921,504
The APRA (Association for the Prevention of Realtor Abuse) has determined the appending of nonsensical letters following a REALTORS name has led to the depletion of REALTOR assets without measurable benefit and the residual delusion of accomplishment.
APRA, in it's infinite wisdom, has decreed 2015 the year of REALTOR common sense.
Send $35 direct to me and feel free to append APRA to your name and signature line. When questioned by a citizen regarding your APRA designation you can assure them you will look after the cost of selling their home in the same fashion you guard against wasting your money. Obviously this should be an experience earned designation but like all the others, with the exception of one, you send the money, you get the letters.
Show some common sense. Too much alphabet soup following your name reveals the agenda to be the opposite of transparency and in full alignment with the label most citizens place on real estate professionals.
DISCLAIMER: APRA is a fictional creation of my imagination.
-
Dennis Swartz
Columbus, OH
-
Inna Ivchenko
Encino, CA
-
Jill Moog
Carlsbad, CA
-
Julia van Mook
Pittsburgh, PA
630,251
5,104,931
I'm alphabet soup personified-CRS, GRI, ABR, SRES, CPDE, SFR, SPS, CMRS, etc. First of all, everytime I take a class for certification, I learn something new and useful. Secondly, what I tell my clients is that a license to sell real estate is like a high school diploma; a broker's license is like a BA; a GRI is like an MA; and a CRS is like a PhD. All the others are like post graduate study. It shows my clients I invest in myself in terms of education, money, and time. And if you explain to them, they get it for sure.
-
Cindy Castillo
Kissimmee, FL
279,878
6,393,404
4,800,082
4,319,419
3,071,489
3,988,007
I have earned several over the past years and value the knowledge but have let some to the designations go because I no longer want to pay the yearly fees.
223,831
CLHMS through institute for luxury home marketing minimum 4 $3M sales plus training.
213,263
I have a bunch, and its expensive but I feel it gives me "cred" when working with my realtor teaching and in board activities. Never any business though, but it shows my agents I invest in myself.
1,622,432
If seriously, I got GRI right away ( took almost a year, it takes 10-15 days, i don't remember now), also HAFA, PSC and SFR ( for short sales), I'm thinking to take e-Pro, senior and International.
Not sure, my clients care, but I like learning new things.
1,622,432
Annette Lawrence
The APRA (Association for the Prevention of Realtor Abuse)!!!
The best answer ever!
2,224,473
I thought getting the GRI was a great learning experience. I would recommend that to all agents. I know of agents that won't refer to another agent unless they have this designation. I have many others, but the consumer doesn't seem to care. I just like education and I have taken a lot of classes.
4,434,127
I love Nina's answer. I have ABR,CRS,GRI,CDPE,SRES. I do not like to pay the annual fees so if I were to do it again I might not have taken so many designation courses.
90,543
I have the Realtor designation. I am eventually striving to get the SRES designation, but the timing and financial situation does not warrant that right now. I believe that as long as you stay informed and educated in Real Estate or in your niche, that holds just as much weight as having a designation. I have seen Realtors with many diesignations and they are not even active in Real Estate. They key is to share your knowledge with the public and keep them up to date as to what is going on in the RE market.