Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Does anyone have their Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation? Has it increased your business at all? Did you learn anything? I'm looking to differentiate myself from the herd a little bit.
I'm not a member of the NAR anymore so I can't use any of my designations, but I did take the ABR class and used the designation for 4 years. It didn't increase my business in the least, but I haven't found any of the designations do that.
If you don't blog, then you should do that before spending money on the class.
Does anyone have their Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation? Has it increased your business at all? Did you learn anything? I'm looking to differentiate myself from the herd a little bit.
It was the 1st designation I earned years ago and been paying dues ever since. It's hard to judge how much extra business it has brought in but it one more piece that gives me the credibility I like to show my buyers.
My wife and I work as a team where I spend 80% of the time with our buyers. It allows me to tell my clients I am a true "Accredited Buyers Representative."
Designations don't increase business. I suggest instead spending 8 hours getting an ABR designation you spend 8 hours getting more seller/listing leads. Buyers shop for houses, not agents.
It was the 1st designation I earned years ago and been paying dues ever since. It's hard to judge how much extra business it has brought in but it one more piece that gives me the credibility I like to show my buyers.
My wife and I work as a team where I spend 80% of the time with our buyers. It allows me to tell my clients I am a true "Accredited Buyers Representative."
Many others cannot say that.
Ditto. I focus mainly on buyer representation, and feel that the designation gives me a bit more credibility. In reality, I did not gain much from the requirements to get it, although our instructor was very knowledgeable and I got useful info from him.
I don't do designations because of the perception from the public. If you deem yourself an ABR, how do you also turn around and say you can represent a seller to their fullest. Then, you turn around and get the seller specialization as well... but then what do you truly "specialize" in, buyers or sellers? It confuses people, and I refuse to play the game of dishing out money for the ABC after my name when you have to pay for it year and year. I've been doing this for 10 years, and have taken many classes, and my education and track record proves my strengths, not a designation. Anyone can get an ABC, but it doesn't mean they know anything. I don't pay for my college degree each year, but I still have it, why pay for designations once you obtain it?
OP, when I bought my last house it was an out of state relo. I knew nobody in the area that had purchased residential real estate that could offer a recommendation. I opened the yellow pages and looked for a buyer's agent. In a town with sooooo many agents, there was only 1 individual who advertised as a buyer agent. Guess who got my business?
In my opinion, aside from having the GRI, because the classes were so good, the only designation that has literally put money in my account has been my CRS. The ABR classes, again to me, were kind of generic and paying for it every year has done nothing for my bottom line. Save your money for CRS.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
