Designations & Certifications

What do they mean and why are they important? ABR, CLHMS, RSPS - what does all this alphabet soup mean to you?

When you see initials like these behind a REALTOR®'s name, it means that this person is a committed professional, not content just to take the courses needed to get and maintain a real estate license, but determined to improve their professional skills and the quality of service they provide to their clients. They have devoted time to attending advanced educational courses and have taken examinations to earn these designations.

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has nine affiliated Institutes, Societies, and Councils that provide a wide-ranging menu of programs and services that assist members in increasing skills, productivity and knowledge. Designations and certifications acknowledging experience and expertise in various real estate sectors are awarded by each Affiliated group upon completion of required courses.

Not all Realtors are equal. Physicians and professors have degrees and doctorates, Realtors have advanced designations and special certifications. Time, effort, travel and expense have been invested to attend courses, take and pass exams and achieve specified levels of performance and professional achievement in order to earn each designation and certification. This translates into a professional with advanced knowledge and expertise to assist you in protecting your biggest asset and negotiate on behalf of your best interests!

How can you tell if your Realtor has the knowledge and expertise you need? Ask about their designations!

In order to keep current with real estate industry issues, evolving technology, changing legalities and markets, to increase my expertise, build my skills and knowledge base, I feel compelled and committed to ongoing continuing education.

Up to this point, I've earned the following 10 designations & certifications and am able to provide you with additional expertise and an outstanding level of personal service in each of the following areas. 

 

ABR
Accredited Buyer Representative
Look first for the ABR designation when looking for a home. Realtors with ABR after their name have met strict educational and proctical requirement set by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (REBAC) to help guide you in your succesful home purchase. This designation is held by less than 2% of all licensed real estate agents in America, and is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. In this capacity, I'm qualified to provide buyer representation, familiar with buyer brokerage and buyer agency issues, and devoted to represent and serve buyers in finding the home, estate, condominium, vacation rental, investment property or land that perfectly suits their needs.

AHWD
Certified At Home With Diversity Professional
AHWD is a ground-breaking professional education initiative designed to provide America's real estate professionals with training and tools to expand their business as well as homeownership opportunities for more Americans. My AHWD certification relays to the public that I've been professionally trained in and am sensitive to a wide range of cultural issues inviting a wider volume of business from a greater variety of cultures.

CLHMS
Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist
As the first (and only) agent on Kauai to be a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) and member of The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, I'm uniquely qualified to help buyers as well as market fine properties and estates for sellers throughout the island. The Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation signifies my commitment to meeting the unique needs and expectations of high-end clientele.

CSP
Certified Short Sale Professional
CSP real estate professionals are expert facilitators of the short-sale transaction from beginning to end. Agents that have earned the CSP designation recognize the impact that a short-sale can have on the sale of a home and have been prepared to provide that value added service for their clients. Who better to work through the issues of short-selling your home than the one that is assuming responsibility for the marketing of your home? I am equipped with the knowledge and skills to work with your lender to assist you in resolving the imbalance between home value and mortgage debt and ensure that your home is fully prepared to present a proposal to them. That is the edge you will need to sell your home quickly and as painlessly as possible.

ePRO
Certified e-PRO Internet Professional
The Internet has added a new dimension to the real estate world. The e-PRO certification is an extensive online training program endorsed by the National Association Of Realtors (NAR) to certify real estate professionals as Internet Professionals. Comprehensive and educational, e-PRO is the only certification program of its kind recognized nationwide as an online standard for real estate professionalism and knowledge.

The e-PRO certification is a real estate industry certification similar to various industry designations such as: CPA - Certified Public Accountant, an accounting industry designation; CFP - Certified Financial Planner, a financial industry designation; CLU - Charter Life Underwriter, an insurance industry designation; CSEO - Certified Senior Escrow Officer, an escrow industry designation.

As an ePRO designee, you can have utmost confidence in my Internet proficiency, and also be assured that I have the knowledge and skills to put the power of the Internet behind your real estate transaction. I am prepared to employ the latest techniques and services on your behalf.

GRI
Graduate REALTOR Institute
This designation awarded by state associations to members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS who successfully completed a predetermined course of study of at least 90 hours of specialized real estate courses, covering a variety of subjects including: contract law, professional standards, finance, and risk reduction. It marks real estate professionals who have made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation. In addition, these designees have learned the fundamentals of brokerage and other areas of real estate specialization. With this designation and through increased awareness of current topics important to the real estate professional, such as legal issues, these REALTORS can better serve prospective clients and customers.

Graduate REALTOR Institute designees have made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services to their clients. The GRI curriculum incorporates a common body of knowledge for progressive real estate professionals. A REALTOR who possesses the GRI designation has not only completed a course of study required by the program, but also subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.

With this designation I have received additional training in many areas of real estate to better serve and protect my clients. This designation me apart from other practitioners because it indicates to the public that I have obtained a professional educational foundation on which to base the services I provide.

The GRI Designation was established by the Education Committee of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS and approved by the NAR Board of Directors.

RFS
Residential Finance Specialist
With my RFS designation, I'm trained to look beyond the obvious and help buyers and sellers explore a wide range of financing options. Financing is one of the most critical elements in the home purchase and sale transaction. It can make or brake the deal and has a huge impact on the long-term financial success of the home ownership experience. Yet many real estate agents fail to counsel their clients about financial issues.

As an RFS designee, I have a unique focus on financing that will help protect my clients from a variety of pitfalls including unnecessary or inflated charges, delayed closings and predatory lending practices.

This designation requires an intensive course of study and evidence of experience in the area of home finance counseling. Fewer than 1% of all real estate licensees have earned this prestigious recognition.

RFS is awarded by the Residential Financing Council (RFC), a professional association comprised of real estate and mortgage professionals focused on real estate financial counseling for consumers.

RSPS
Resort & Second-home Property Specialist
Acquiring a second home has grown in popularity over the last ten years (and in particular since 2003), and savvy buyers and sellers increasingly demand the expertise of a real estate professional with proven knowledge of resort and second-home market conditions.

As a charter member, and the only RE/MAX agent in the State of Hawaii with this certification, I'm able to help facilitate the buying, selling, or management of properties for investment, development, retirement, or second homes in a resort, recreational and/or vacation destination.

One of the core course requirements of the RSPS certification is the RLI Tax-Deferred (1031) Exchange course from the Realtors Land Institute. Through this course, I've gained an understanding of how the rules governing 1031 tax-deferred real property exchanges are applied and how these transactions are put together. I can recognize and evaluate situations in which a 1031 tax deferred exchange could be to my clients advantage, and I can involve and work with intermediaries and other experts to structure these transactions.

SFR
Short Sales & Foreclosure Resource
Knowing how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities are not merely good skills to have in today?s market - they are critical. My ability to close short sales and foreclosures depends in part on my expertise and confidence in seeing these transactions through. This NAR awarded certification provides me with the framework to do that for my clients.

TRC
Transnational Referral Certification
The goal of this certification is to prepare real estate professionals to make and receive referrals using the Transnational Referral system developed by the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations (ICREA). I've learned how to integrate international referrals into my business planning. The Transnational Referral Certification demonstrates to other real estate professionals that I am well versed in the procedures of the Transnational Referral system and have pledged to follow a code of conduct in business dealings. Awarded by the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations.