Our industry standards statewide and nationally are ever changing and with the market changes regarding short sales, foreclosures, and other economic challenges occurring in recent years, isn’t it a good time to educate yourself further and get a designation? this great trade association of ours, which has developed and strongly encourages further education, provides many choices for us.
  I realize it is not an easy task. It is an investment of time and money. But believe me, it’s worth it. I had earned my GRI, SRES years ago and finally, I am proud to say that I earned my Certifi ed Residential Specialist (CRS) designation, but it took me quite a long time. I questioned whether I could dedicate myself to completing the coursework requirements…something always seemed to come up to interfere with the course schedule! I succeeded and I found the classes and the CRS network to be invaluable. Information I learned I still reference today in my business practices; and the strategies covered in marketing and sales coursework helped me build a successful business model for myself.

  A dozen or more designation and certification programs are available offering accredited training for REALTORS® who want to advance their career in real estate. These programs, many of which are presented by MAR, if not through NAR, and available at many of the local associations in Massachusetts, provide valuable instruction on new real estate business practices, emerging niche markets, and specialty areas of the profession.
  In addition to CRS offered by the Certified Residential Council, the national Green Designation is a new and innovative designation providing tools to market properties with green features. Also, MAR’s newly updated Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation offers a series of five courses covering several facets of residential and commercial real estate. The association is offering several of the five courses this year to help members jumpstart their designation.
  These are just a few of the many designations I encourage you to explore on the Education page of marealtor.com and on realtor.org. Surveys show that agents and brokers who hold professional real estate designations typically are more productive and earn more income than those practitioners who do not hold designations. You owe it to yourself and to your bank account to begin earning a designation this year!