What does all this alphabet soup mean to you? When you see initials like these behind a Realtor’s name, it means that this person is a committed professional, not content just to take the courses needed to get and maintain a real estate license, but determined to improve his or her professional skills. They have devoted time to attending advanced educational courses and taking examinations to earn these designations.
Here’s what some of the more common ones mean:
ABR
Accredited Buyer Representative. A Sales Associate who is qualified to provide buyer representation and is familiar with buyer brokerage and buyer agency issues. Requires a 12 hour course, active membership in the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council, and at least five documented transactions during the previous 18th month period where the Sales Associate acted as a buyer’s representative.
ABRM
Accredited Buyer Representative Manager. Geared toward brokers, owners and managers who wish to incorporate buyer representation into their daily practice. Those who have earned the ABRM designation have overseen a minimum of 25 real estate transactions involving a buyer agent or have had more than two years of experience in the oversight of buyer representatives.
ALC
Accredited Land Consultant. The Realtors Land Institute confers it. Members specialize in areas such as subdivision development, real estate marketing, urban and investment land, and farms and ranches. Requirements include course work, passing a comprehensive exam, service to the Institute, documented experience, and passing an oral interview - all within a two-year period.
ARM
Accredited Residential Manager. The designation awarded by IREM to specialists who manage residential property. The designation is for individuals that manage rental apartment complexes, rental mobile homes, rental condominiums, rental single-family homes, single-room occupancy apartments (SROs), homeowners’ associations or individuals that are resident managers, property managers, or asset managers.
CAM
Certified Apartment Manager. A certification and education program for resident managers. Upon completion of the CAM course, the resident manager should be equipped with the proven management tools and techniques to cope with the diverse problems of apartment management, maintenance, resident relations and marketing.
CCIM
Certified Commercial Investment Member. A recognized professional in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, asset management, valuation, and investment analysis. A CCIM is a resource to the commercial real estate owner, investor, and user. The 240 hours of graduate-level curriculum leading to the designation represent the finest education available in real estate.
CIPS
Certified International Property Specialist. It’s awarded by the CIPS Network through the NAR and local Realtor organizations.
CRB
Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager. Candidates must have been directly responsible for the effective management of a real estate business as an active principal in a brokerage management capacity, or in a real estate related management position for a minimum of two consecutive years which may be acquired while enrolled in the CRB Management Certification Program. In addition, at least 18 course units are required.
CRE
Counselors of Real Estate. An international group of real estate professionals who provide advisory services to clients on property and land-related matters.
CREA
Certified Real Estate Appraiser. This designation is for the professional, state-licensed and certified appraiser who performs appraisals on residential, vacant land, small commercial and other properties.
CRP
Certified Relocation Professional. An individual must pass a comprehensive exam that covers relocation issues related to corporate policies, appraising, real estate, legal considerations, and family concerns. Only those relocation professionals who have demonstrated a minimum of two years’ experience dealing with relocation issues are allowed to sit for the exam.
CRS
Certified Residential Specialist. Every CRS Designee must have a proven track record in the business, as well as advanced education in related areas like finance, technology and marketing. The training available to CRS Designees includes a strong focus on technology and its applications in the real estate business.
CSP
Certified Sales Professional. Conferred by the National Sales and Marketing Council of the National Association of Home Builders. Candidates are required to complete 24 hours of course work.
e-Pro
A new certification first offered in 2000 by NAR. It is a comprehensive Internet certification program for real estate professionals. e-PRO holders have completed a course covering fundamentals of doing business online, ways of creating and maintaining online relationships, web marketing ethical and legal issues, and ways to adapt to new ways of doing business online.
FRICS
Fellow, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Conferred through the global Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The FRICS is an advanced designation requiring five years of continuing education and experience following the Member, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors designation.
GAA
General Accredited Appraiser. The designation is awarded to appraisers whose education and experience exceed state appraisal certification requirements and is supported by NAR.
GRI
Graduate, Realtor Institute. This designation may only be earned after successfully completing a rigorous educational program that includes 92 hours of live course instruction from a statewide faculty selected because of extensive experience in their own areas of expertise.
LTG
Leadership Training Graduate. This recognizes members of the Women’s Council of Realtors who have achieved a superior level of leadership expertise through education, experience and industry service. Both men and women can be members of the WCR.
QSC
Quality Service Certification. The program provides an education program leading to service certification and includes a formal framework and process for delivering measurably better service results. It offers consumers the opportunity to identify and select certified service professionals based upon the experience, quantified feedback and evaluations of other consumers.
RAA
Residential Accredited Appraiser. The designation is awarded to appraisers whose education and experience exceed state appraisal certification requirements and is supported by NAR.
RCE
Realtor Association Certified Executive. AEs are recognized for their specialized industry knowledge and their association achievements and experience.
SIOR
Society of Industrial and Office Realtors. This designation to agents with five years of industrial and office real estate experience that fulfill all educational requirements, pass a comprehensive membership exam, or hold the CCIM designation. Designees must meet an annual minimum in closed transactions by number, volume or square footage as set by local chapters.
SRES
Senior Advantage Real Estate Council. This offers a specific designation, Seniors Real Estate Specialist to identify those members who have successfully completed its education program along with other prerequisites. Realtors with the designation are certified to help seniors make wise decisions about selling the family home, buying rental property or managing the capital gains and tax implications of owning real estate.