What do acronyms after a Realtor’s name mean?
Q: I was talking to a friend about the Realtor she hired to help her find a new home. My friend gave me her agent's card and I noticed she had these extra letters behind her name. What do all those letters mean, like GRI or ABR? How can I find out about them? -- Cindy B., Las Vegas
A: These acronyms represent various professional designations in our industry. I know they can be confusing to consumers, so I'm glad you asked.
You can search for Realtors who have earned a specific designation at lasvegasrealtor.com.
You mentioned two of the more common designations. ABR stands for Accredited Buyer Representative. And GRI designates a Realtor as a graduate of the Realtor Institute.
Another popular designation for residential Realtors is CRS, or Certified Residential Specialist. The CRS designation is awarded to experienced Realtors who complete advanced training in listing and selling homes.
These are just a few of the nine national institutes, societies and councils that are affiliated with the National Association of Realtors and provide a wide range of programs and services that help NAR members increase their skills, productivity and knowledge. Designations acknowledging experience and expertise in various real estate sectors are awarded by each affiliated group upon completion of required courses. In addition, NAR offers three of its own certification programs to its members.
Here are some general things to keep in mind about such designations and what they mean to people like your friend looking to buy or sell a home.
Realtors go through extra training to receive designations that show they specialize in certain niches of the real estate industry. Sometimes these courses to earn special designations can take weeks to complete.
Such additional education (and our code of ethics) separates a Realtor from a real estate agent who simply has a state real estate license but has not joined the local and national associations and continued to learn about the profession.
I have found that Realtors looking to earn designations spend extra time and money learning more about their industry because they value their career and want to stay current on the trends and "dos and don'ts" of the industry.
Designations are certified by the National Association of Realtors, but all courses must be approved through the real estate divisions of each state government.
Designations are consistent across the country and are only achieved through local associations like the GLVAR. In other words, a person can't go to a school to earn them.
I hope that helps clear up the alphabet soup you often see on our business cards. Thanks for asking.
For more information on such topics, consult a qualified local Realtor or visit lasvegasrealtor.com.
Rick Shelton is the president of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors and has worked in the real estate industry for 20 years. GLVAR has 12,500 members. To ask him a question, e-mail him at ask@glvar.org. For more information, visit lasvegasrealtor.com. Questions may be edited for space and clarity.
