Real Estate Professionalism - As We See It!!

This post is going to change direction slightly from the normal market conditions the we usually post here.

Several weeks ago members of the Southeast Minnesota Association of REALTORS (SEMAR)(of which Brian is on the Board of Directors) moved to a new Multiple Listing Service (MLS) software system. This move was long overdue and was a giant leap in technology. It has give some awesome capabilities to local REALTORS, however like any change it has presented its challenges as well. Many of you have read our previous posts and some have even commented or e-mailed us on the changes in the reports that we post here regularly. We continue to invest time and energy into learing this system so that we may provide our clients with the very best service available.

This MLS software system change has led to a number of members generating e-mails to each other, sometimes with system tips and sometimes with system complaints. One such recent e-mail got us all to thinking and talking and is what has prompted this post. A member was complaining that she was required to take a day off from her FULL TIME JOB to attend training on the new system, which was only offered during the day.

Now is where this post may offend some readers. In our group Real Estate is OUR FULL TIME JOB!!! That's the way it is. We don't pretend to be real estate professionals, we ARE real estate professionals. We eat, breathe & sleep real estate (just ask our family members). Real Estate is our one and only job.

When we select a doctor, dentist, attorney, accountant, auto mechanic, financial planner or carperter for our own personal use we look for someone that is a full time professional in their respective field. We look for those that are dedicated, trained and experienced. Questions that we ask ourselves when selecting a professional are: Is this person current in their profession? Do they work full time in their chosen field? Have they expanded their training beyond the required minimums? How much experience do they have? Frankly these are the same questions that consumers should be asking when they are in the process of selecting a Real Estate professional to assist them buying or selling a home. Do you really want a part time auto mechanic fixing the brakes on your car, or a part time carpenter building your new home, or a part time doctor delivering your new baby? Your home is most likely the most expensive investment you will ever make in your lifetime, so why trust it to sometime that is part time?

Members of our group are all full time Real Estate professionals. We have all attend training above and beyond what is required as a minimum by the state of Minnesota are are proud of it. All of those funny little initials that are after out names mean we have received additional education and have been awarded the respective designation for that training.

Susan has received the ABR, CRS, GRI, SRES and Broker Associate designations and is working on the e-PRO designation

Brian has received the GRI, SRES, Broker Associate designations and is working on the CRS & on the e-PRO designations.

Todd is working on the GRI designation.

We take our professionalism, experience & training very seriously.

What do those letters & designations mean?

The ABR: The Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate BUYER'S AGENT Council (REBAC) of the National Association of REALTORS® who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria.

The CRS: Certified Residential Specialist, Realtors who receive the CRS Designation have completed advanced courses and have demonstrated professional expertise in the field of residential real estate. Fewer than 38,000 Realtors nationwide have earned the credential.

The e-PRO: An e-PRO is a REALTOR® who has successfully completed the e-PRO training program for real estate professionals. Endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS®, the e-PRO course teaches professionals the nuts and bolts of working with real estate on-line: Web sites, e-mail, on-line tools, and most of all, what today's consumer really wants.

The GRI: Stands for Graduate REALTOR® Institute, is a nationally recognized professional real estate designation. GRI is recognized nationwide as the standard for real estate professionalism and knowledge

The SRES Seniors Real Estate Specialists® are REALTORS® qualified to address the needs of home buyers age 50-plus. By earning the SRES® designation, your REALTOR® has demonstrated necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel clients age 50-plus through major financial and lifestyle transitions involved in relocating, refinancing, or selling the family home.

Please post your comments, e-mail us with comments info@BartleyGroup, or give us a call (507) 390-2121