CRS Designation Gives Realtors® An Edge Over Competition
Contact: Kathryn Rudziensky
Public Relations Coordinator
312.321.4445
www.crs.com
CHICAGO, JULY 1, 2008 — For more than 30 years, the Council of Residential Specialists has offered its approximately 45,000 members the education, networking and business tools they need to compete and succeed in the residential real estate market.
Residential real estate professionals who want to earn the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation must complete a rigorous educational curriculum and meet high production requirements. Not surprisingly, CRS Designees rank among the best Realtors® in the industry. According to an independent survey:
- CRS designees earn a median annual income of $110,000, nearly three times as much as the $37,300 median annual income of agents who are Realtors®.
- CRS designees complete an average of 26 transactions per year, with average gross sales of $4 million annually. This compares to Realtors® who work as sales agents who complete an average of 8 transactions annually with average gross sales of $1.6 million per year.
- Some 57 percent of CRS Designees work for large franchise companies, while 43 percent work for independent companies. This compares to Realtors® who are sales agents where 49 percent work for independent companies compared to 45 percent who work for franchises.
- Approximately 67 percent of CRS designees are women compared to 33 percent men. For Realtors® who are sales agents, 64 percent are women compared to 36 percent men.
“Being a CRS affords its members the opportunity to participate in exemplary education and events, as well as acquire specific tools to enhance our businesses. Year after year, this comprehensive program has given me the extra ammunition and confidence when stepping into a listing presentation,” says Susan Showers Anderson, CRS, CRB, with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Vista, Calif. “I joined CRS more than 20 years ago and still utilize the knowledge gained at the very beginning. That’s why I strongly encourage all agents on my team to earn their CRS.”
Education
The Council’s courses offer the opportunity to learn from the industry’s top professionals, gain continuing education credit and earn the CRS Designation. In-person courses are presented as either two- or one-day learning experiences in listing, selling, residential investments, referrals, technology, and more. And the Council’s growing eLearning program offers top-notch online educational opportunities that agents can access using their home or office computer.
When he was new to the business, Denny Grimes, CRS, ABR, of Denny Grimes & Co. at VIP Realty in Fort Myers, Fla., found CRS courses both educational and motivating. “The quality of instructors and information is unmatched, and I also had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the most productive agents in the business. The experience opened my eyes to a higher level of expectations,” he says.
Referrals and Networking
The Council’s members comprise an international network of today’s top real estate professionals. From the CRS Membership Referral Directory to the Council’s annual events, CRS Designees are given the tools they need to increase their referrals and build their businesses. Council members are also eligible for membership in their state CRS chapters, which provide their members with considerable grassroots support, education and networking opportunities at the local level.
“The CRS designation has stood the test of time in our industry, and the organization’s credibility is instrumental when it comes to referrals. I feel confident referring clients to a CRS colleague because I know they’re sincere, reliable and probably even overqualified,” says Deb Greene, CRS, ABR, of Coldwell Banker Burnet in Minneapolis. “Many corporate relocation departments in my area are also looking to CRS.”
The Council of Residential Specialists is a not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors® comprised of more than 45,000 members. It awards the CRS designation to experienced Realtors® who have completed advanced professional training and demonstrated outstanding professional achievement in residential real estate.
# # #