needs/situation - bbut learned a ton
RECS - not a NAR designation but a great place for info on all things related to internet marketing
CNHS- a great online course for new homes

Best regards,
Mary

Great post! Education is definitely very important. I just got licensed in November, but I want to earn my GRI designation quickly and, most importantly, learn lots of new things that will be helpful to me A.S.A.P. I will start GRI I this coming Wednesday and plan to take II and III before the end of the year in order to complete all of it. Another thing, here in Florida, GRI I substitutes for our 45-hour post licensing requirement, so that's a cool benefit :) I think ePro would definitely be helpful and I'm planning to take that sometime soon. Based on what I've heard about CRS and ABR, I think they would be very beneficial as well and plan to get those later after I've completed more transactions. Outside of NAR designations, I'd like to get the The Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation one day.

APR

2007

Randy, Thanks for the great info. I've been giving some serious thought to pursuing some of these designations. I think I will start with the e-pro and then ABR and so on. Slowly but surely. I feel it's important to dedicate ourselves to being as educated in our field as possible.

Randy: I like was Cyndee says....MAR....think they can give us a certification like that? I'm sure you would get one soon!

Aloha Randy,

Thanks for the post on designations. Some people feel they are a waste of time, and for some they may be right. Yet not for me.

My first was GRI, at age 25 in the biz, I knew absolutely nothing about anyting, except I had a r.e. license. so it was the beginning for me. The CRS was next, and later as a broker the CRS and a few others since then.

As for productivity, the CRS has been invaluable. The CRS referrals have made the differene between my survival and the food line. For example, in 2006, 5 of my first 6 closings for the year were inbound CRS referrals in the first few months of the year. And the outbound referrals are a bonus, and it continues in 2007 for me and others in my office. Fortunately I have agents who are also have the CRS designation, it's made us all $$$.

Sell-a-bration is a wonderful event, I've been there myself a few times, including twice in New Orleans. Next year I hope to see you in Hawaii.

"Customers and agents look at you different when you are a licensed broker."

I agree with this statement! I have been considering some of the designations you mentioned and also the one Vickie mentioned above, knowledge is power!

I didn't get quite as much out of the ePro course initially, but it planted a seed. As a result I've become willing to explore other ways to increase my presence online. The ABR course was more of a re-cap of information and I didn't learn anything new from the course. It was definitely worth taking though, because I have closed transactions for clients who have found me online while looking for an agent with an ABR.

Richard - I have kind of wondered about company designations. You do not put them after your name do you?

Marchel - I think it is a question that I should revisit. I am not sure if I want to go that way or not.

Kristal - My weakness is I do not have any other languages. Would CIPS still be viable for me?

Lucky - I do not know much about SRES. We do not have anyone in my office with that designation. I am sure someone else will discuss it.

Michelle - That is one council I probably will not be welcome in.

Michael - I have noticed that most of the bad agents I have run into have no designations. It tells a people that you take your career serious and have made the investment of education.

Sally- I never thought about taking the ePRO before. I consider myself pretty techie and heard it was too basic. But since you took it and give positive feedback I decided to get it this year.

Carol - That would be very useful in some parts of the country.

Cyndee - That would be a designation that many of us probably have earned already.

Mary - That is an impressive list of credentials

Vickie - They must do GRI different in your state. Here it takes a year to get GRI. There are 15 one day credits required and we get them one or two a month. CRS classes count toward elective classes.

Nick - I am a strong advocate of education. If I had my way we would increase the education requirements. That would weed out some of the hobbyists who cause a lot of the problems in the field.

Sally - I would proudly have that logo embroidered on my shirts.

Lynda - I really am glad I got the CRS. I have learned so much and continue to learn. I hope to see you in Waikiki.

Suzanne - I know I look at other agents different when I see if they are brokers and if they have their CRS.

Kelly - That is an interesting statement about the ABR designation. So the public does notice.

On several occasions potential clients have asked me about my credentials.

Randy - thanks for info.......sweet blog..... i say any and alll education is a good thing. ron

Ron - You can never learn too much.

Randy, that's strange! I had an agent in our office say that the CRS was quite easy, but she learned alot in the GRI. I do want to get both, and I do think they are beneficial. I don't think the clients are as impressed as we are though. They don't necessarily understand how tough it is for us to schedule around a class and how extended education helps them.

Randy ~ I agree that only speaking one language can be a handicap, but one language is enough for a CIPS designation. I work with International clients all the time, they typically speak English. It is the universal language of commerce. What you learn in CIPS are customs, expectations and the laws pertaining to International buyers.

Randy, I too, am a seminar junkie. Even wrote a post about Alphabet Soup some time ago. Find out who is the best instructor and go for their courses. I was not planning on taking ABR but the teacher,who was superb, made the learnig experience very worthwhile.

I have learned so much on Active Rain that maybe we ought to see about have an AR designation.

ABR, CRS, e-PRO,GRI,LTG, RECS, PMN, RN, NOTARY, CYBERSTAR,CYBERPRO, wife, mother,etc..etc..etc and Active Rainer!

Great post, Randy, and I agree with you and with others that the CRS designation is of tremendous value. I have been priviledged to have been a CRS instructor for years now (the CRS 206 two-day technology course), and I place the 2-day CRS courses at the very top of our educational opportunities.

Again, thanks for your thoughts.

It's a great day here on the lake in Reston...hope it's a great day there in Hawaii, my friend!

You know I've always wanted to do a Sell a Bration event but never did so. Maybe this will be the year. I applaud you for your achievements. Keep up the good work.

I am almost done and I should be applying for the designation as soon as I finish this last core course.

If nothing else, the designations get you a little respect from your peers - when you present an offer, the listing agent is more likely to sit up and pay attention.

Randy, I'm not big on designations but you can never stop learning in this buisness and getting designations is one way to do it. I have a GRI that I got years ago but thats it. I'm a self motivated learner and I do really like classes, I just can't seem to fit them in. But I say go for it!!

Randy - Thanks for the mention and here are my thoughts. I agree with kk that CIPS is a great one to get - and soon I will add it to my string! CRB is another excellent learning experience. For those specializing in the Seniors market SRES is a good choice. IMHO the ABR is a must for everyone. I'll restate Marchel's comment - "If you won't work with a Seller without a written listing agreement, why would you work with a Buyer without a written Buyer Broker agreement?"

Nice post Randy, and congrats on your designations. I've done the ABR, GRI, e-pro and Associate Broker. The only one I really felt I received anything from was the brokers course. The discussions with the other studentrs was the most enlightening thing in the course.

Education is great, but I'm not sure how much more I'll do. I've recenlty registered for CRS and see that I could complete most of it in one trip to Vegas. I'll probably stop with the CRS.

According to the NAR 2006 survey, less than 5% of clients consider designations in the realtor they hire.

Chris - CRS has the best materials, best instructors and best continued support. You get back what you put in.

Kristal - Thank you for response. I will definitely keep that on the list of those I may take in the near future.

Margaret - I too believe I have learned as much or more on Active Rain. Their needs to be a certification for A/R that we can earn and at least add to our websites.

Allen - Thank you for contributing. I have to admit the 2-day course from CRS were pretty good. I not only walked away with new ideas for my business, but left energized and ready to hit the ground running.

Phylena - The agents who tell me they are a waste of time, seem to be the ones not doing as well. I think the CLHS may have to be on my list. I want to continue to move up to more expensive homes as part of my long range plans.

Diane - It will be at the Hilton Hawaii Village in Waikiki. It will be a great event.

Neal - Definitely apply for it and think about the next one.

Margaret - That is a great point. I have had a few multiple offer situations where the other agent told me they pushed for my offer because they knew it would be a smooth closing.

Bryant - You could teach a few classes. Actually you do daily here on A/R.

Tony - Great thoughts! I have resisted the buyer's agreement because I have always liked the option of firing a bad buyer. I am rethinking that point of view and I have decided to take ABR and then decide whether to continue on the same path or change.

Keith - I need to correct on thing. You do not stop with CRS. Once you have your CRS designation it is only the beginning. The support and trainings they offer goes on.

WooHoo! I'm glad...ePRO is actually a good thing. I get so many client's who use internet, pc etc. and glad I am able to whip over something at a click! The designation is more proof I guess.

Are you doing an Open? I start at 1pm and I called the seller and asked if she wanted lunch...she said she wasn't feeling good so I told her I could pick up some won ton soup. She's happy. Eat lunch with her before she gets booted out...seeya!

Sally - I will start on ePro this month.

I will be open soon after 1pm

ePRO and ABR are both good. If I had to pick one over the other, I would go with ABR. They have some good elective classes like New Homes and Relocation. One nice thing about both is that they can be completed entirely online if you'd like.

John - I am planning to do the ePro on-line and will probably take the ABR in a class. I like the interaction in the classes.

APR

2007

I've been told that having your GRI and any other designation wouldn't really do anything for you besides clutter your business card. Since getting my GRI last year I disagree 100%! I will be getting more designations every year for the rest of my career.

What changed my mind and got me to stop listening to other agents, the referrals that I got from the other agents that I met at GRI from across the state. I have got 2 leads in the last year since getting my GRI from agents that I met at GRI. Seems like it paid for itself to me! I admit the only reason I got it originally was I needed to get continuing education to renew my license, but I'm still glad I did!

Todd - That is a wonderful point. I have been on the other side a few agents I met at GRI and CRS classes. I also have worked on referrals with agents from other states that took CRS classes with me.

APR

2007

Randy - I keep putting off taking my GRI and CRS classes. I know that the information will only help me in my business - but I am one of those Procrastinators (I was even thinking about joining the local branch of the Procrastinators of America, ah well maybe tomorrow...) That was even one of my resolutions for this year, not joining the POA club but taking classes toward my GRI. Okay so it's almost May - still I can do it! I do have the ePRO designation but for me that was simple as I already had/have a good knowledge in that area. Thanks for the article - I am now a little more motivated.

Phil - Once you take your first CRS class you will be hooked.

Randy, I second Kristal - you should definitely pursue your CIPS.

Phylena and Vickie mentioned the CHLMS. If any of you are going to the Resort Conference in Vail in June, the CLHMS course is being given right after that at the same hotel - you can take advantage of two benefits from one round trip travel. (must disclose, daughter Tami and I will be teaching that source for the Institute).

Sharon - Thank you, I think that both designations are ones I will pursue in the future. I just signed up for the ABR in July and will be doing the ePRO online in the next few weeks.

APR

2007

Randy- CRS, GRI, CIPS all excellent. It's like little private networks and we can't have too many of those! E-Pro, there are very few but the upside they have their own spot on Realtor.com. Hmmm...there are many to choose from! Good Luck!

APR

2007

Randy,

I feel that designations are important for your personal goals, but in the end, the most important thing about being a Realtor is service. I think it is great for someone to set personal goals for their professional growth, but I do feel that our clients will not understand what those designations mean and may not care. Just because someone has gone the extra mile to get designations does not make them a great Realtor! Just food for thought!

Loretta

APR

2007

Loretta - The designations do not make you a Realtor, but great Realtors invest in themselves and their skills. Designations are something top Realtors do. Trust me clients may not know what they mean, but they notice and they look them up in many cases.

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