Alphabet Soup? Nope, Those are Real Estate Agent Designations!

What do the letters behind a true estate agent's name stand for? Genuine estate agents, like physicians, lawyers, and other specialists can ear designations, certifications, and other credentials. These are commonly shown by putting a series of initials after the agent's name. The most prevalent designations and certifications are: Broker, REALTOR, e-Pro, CHMS, GRI, ABR, and CRS.
What does an agent have to do to get the designation or certification?
e-Pro needs an agent take a class on fundamental pc skills. It has no genuine estate content material, but ensures your agent can use email and the web. It should really honestly be a bare minimal bar for the technologies aptitude of your agent.
REALTOR is the a single of the easier credentials to get (but one particular of the hardest to reside up to). A REALTOR is a genuine estate agent that belongs to the National Association of REALTORS and agrees to follow the Realtor Code of Ethics. You can read about the code right here http://www.realtor.org/mempolweb.nsf/pages/Code?OpenDocument
Broker is a bit tougher to get than REALTOR. In Texas, for example, a broker license is needed to be in a position to operate your own actual estate organization. An agent ought to have their license for two years and full over 600 hours of actual estate education prior to applying for a broker's license. The broker's license is granted upon completion of an exam administered by the state. Brokers are basically true estate agents with advanced educations.
GRI stands for Graduate Realtor Institute. Much less than 50% of agents have this designation. The GRI requires 12 days of continuing education with passing grades on three exams. There are no production or time needs so an agent can literally earn this designation by sitting in class for 12 days and passing the tests. This designation is in no way a measure of genuine estate sales encounter.
ABR stands for Accredited Buyer's Representative. Much less than 30% of agents have this designation. This designation combines two days of classroom perform and an exam with the requirement that the agent show proof of at least five buyer sales. This designation shows that the agent has had both formal classroom time and in the field experience.
CRS stands for Certified Residential Specialist. Less than four% of all agents have this designation. This is the most tricky designation to obtain and is a measure of a high degree of formal education and true planet transactional experience. To acquire a CRS, the agent should attend 3 two-day classes, pass three exams, and present proof of 25 closed transactions within the last 24 months. Even though the transaction encounter is not a tremendous amount, it does weed out the inexperienced agents and the classes weed out those agents who are not devoted to continuing education.
Other designations are out there, but for the most component they are issued by inconsequential groups and have no genuine bearing on the agent's abilities and are made use of way more for marketing and advertising purposes than anything else.