Real Estate Agent Designations & Certifications
What all those letters mean after a Real Estate agents name
In the state of Michigan, to receive a real estate license you are required to take a 40 hour approved real estate course and pass the state exam. Then every year after receive 6 hours of approved continuing education. Visit the State of Michigan real estate section for license and requirements
However, those are the minimum requirements. There are several other Designations, Certifications and Courses an agent can receive. Over the years, we have spent several hours in the classroom, to become better educated. We feel these courses have not only showed a commitment to the real estate profession but have allowed us to better serve our clients and customers.
ABR - Accredited Buyer Representative - understanding Buyer Agency and how to represent buyers in a real estate transaction.
Broker - 90 clock hours of approved coursework required and state exam
C-CREC - Consumer-Certified Real Estate Counselor - in this course we gained a better understanding of just what Consumers want from a real estate professional, to meet the needs of today's savvy consumer.
CRP - Certified Relocation Professional- this course gave us extensive knowledge and a complete understanding of the employee relocation process.
E-Pro -a 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.
GRI - which stands for Graduate REALTOR Institute, is a nationally recognized professional real estate designation. Requires 90 hours of specialized real estate courses. Read More
IRA's Self Directed Investments - we were taught the fundamental working knowledge of various real estate transactions using Individual Retirement Arrangements. A great program for real estate investors.
REALTOR® - a real estate agent is a REALTOR when he or she is a member of the National Association of REALTORS, The Voice for Real Estate -- the world's largest professional association.
RECS - Real Estate CyberSpace Specialist -this certification is geared to let clients know of your proficiency in serving the public with recognized skills for utilizing CyberSpace marketing programs and for effectively adopting special technology and networking systems.
Resort and Second Niche Markets - in this class we gained a better understanding of not only a resort buyer but also helped us understand the needs of second home purchasers.
SRES - Senior Housing Specialist - this designation is geared toward REALTORS that help seniors make wise decisions concerning selling the family home, buying rental property or managing the capital gains and tax implications of owning real estate.
*Note we are not currently members of REBAC or erg.org