Real Estate Designations

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By: Darin "Sid" Cameron, CRS
Fri, Jun 22nd, 2007 1:32 pm

Was at a training this week and the subject of staging certification came up. They were certifications I had never heard of and they're not through NAR. Is there any value in them?

My original broker encouraged us to just get their franchise certifications and when I asked about getting industry certs (GRI, CRS, etc) I was mostly not answered or told they were a waste of money.

When we moved companies this summer our new broker railed on us for not having any industry certifications on our team.

So, my wife is starting her CRS and my buyer's agent is scheduled to get her ABR.

For referral reasons our broker wanted us to "play the field" and all get something different to start and suggested that since my wife was getting a CRS I should start with the CRB. Would love to hear from someone who has that certification, because it doesn't appear a lot of people have it.

From a generating referrals standpoint is there something better to start with? I was thinking the ABRM (or the CRS) might be a better place to start. I've ruled out a GRI based on feedback from other agents.

If anyone can email me off line or make recommendations below in the comments box, it's appreciated.

(Editor's note: Original comments were lost when we migrated this blog in 2011, sorry. Recommendations, however, were made for CRS which is what I now hold as well as the SRES Seniors certification which no one on my team has taken. To answer my own question 4 years later, having the CRS has been very good for lead generation and everyone on my team is now a CRS. The ABR by buyer's agent originally got has basically been worthless.)