According to data from the 2010 NAR Member Profile, the median income of REALTORS® with at least one designation was nearly $22,000 more than the income of those with no designation. And in a market where differentiation is key, many agents are earning the prestigious Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation to better serve today’s consumer and help their bottom line.
Agents who complete the education required to earn the ABR® designation not only join a group dedicated to the advancement of buyer representation in a dynamic real estate market, but they receive a wealth of member benefits to help them along the way. Each year, the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) strives to stay ahead of the latest industry trends to serve its members. Here are just a few of the benefits ABR® designees can look forward to next year:
Social Media Tools
ABR® designees can look forward to a new Facebook app that will help them promote their designation and showcase the value they bring to home buyers through their business pages. This tool, along with our ABR® app for the iPhone and ABR® Network Online community, are just the latest ways that REBAC strives to keep members abreast of the latest happenings in buyer representation and equip them with tools to reach consumers more efficiently.
Customizable Marketing Materials
The ABR® designation not only gives agents the skills and knowledge to guide a buyer through the home-buying process, but it comes with a wealth of resources and tools to help today’s agents adapt to a continuously changing market. In addition to the social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, REBAC members have access to the Home Buyer’s toolkit, a comprehensive home buying guide for potential clients as well as consumer one-sheets to use at buyer counseling sessions and customizable marketing materials that promote the value of working with an ABR® designee.
Online Resources
The REBAC.net website is filled with resources for consumers and agents alike. Our membership directory serves as a valuable online referral database for ABR® designees, while our public home buyer section helps consumers find resources and tools to assist in the purchase of their next home. Members can also look forward to other online resources, including complimentary webinars, an Ask the Expert forum and an A-Z collection of articles, benefits, products and other tools to help build their business.
Continuing Education
Agents interested in earning their ABR® must successfully complete the two-day Accredited Buyer’s Representative Designation Course as well as an elective course based on their area of specialty. With courses available in both live lecture and online formats, agents can choose the curriculum based on their learning preferences. Upon completion of the coursework, agents must verify five completed transactions in which the agent acted solely as a buyer representative to apply for the designation. Like all certifications and designations offered through the National Association of REALTORS®, only those agents with active and good membership status with NAR and REBAC qualify for the ABR® designation.
Marc Gould is the executive director of The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC). A wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council is the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer. With more than 30,000 active members, REBAC awards the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation to REALTORS® who work directly with buyer-clients.
For more information, visit www.REBAC.net.
