Top 13 Real Estate Certifications & Designations 2020

Seller Representative Specialist (SRS)

Best for: Agents who want to focus exclusively on representing sellers in the sale of property.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: This designation shows sellers that you know how to maximize their property and make the sale as easy as possible.

The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designation is available through the Real Estate Business Institute (REBI) to realty professionals who complete the online or classroom-based SRS course and take one SRS elective course. An exam is not required, but applicants must be a member of the National Association of Realtors®️ (NAR) and SRS, document they have acted solely as a seller representative in three completed transactions, and complete the designation application.

The SRS designation demonstrates to homeowners that a real estate agent is highly specialized in seller representation and has developed the unique skills necessary to protect a seller’s interests. Once an agent gains the SRS designation, they can access member-only courses, resources, and services and subscribe to the bimonthly digital Real Estate Business Magazine. Members can also join the SRS social media community and view member-only webinars.

Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM)

Best for: Realty professionals with clients targeting commercial real estate investments.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: The requirements for members of the CCIM are very strict, so it sets you apart as an expert in commercial real estate investing.

The Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation is offered through the CCIM Institute and helps professionals specialize in commercial real estate. As a CCIM, real estate professionals have access to a professional network of over 13,000 members and exclusive discounts on commercial real estate resources like continuing education courses.

To become a CCIM designee, you must meet minimum sales volume requirements in commercial real estate and meet educational requirements, including a four-course curriculum, an online ethics course, negotiation training, and elective courses from the Ward Center for Real Estate Studies. Finally, applicants must pass a full-day exam and pay an annual membership fee. The cost of the designation is $7,885 for CCIM members and $9,474 for non-members.

Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®)

Best for: Agents who want to focus on exclusively representing homebuyers.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: It gives you expertise that allows you to offer home buyers a much higher level of service to help them find the perfect home more easily and for the best price.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR’s) Accredited Buyer’s Representative designation is available to NAR members who take the ABR® Designation Course, complete one of the ABR® elective courses, and provide documentation of five completed transactions wherein they acted as the sole buyer representative.

As an ABR®, agents get access to continuing real estate education and membership events through the Real Estate Buyers Agent Council (REBAC). What’s more, agents get updates on current issues and trends, can use REBAC marketing tools, and join consumer awareness campaigns. This makes it a great designation for new or experienced real estate professionals who specialize as buyer agents or want to move into that niche.

Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)

Best for: Residential Real Estate Council (RRC) members specializing in residential property sales.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: This designation shows that you are up to date and skilled in helping people buy or sell their homes.

The Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation is available to members of the Residential Real Estate Council (RRC). As a CRS, real estate professionals will have access to the RRC’s various education programs and extensive referral network. The designation also gives members a free mobile customer relationship management (CRM) and lead generation tools to help agents grow their residential real estate business.

To become a CRS, first join the RRC and decide whether you want to take the 60/30/30 Program or Pro Program. Pro Program applicants must have completed 10 or more years as a licensed agent and 150 transactions or an average of $1 million per year in sales with a minimum of 40 transactions. Those taking the 60/30/30 route need only 60 transactions or $30 million in volume over the last three years to qualify. Finally, complete required coursework, including 30 or 60 hours of RRC courses, depending on your program.

Certified Property Manager (CPM)

Best for: Brokers or agents who are starting property management operations.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: This designation shows that you are expertly trained and capable of managing properties for yourself and clients effectively.

The Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation is available through the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). The CPM certification enables real estate professionals like brokers, building owners, and real estate investors to more ethically and effectively manage properties. For that reason, it’s a great fit for agents and brokers who are currently managing properties for clients or want to build their property management portfolio.

To qualify, applicants must have three years of qualifying real estate management experience, meet education requirements, and fulfill a one-year candidacy period. Applicants must also obtain three professional references, pass the CPM certification exam, and meet other basic application requirements, like being affiliated with the NAR.

Probate Mastery© Certification & Designation

Best for: Agents who specialize in probate properties.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: It shows family members of probate properties that you know how to help them in a confusing and difficult time.

The Probate Mastery©️ Certification and Certified Probate Expert©️ designation are available through All The Leads (ATL), an independent real estate certification company. Designees will learn the ins and outs of the probate process and how to apply it to today’s real estate market. This makes it a perfect certification for real estate professionals in a market with an untapped source of properties in probate.

To earn ATL’s certification or designation, real estate professionals must complete three comprehensive sessions of coursework totaling seven to nine hours. Courses include everything from understanding the probate process to building a strategy that will help you grow a probate-based real estate business. Education requirements for the certification cost $250 and agents receive a Certified Probate Expert© designation, digital logos for marketing materials, and a signed certificate.

Military Relocation Professional (MRP)

Best for: Realty professionals working with clients in the U.S. armed forces.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: It shows that you know about the real estate laws concerning military families, and that you understand their unique struggles when relocating.

A Military Relocation Professional (MRP) specializes in the needs, timetables, and stressors specific to military staff and families during relocation. To get an MRP certification, a real estate agent must be a NAR member in good standing, complete the one-day Certification Core Course online or in-person, and complete two one-hour webinars. Once the educational requirements have been met, a real estate agent must submit an application and the $195 application fee.

The NAR’s MRP certification is a great option if you work in a market with a military base, Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital, or other military facility. What’s more, the MRP Certification Core Course is an approved elective for the Accredited Buyer’s Representative® (ABR) designation, so the MRP certification pairs well with other real estate certifications.

Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®)

Best for: Agents and brokers who specialize in helping active adults and senior clients buy and sell properties.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: It shows seniors that you are educated on real estate laws and familiar with the different needs and preferences for their home purchase.

A Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) is a NAR member who is specially qualified to assist buyers and sellers over the age of 50 in their search for a home. As a designee, agents get access to a network of over 16,000 certified agents, customizable marketing materials, and social networking tools. This makes it great for real estate professionals in areas with a large aging population and cities where seniors prefer to stay at home rather than move to a nursing home.

To earn the SRES® designation, first become a member of the NAR. Then, complete the SRES® designation course, which includes subjects like housing options for seniors, the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), how to protect elderly clients, and financing real estate with pensions, 401(k) accounts, and IRAs. Once you complete the course, you’ll get one free year of membership in the Seniors Real Estate Council®; annual dues are then $99 per year.

Accredited Land Consultant (ALC)

Best for: Brokers or agents facilitating investments in raw or developable land.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: It shows real estate investors that you understand how to help them make smart investment decisions.

The Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) certification is another designation reserved for NAR members. The designation enables real estate agents and brokers to better understand the nuances of investing in land. To obtain this certification, applicants must hold a current real estate license and have a minimum of two years’ experience in land sales or brokerage. Alternatively, applicants can demonstrate they have a minimum of three years of other relevant real estate experience.

Real estate professionals must also complete 104 course hours through the REALTORS® Land Institute’s LAND University (LANDU) program. This includes 48 course hours of electives and 56 hours of mandatory coursework. Upon completion of the required coursework, applicants must pass a final exam with a score of 70% or higher.

Accredited Staging Partner® (ASP®)

Best for: Real estate professionals wanting to stage properties for photos or showings.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: This helps you work with professional stagers and sellers to get the maximum price for the sale of their home

The Accredited Staging Partner®️ (ASP®️) designation is offered by StagedHomes.com and teaches real estate agents how to work with Home Stagers®️, get the best staging price for their clients, and effectively communicate with clients about the value of home staging. To earn the ASP®️ designation, agents must take a one- or two-day in-person course or attend a live webinar through StagedHomes.com.

Agents and brokers can also become an Accredited Staging Professional®️ by taking the Stage®️ Training Course. This certification process teaches real estate professionals how to detail, declutter, depersonalize, and otherwise prepare a home for sale without the help of another staging professional. Choose this option if you want to grow your business with staging services rather than paying a third party for their services.

At Home With Diversity® (AHWD)

Best for: Real estate professionals who want to be sensitive and prepared to work in multicultural real estate markets.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: The At Home With Diversity (AHWD) certification is offered by NAR and teaches real estate agents to exhibit sensitivity to diversity and develop guidelines for working in multicultural markets. It teaches agents about the fair housing laws and how they work in context. Some states may give you continuing education credit for this course, and you’ll also receive credit toward the ABR®, CIPS, and PMN designations.

To receive this real estate designation, you must already have your real estate license and be a member of the NAR. You can take this one-day certification online or in person, but you must pass a final exam if you take it online.

Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE)

Best for: Real estate professionals who want to improve their negotiation skills.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: It will help you negotiate better deals for your clients, which will make you appealing for buyers and sellers who are closely watching their budget.

The Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) certification is offered by the NAR and helps agents and brokers improve their negotiation skills. It teaches them how to negotiate with different personality types and brings awareness to behind-the-scenes issues that prevent deals from being met.

In order to earn this two-day certification, you must have an active real estate license and be a member of the NAR. Sharpening your negotiation skills may not deepen your expertise in a specific niche, but it could significantly improve your real estate business as a whole. If your clients see that you are a great negotiator and are willing to fight for a great deal, they are more likely to recommend you to others.

Graduate, Realtor Institute Designation (GRI)

Best for: Realtors who want in-depth training in legal, regulatory, and technological updates and best practices in the industry.

How this real estate designation helps you stand out: This designation shows that you have a deeper layer of training and experience than what is required for a real estate license.

A Graduate Realtor® Institute (GRI) designation in real estate is available to National Association of Realtors (NAR) members in good standing. The Realtor® Institute program is offered separately in each state, and keeps members up to date on all updates in their real estate market.

The program includes a minimum of 60 hours of coursework, including topics like market knowledge, business skills, and real estate systems and tools. With these added skills, agents stand out to potential clients as experts in their field.