NCCRE Blog

ABR, CRS, GRI, CRB, CIPS, MRE, CSP, AHWD, CNE, MRE, SRS, CCIM, e-PRO, SRES, PMN, CLHMS. What’s up with the alphabet soup some people have behind their names?  Are we merely egomaniacs trying to out-do the guy in the office next door?  Designations are far more to a REALTOR’s career than just letters.  The quest to obtain the almighty designation has numerous benefits: 

• Knowledge!  This is perhaps the most important and most advantageous – personal growth.  Every class can provide you with at least just one tidbit, that one piece of advice or wisdom that will impact your life on a daily basis.  When you’re attending a class, bring along a notepad to make a list of these points you don’t want to forget.  The Real Estate Commission requires us to take 24 hours of continuing education during every three-year renewal period, but that should not be your sole motivation for taking classes. When you stop learning, you stop growing.  Therefore, your business stops growing.  Regardless if you’re in your first month, or your 20^th year, we all need to improve. Always. Continuously. 
• An edge over the competition.  Having some credentials behind your name can increase your business….IF you educate your clients and market appropriately.  Don’t be shy when it comes to showing off your achievements to your buyers and sellers.  Include your accomplishments in your seller and buyer presentations and explain how it benefits them. By achieving that designation and attending those classes, you are better equipped, you are more knowledgeable, you are more skilled.  You will represent and service that seller or buyer better because of your extended training.  Because of your dedication to learning, you can gain more sellers and buyers, service them more efficiently, and enjoy more closings. 
• Credibility amongst peers.  While there may be those who smirk at the alphabet soup and think they can do it without the letters behind their name, there are far more who appreciate and respect the journey of improvement.  When I have a referral to send out, I don’t even consider a fellow Realtor unless they have some designations.  Designations indicate a higher level of involvement and commitment to the industry and his or her career, as well as a more knowledgeable individual. 
• Networking with fellow members. Many of the designations actually involve membership to a council, which includes networking events and opportunities.  Some of them, such as CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), even have their own annual conventions.  I receive monthly emails from the councils to which I belong containing invaluable information pertaining to current trends, market conditions and upcoming changes in the industry.
• Higher income. If nothing else thus far has caught your attention, this one should!  As I mentioned above, designations will increase your referral income.  When you prepare your business plan and goals for the next year, a portion of you income goal should be based on referrals.  How will you achieve that goal?  Market to your fellow designees.  When you have a designation, you are part of a family…a loyal family.  Referrals are kept within the family.

 For a complete explanation and list of available designations, please visit www.REALTOR.org, the National Association of Realtor’s website.  I encourage you to pursue a designation that matches your personal and career goals.  There is literally a designation for every area of interest and niche, so improve yourself, increase your volume and benefit your clients by achieving the designation that best suits you.

Feed your wallet, but best of all, you’ll feed your mind.

Forget the British…NEW CONTRACTS ARE COMING!  2011 will launch one of the greatest number of changes that Colorado Real Estate Brokers have seen in many years.  To what are we looking forward?  Here are some examples:

• Five Contracts to Buy and Sell instead of one (WOW!)
• New Deadlines and Conditions
• Re-arranged Sections of the Contract
• New rules for the Foreclosure Protection Act
• Changes in the Short Sale Addendum
• New Addenda & many modified forms

Although the new contracts and changes will not become mandatory by the CREC (nor will they be available for use) until January 1st, it would be wise for Brokers to attend a class prior to then.  For more information on Contracts classes available in Northern Colorado, see my “Schedule of Classes” page on http://www.charityvermeer.com.

For the first time ever, renowned speaker Brad Hanks will dazzle Northern Colorado with his popular courses on social media networking.  Mark your calendars for the following courses, taking place at Eheart Interior Solutions on the SE corner of I-25 and Hwy 34.  $35 per class, or $60 for both!  Contact Charity at 970-481-2064 to register; open to everyone!

July 21, 9:00 – 12:00

“Turning Social Media Into $$: Driving Business Using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter”

Don’t waste time with social media – make time!

You can’t afford to stay away any longer – social networking sites are where your customers, clients and prospects are!  With over 500 million people on Facebook alone, these sites are where you will find people that want to use your service and do business with you.  But you’ve got to learn how to use these tools effectively.  And you’ve got to make money with your social media efforts.  This program will show you how!

If you’re tired of the wind and rain from mother nature, look to The Real Estate School (TRES) to make your summer sizzle!  In Northern Colorado, TRES is proud to offer the following ‘hot’ classes:

• June 3rd, 9:00 – 12:00, Listing Contract Issues and Forms, 3 hours CE, $30
• July 16th, 9:00 – 4:00, Creative Financing I and II, 6 hours CE, $60 (two separate classes)
• August 12th, 8:30 – 12:30, 2010 CREC Mandatory Update, 4 hours CE, $40

Join us for these fun, educational, networking opprotunities!   All events take place at Eheart Interior Solutions, located on the SE corner of I-25 and Highway 34.  To register, please contact Charity at charityvermeer@gmail.com.  Classes sponsored by Fidelity National Title and Premier Mortgage Group; snacks and beverages provided.

This year will mark the third annual “Bringing Down the House” event in Northern Colorado.  Two local charities, Neighbor to Neighbor and Restoration Now, will benefit from the night.

The last two years have posted impressive numbers, both in attendees and in dollars raised.   Our committee is looking forward to an even better 2010!  The evening features a silent auction, live entertainment, a raffle, food and drinks.  Not only do guests have a fabulous time, they benefit two local charities while they enjoy the night!

There are numerous ways people can get involved, such as donating for the auction, sponsoring the event for $100 (which includes two tickets and marketing), purchasing raffle tickets or attending for only $25.

For information on how to participate in ‘Bringing Down the House’, please contact me at charityvermeer@gmail.com.

The month of April is bringing more than pretty spring flowers!  The Real Estate School (TRES) will offer two very valuable classes in Northern Colorado:

April 9th, 2:00 – 5:00:  Plan B – Bankruptcy.  Just released! Oliver Frascona, owner of TRES, recently authored this highly relevant course. As short sales and foreclosures ravage the real estate industry, a related and all to often corresponding event is bankruptcy. When your client is facing some of the most difficult decisions of their lives, will you be prepared to assist them? This three-hour course will equip you to answer preliminary questions and give you a better understanding of the bankruptcy process.  $30, 3 hours of CE.  Sponsored by Fidelity National Title (formerly Security Title)

April 16th, 8:00 – 11:00:  Short Sales and Foreclosures.  Oliver Frascona will share strategies and techniques for not only surviving, but succeeding in today’s real estate market. How can you improve your short sale negotiation skills? What are some tips and guidelines you can use to work with foreclosures? And with the challenges in the lending industry, how do you get financing to get the deal closed? Get these answers and more!  $30, 3 hours of CE.  Sponsored by Unified Title.

All TRES classes in Northern Colorado are held at Eheart Interior Solutions, located on the southeast corner of I-25 and Hwy 34.   To register or with questions, please contact Charity Vermeer Cornelison at 970.481.2064.

Last Friday, March 19th, marked the beginning of a new series in Northern Colorado from The Real Estate School (TRES).  Oliver Frascona, Esq., enlightened a full house with tricks and tips for handling short sales and foreclosures, as well as offered some creative financing options, such as assumptions and wraps.  Besides gaining valuable tools to apply to their careers, Brokers received continuing education credits and were treated to a fully catered lunch, drawings and other goodies.

Last week’s sponsors included Eheart Interior Solutions, Security Title Guaranty Company, Kyle McCormick from Northern Colorado Mortgage, and Pampered Chef.

This class was the first of many; TRES has just released a schedule that features relevant courses for every month in 2010.  Upcoming topics include:  Creative Financing, Bankruptcy, Short Sales and Foreclosures, 2010 CREC Update, NAR Ethics Update, Contracts and Forms Review, Buyer and Seller Issues, Transaction Brokerage vs Agency Relationships, and more.  All classes will be hosted by Eheart Interior Solutions (the southeast corner of I-25 and Highway 34) in their upstairs classroom.  For a complete listing of upcoming courses, please visit www.charityvermeer.com or email charityvermeer@gmail.com.

REALTORS, mark your calendars!  The Certified Negotiation Expert Designation course is coming to Northern Colorado, courtesy of Security Title and The Real Estate School, on April 22nd and 23rd.  After completing the two-day course, REALTORS will receive the CNE Designation in addition to 12 hours of CE credit, plus an abundance of skills and marketing materials that can immediately be implemented.

The Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation course contains proven professional negotiation approaches and techniques taught in many universities and colleges across the United States.  Importantly, the CNE course shows you how to apply these professional approaches and techniques to real estate negotiation situations.

Introduced in 2006 by Negotiation Expertise LLC, the leading national negotiation training company, the Certified Negotiation Expert Designation course encompasses over 30 years of professional negotiation experience.CNE instructors are carefully selected and adhere to the highest education standards in the real estate industry.  In the first three years, over 5,000 real estate agents earned the CNE designation, making it one of the most popular new designations in the real estate industry.

Buyers and sellers hire real estate professionals to help produce results.  As in any business, skills must be mastered to help produce these desired results.  No other skill in the real estate industry is more important than an agent’s negotiation skills. Mastering the art of negotiation is on e of the best ways to ensure success for clients and the real estate professional. And the CNE Designation shows clients and other agents you are a well-trained professional!

Here’s what CNE agents say about the CNE course:

• 92% feel the CNE course was a wise investment
• 89% say they have more confidence in their negotiation capabilities
• 86% believe they have a higher level of professionalism
• 85% get better results for their real estate clients after the CNE course, and 81% get better results for themselves
• 75% feel the CNE designation helps separate them from the crowd

For more information and to register, please contact me at charityvermeer@aol.com.

Grab your hard hats! Construction has begun! The Colorado Association of REALTORS’ Education Development Committee (EDC) has made some remarkable strides in the remodel of the existing Graduate REALTOR Institute designation (GRI).  And the end results look promising!

Last year, CAR underwent an audit from the National Association of REALTORS to ensure that all necessary benchmarks were being met in the state’s GRI program.  Some areas of improvements were identified, so the EDC quickly assessed the situation.  After several meetings and careful consideration, the EDC has selected a highly accredited writer to author the GRI series.  Lead instructors from CAR’s faculty will assist the writer to ensure compliance with Colorado’s laws, rules and customs.

Traditionally a program that attracts newer Brokers, the GRI will now be designed with courses to attract even the seasoned veteran.  With new outlines and course books, updated and additional information, and vastly improved visual aids, the GRI’s new design is sure to please.

The contracted writer will adhere to a strict schedule in order to meet CAR’s launch date in August, 2010.  At that time, the current GRI courses will be discontinued and the new series will be offered statewide.  In the meantime, students currently enrolled in GRI courses may continue in the existing program; CAR will “grandfather” GRI candidates into the new program and will assess course requirements on a case-by-case basis.

Stay tuned as more details are unveiled!  And mark your calendars for the grand opening of CAR’s all new GRI program this summer!

With the holidays behind us, it means that 2010 is in full force.  Along with your usual resolutions of more closings, weight loss and a gym membership, be sure to include a commitment to education.  As a reminder, the Colorado Real Estate Commission is increasing the number of audits for continuing education credits, so don’t be caught off guard.  Here’s a quick checklist as to what those requirements are:

• 24 hours within a three-year cycle
• Of that 24 hours, 12 hours must be different versions of the CREC Mandatory Update*
• The remaining 12 credits may be elective courses, including the NAR Ethics Update class

*Remember that once a version of the CREC Mandatory Update is expired, you can no longer take the course.  It is impossible to go back and take past classes that you’ve missed.  This is the one class that you do NOT want to miss; if you fall short on this requirement, your options are far from enticing.  Taking the 24-hour Broker Administration course or the Colorado portion of the exam are just a couple of your choices.  If that sounds appealing, then by all means, gamble!

As a side note, make sure you know when your license expires.  The CREC will not send you a reminder when it’s time for you to renew.  If you miss your date, you will expire, and then will be required to pay fees, complete paperwork and whatever else to reactivate.