What is your take on new agents getting certifications?

Is it better to get some real life experience and then consider certifications or get them from the beginning?

Is it true that this helps to brand you, to assist with marketing yourself?

Thanks .

eh, youll get mix responses on this.

take some good seminars like sweathogs.

Depending on how your state rules are... the GRI 1 class may be used as your Post License requirement. Since it is generally about the same thing you just went through, soon after licensing is a good time to take it and pass the test again.

The real reason I would recommend taking it as the Post license training is that it is really so boring I would hate to have to sit through it again just to get the GRI... kill two birds with one stone. The GRI 2 and GRI 3 classes are actually more useful in development of your real estate career but you have to do the post license within the first license period or start all over in most states. Several Certifications are not possible as a new agent... you have to have a set number of closings / dollar Sales to qualify.

If your not computer/ internet savvy the e-Pro certification could be useful, but classes on building your business and farming / marketing would be more useful than many certification classes at this point in your career.

Things like CRS and others would be good choices later when you have established a foothold on the business.

In general, any additional knowledge you can gain is useful, but don't use the quest as an excuse not to be doing farming, marketing and getting listings and buyers. To survive you Must Work at Real Estate Full Time and Train Part Time.

I had posted similar question in past. I got mix response. Experience do stand out but designation will give you an edge sometimes.

Check with your board on requirements.

Ritu

The only people that know what the designation stands for is other Realtors. Why bother, just one more thing you will have to spend money on adverising, so people know what it is.

Designations Do Help... but it is not just obtaining them to advertise.... it is the knowledge you obtain from the course work and often more important, the networking you can do with other agents... preferably out of your area.

Their has to be a reason 97% of Agents fail and are out of real estate within 2 years... lack of knowledge is one of the top 3, Lack of Funds and lack of business/ marketing Plan are generally accepted as the others. One other may be the agents just feel any effort isn't worth it....

It does take effort to be one of the 3% that succeed.

The GRI courses were boring, but worth it. I took away some good business practices from the 12 days of classes. I also made some great connections with agents in other cities as well as my own. I'm working on my CRS now and only got my license this past year. I really don't want to have to sit through ABR, but will go for it when the class comes around again.

I explain what GRI is when I meet people and have it posted on my website. They seem impressed, but it's not like I'd lose a buyer or seller if I didn't have one.