Designations When is a Real Estate Agent a REALTOR®? When they are a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, The Voice for Real Estate®—the world's largest professional association. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Founded in 1908, NAR has grown from its original nucleus of 120 to today's 1,000,000 plus members. NAR is composed REALTORS® who are involved in residential and commercial real estate as brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors and others engaged in all aspects of the real estate industry. Members belong to one or more of some 1,700 local associations/boards and 54 state and territory associations of REALTORS®. They can join one of our many institutes, societies and councils. Additionally, NAR offers members the opportunity to be active in our appraisal and international real estate specialty sections. REALTORS® are pledged to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Working for America's property owners, the National Association provides a facility for professional development, research and exchange of information among its members and to the public and government for the purpose of preserving the free enterprise system and the right to own real property. Only a fraction of real estate licensees are Realtors® make sure your agent is a memeber of the NAR. by NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® The Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate BUYERS AGENT Council (REBAC) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® who met the specified educational and practical experience criteria. The criteria are: Completed the comprehensive two-day REBAC course in buyer representation Successfully passed a written examination Demonstrated a practical experience of having completed five closed real estate transactions in the field of buyer representation. Received recommendations from two of the real estate practitioners buyer clients. Be a member in good standing with the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Look for those real estate agents that proudly display the ABR® designation and know that they are professionals in the field of buyer representation. Why a CRS? Today, home buying and selling is faster, more complex, and more competitive in every way. Our goal is to make the process a little easier for you. The first step is choosing the right REALTOR®. EXPERIENCE—To earn the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation, every REALTOR® must have significant experience and volume of real estate transactions. ETHICS—Every CRS Designee is required to maintain membership in the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and to abide by its strict Code of Ethics. A FOCUS ON HOME BUYING AND SELLING—To help make the home buying and selling process more rewarding, every CRS Designee must have a proven track record in the business, as well as advanced education in related areas like finance, technology and marketing. Work with the top 5%. TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE—The training available to CRS Designees includes a strong focus on technology and its applications in the real estate business. Why Choose a REALTOR® With a GRI designation? Buying property is a complex and stressful task. In fact, it's often the biggest single investment you will make in your lifetime. At the same time, real estate transactions have become increasingly complicated. New technology, laws, procedures and the increasing sophistication of buyers and sellers require real estate practitioners to perform at an ever-increasing level of professionalism. So it's more important than ever that you work with an agent who has a keen understanding of the real estate business. The GRI program has helped the best and the brightest in the industry achieve that level of understanding. GRIs are: Nationally recognized as top performers in the real estate industry Professionally trained Knowledgeable Dedicated to bringing you quality service A GRI can make a difference When you see the letters "GRI" after an agent's name, you can count on receiving the knowledge and guidance you need to make your transaction go smoothly. In short, you can count on getting the best service available from a real estate professional. Don't you deserve the best? Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialists Members of The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing who have met upper-tier sales performance standards and submitted their application for the designation with the supporting documentation earn the CLHMS designation upon approval of their applications. As a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS), I am recognized as a well-trained professional who has special upper-tier expertise and has successfully proven that expertise in the luxury home and estate marketplace. What is an e-PRO—and why should you use one? A short guide for the Internet consumer When you're on the Internet, you don't have time to waste on endless searches for useful real estate information. You want to get things done quickly and without hassle. So chances are you'd like a real estate agent who: Answers e-mail promptly and professionally. Respects your on-line privacy. Offers home listings and other Internet tools to help you find or market a home. Enter the 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 course teaches professionals the nuts and bolts of working with real estate on-line: Web sites, e-mail, on-line tools, and most of all, what today's consumer really wants. What does all this mean to you? There are several benefits of working with a certified Internet professional. More privacy Are you reluctant to give out contact information through the Web for fear of being pestered or spammed? e-PROs understand. They've learned the Web isn't just a place to do business; you need information from someone you can trust. That's why e-PROs respect your privacy. They respond quickly to your questions, but don't send you unwanted communication. And they protect your personal information. Less hassle Tired of struggling to find information? e-PROs are more likely to have access to the latest Internet utilities, making your life easier. These tools may include: On-line home tours Instant access to comprehensive neighborhood data Extensive property listings Immediate e-mail notification of just-listed homes meeting your criteria Referral networks and on-line forums, where e-PROs can quickly find information—even potential buyers—from other e-PROs Newsletters on current real estate conditions in your area Electronic faxes sent to you by e-mail Advanced software, PDAs, and laptops to find you answers on the spot The result: you get more information, more easily. With electronic files, you have less paperwork to deal with. And since your agent uses e-mail, you can even eliminate phone tag. The e-PRO streamlines your entire transaction, from showing to closing. Less expense An e-PRO's access to advanced technology can save you considerable expense. You have more tools to find or market your home, so you're likely to get a better price. With on-line home tours, you reduce in-person showings—and the costs involved. And by using e-mail, you save money on long-distance calls and fax charges. Relocating? An e-PRO is ideal for you. With the tools to do your research electronically, you can make a decision on a home the first day you're in town—or without traveling at all. You and your family save on travel costs. And after you've decided to buy, monitoring the sale by e-mail saves you even more. Should you use an e-PRO? Yes—especially if you're an Internet user. In this fast-paced age, technology has become a necessity. An e-PRO is someone who has recognized and responded to the needs of the new consumer. If you choose an e-PRO, it's a safe bet you'll get the kind of service you want—and need. Copyright© InternetCrusade® and NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. All rights reserved. No portion of this web site, including graphics or text, may be reproduced without the expressed consent of InternetCrusade® and NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Real Estate’s Premier New Home Sales Designation Coldwell Banker is proud to announce that Ian Robinson has completed the real estate industry’s most comprehensive new home sales course to earn His national designation as a Certified New Home Specialist™. With this designation, He joins a group of the most successful and highly-respected individuals in the profession of real estate. “This course is recognized as one of the very best ever offered in real estate. The training covered architectural design and planning, blueprint reading, topography, building site design, evaluating quality construction, materials, methods, construction terminology and scheduling. Additional topics covered were successful buyer/builder relations, all aspects of customer service and the use of various organizational tools and systems. With these tools Ian will be able to do a much better job of assisting anyone interested in a brand new or existing home.” “We are excited to have one of our associates earning this certification,” explained Patrick O’Rourke, Coldwell Banker’s North Shore Regional Vice President. “Knowledge is power, and I believe this training really sets Ian apart when it comes to helping builders market new homes and home buyers make their best decisions.” Completion of the Certified New Home Specialist™ training involves over 20 hours of interactive computer-based course work, successful completion of the 200-page workbook and a 90% or better score on the certification test. The course was created by Dennis Walsh, CNHS, CSP, who is recognized internationally as a leading authority in all aspects of new home sales and marketing. About the Institute The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing is the premier independent authority in training and certifying real estate professionals in the art of handling exceptional properties. We exist to help buyers and sellers of high-end homes find quality real estate professionals who have been uniquely trained to handle upper-tier properties. To accomplish this goal, The Institute has four key areas of focus: Education The Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation training, which all members receive, helps agents analyze the luxury home market, identify trends and strategies within that market, define consumer needs and expectations, and build skills and improve service—thus creating satisfied customers whose real estate goals are accomplished. Research The Institute provides its members with access to the knowlege and information needed to be successful in an ever-changing market by supplying luxury home market data as well as primary and secondary research information on the demographic and psychographic characteristics of affluent buyers and sellers. Branding The Institute is positioned as the foremost resource for affluent consumers who wish to identify sales professionals with credibility and special competencies in the upper-tier market. Members of The Institute enjoy high-visibility with buyers and sellers of luxury homes. Membership An international membership base ensures a strong network of knowledgeable sales professionals who specialize in the luxury market. You can find our luxury specialists around the world. By remaining focused on these four key areas, The Institute helps ensure that its members have the tools and information needed to achieve your goals. Certified as a new home specialist by Coldwell Banker University.