Real-estate agents add professional credentials to help stand out among competitors

After reading a 175-page e-book, soaking up three days of classes and passing a lengthy examination on environmental issues in the housing market, Casey Smith was granted the National Association of Realtors' Green Designation.

"The green movement is really evolving," said Smith, an agent with John L. Scott Real Estate's Lynnwood Center. "I wanted to help my clients see the long-term investment ... as well as the savings (involved) with a green house."

And while he sees the designation as an extension of the more eco-friendly lifestyle he's adopting in his personal life, Smith also hopes the professional credential will help him stand out in a sea of competition.

"Even though we all need to work together to get deals done, we still want that little edge if we can get it," he said.

Whether it's more time on their hands due to the sluggish housing market, a desire to beef up their résumés or simply the aspiration to grow personally and professionally, many real-estate agents and brokers are hitting the books these days in pursuit of designation and certification programs.

"We're finding a couple of different things are happening," said Marc Gould, vice president of business specialties for National Association of Realtors (NAR). "Realtors are going back for more education. They are both very conscious of how much they're going to spend, and how they're going to spend their time."

The NAR recognizes and accredits 23 designation and certification programs. Most of the programs focus on traditional tools of the trade such as marketing and network referrals to help agents and brokers build their businesses. However, several niche programs are also available for agents who want to cater to specific markets, such as luxury homeowners, senior citizens and international clientele.

Some of the programs take years to complete and require a certain number of relevant transactions or dollars in sales; others can be completed with an industry conference and follow-up webinar class.

"Some of these designations have evolved out of market conditions," said Teri Herrera, certified-residential broker with John L. Scott Real Estate's Bellevue Main office. "Back in 1992, we would have never had a 'buyer' designation. Everybody represented the seller back then."

One of the newest certification programs is Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource, for agents and brokers who want to specialize in bank-owned properties.

"Who would have even wanted to have that three years ago?" Herrera said.

And yet, the program has quickly become one of the NAR's most sought-after designations, Gould said.

The course, which involves one-day of classroom learning and three webinars, was launched in November. It was created to help guide agents through the complicated and time-consuming issues of distressed properties, Gould said.

"We have put nearly 10,000 people through the program," he added. "It's unbelievable."

One of those graduates: Brad Wakeman with Lake & Co. Real Estate in Seattle. He described the Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource program as "more timely and definitely more state of the market right now."

"There are lots of great people who got hit by the economy and didn't even know it was coming, and how do we help them out?" said Wakeman.

Many of his clients are first-time homebuyers, and short sales often give them the best deal for their money. But those bargains usually involve far more time and hoops to jump through than a traditional sale.

Wakeman said he walked away from the course with a better understanding of the potential hang-ups and negotiation steps in bank-owned property deals.

"The sellers and buyers are more collaborative, and the banks are the ones you're negotiating with," Wakeman said. "It's a different animal. It's good to understand the process."

Over the past 17 years, Herrera has racked up about 10 specialty designations, including the highly coveted Certified Residential Broker, which requires four to six years of rigorous coursework and a thesis.

"That's sort of like the Ph.D. in real estate," Herrera said.

She said she enjoys the personal challenge of going to school. But like Smith, she also believes the programs will help her better serve clients.

"At the end of the day, real estate is a service-based industry," Herrera said. "And really what we're selling is our knowledge base."

Agents and brokers usually pay for their own classes, which are often held at industry conferences around the country, so travel is often a factor. But Web-based programs are on the rise, Gould said.

"We're seeing a nice trend toward e-learning," he said. "Live learning won't go away — there's still that desire to connect, there's still very much the need to network."

Gould said NAR-approved designations are required to provide extensive support programs for the members. Some groups provide members-only databases; others provide ongoing training throughout the year and other networking perks.

"A big part we do is make sure our members have ongoing education, but monthly newsletters, weekly newsletters, webinars and other benefits that will enable our members to be on top of the game, be ahead of the curve," Gould said. "After they leave the classroom, there's a whole lot more that goes on for them."

Once an agent or broker receives a designation, he or she is usually required to pay an annual renewal fee to continue using it.

"I'm spending around $1,500 a year just to keep my designations," Herrera said.

Last August, Smith was one of the first agents in his office to obtain the Green Designation.

He said the course taught him about the cost effectiveness of environmentally friendly products and practices, such as low-energy appliances and solar panels, water-wise landscaping and use of sustainable construction materials.

"In no way are we saying we're the experts for green," Smith said. "We're saying we're the source that you can come to direct you to go for the expertise. ... I know there are people out there — they want to be greener, they just don't know what to do."