Designations, do they really make a difference? Why?

I think any kind of designation is good! Continuous learning is a must is our line of work. As an added bonus you get recognition for it.

I'm currently an e-Pro and almost finished with my requirements to become a CRS.

I think education is good - not to focus on a designation. I know a bunck of agents with a bunch of designations and they still cannot write a contract!

I've been wanting to take some courses, especially GRI.  And, plan to take some courses this winter, while real estate is slow.

Betina, I love continuing education and so have pursued designations.  To be quite honest the only one that I have that the public recognizes is Broker but I still pursue them.  I am presently going after the CRS.  I must say it is the most complicated to get.  I thought I only needed one more class when I took my last class but then realized I needed one more.  I wish you luck on your designations this year.  I got GRI several years ago but it was only a few years ago that I completed ABR.

Betina, good luck on your eco designation.. .sounds like a great fit for you and I know you will make good use of it.  :)

Hi Betina:  I think continuing education is great. Good luck with the class and designation.

education is a good thing, but I don't think clients/customers are impressed.

Betina:

Within nine months of obtaining my license (and 18 months before Keller Williams was launched in Columbia SC), I obtained my ABR Designation.  The three days of classes helped me develop business plans for attracting and servicing buyers.

Nine months later (and...still...nine months before the launch of Keller Williams in Columbia SC), I earned my CRS Designation.

The CRS materials helped me look at real estate sales AS A BUSINESS and how to provide exceptional service to my seller clients! The CRS classes also gave me a huge level of confidence. It's not a matter of if I'm going to get the listing; it's if I want to take it.

Do the letters behind your name make a difference to home buyers and sellers? Who knows? Here's the bigger question. Should we be educating ourselves to obtain letters behind our name or to provide the best service possible to our clientele?

If someone is debating the benefits of pursuing a designation, they should heed these words. If you aren't going to seek a designation, then do yourself a favor. Build your real estate practice with a company that provides extensive, relevant training!

I am getting educated everyday, however I have no designations but I do have almost 500 sales. I am not one to sit in class being more passive than active.

Betina-

This is one of the most debated topics in the Rain.  I am a firm believer in education and that is why I'm pursuing an MBA at the moment.  I will not add MBA to my business card because I think that is ridiculous.  I was in the corporate world for many years surrounded by numerous MBA's and PhD's and not one of them added their degree level to their business card.  In 2009 I will get my first real estate designation - CRS.

Has the lack of alphabet soup hurt my real estate business?  I'm the #2 agent in a fairly new KW office and I was the  second capper in our office.  I'm having my best year ever and will grow my business 40% next year.  I have an assistant and a buyers agent that are now working with me.

I think the designations are good for the knowledge obtained but more important I think they reassure a group of Realtors that are not confident in their own abilities so they get 6 designations and confuse the public with the alphabet soup on their business card.  Their are many agents in our office with multiple designations and they sell about a half a house a month.  Did the designations help them? 

Two weeks ago I was intereviewing a "Greenie" editor on my radio show and I asked her about the EcoBroker designation for Realtors (I was thinking about obtaining the certification) and her response was that she thought it was a bunch of marketing BS and just a ploy to trick the public.  She thinks the LEED certification for builders is a complete sham.  I thought that anything that would support the new green movement would be embraced by those in the green movement that are the enlightened ones but apparently not.

Tim

That new NAR designation sounds interesting.  I have my ABR, I finally had the time to take the class earlier this year.  I too had been putting it off.  I'm in the process of getting my ePRO, but it's taking me a long time.  That's what happens when they let me schedule the time for my class!  Good luck!

Benita - I think designation is a good thing.  In my area (mortgage) it makes a difference between someone who is just doing a job compared to someone who is making this their career.  Something as simple as being a member of NAMB can make a difference as well.  I'm working on my designations for the mortgage industry which I think will make a difference.  If nothing else, I learn more details about my industry.  Designation is important to some people that are shopping for homes and can only help your business.

There's only a couple of designations that ever impressed me:

1. Ph.D.
2. M.D.
3. J.D.
4. C.P.A.

Political designations -- President, Senator, Representative, Mayor, Governor, etc. -- used to impress me until I realized that those are just synonyms for crook. The Governor of Illinois this morning hasn't done anything to change my opinion.

I'm all for education, but having 37 2- or 3-letter abbreviations behind my name is not for me. I might list the actual education on my web site, but that's about it.