Every real estate transaction includes a buyer. It’s an obvious fact. However, how often are your buyers working with an accredited specialist in buyer representation? Are you missing a significant opportunity to earn more business and raise your brokerage’s profile in your market?
Understandably, brokers face competing priorities and may place more emphasis on the listing side of the business. That said, there are many compelling reasons to invest in the buy side of the equation via the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation.
- Client Service
How can agents consistently win with buyers if they don’t thoroughly understand what buyer representation entails? The ABR® designation helps your agents elevate their skills, knowledge and professionalism, delivering a higher level of service that invites future business.
Time and again, agents express their delight with the value of the training. Further, ABR® designees have ongoing access to specialized information and updates to stay on top of current issues and trends, making your agents increasingly proficient.
- Risk Management
Training is a two-sided coin, offering substantial upside potential while also shrinking downside risks. After all, agents who don’t understand and meet their fiduciary responsibilities to buyer clients are at higher risk of generating noisy consumer complaints, negative online reviews, or even legal actions against your brokerage.
- Consumer Awareness
Today’s buyers are increasingly aware of and interested in obtaining real estate services from certified professionals, including agents who’ve earned the ABR® designation. REBAC’s extensive outreach efforts, including online advertising campaigns and a continuously updated consumer website (www.homebuying.realtor), which includes a directory of current ABR® designees, have contributed to growing public awareness.
- Educating Buyers
In addition to the skills gained via the training, REBAC members have exclusive access to additional consumer resources that simplify the process of explaining need-to-knows for selecting an agent, signing a buyer representation agreement, negotiating a purchase agreement, reaching the closing table, and more.
- Marketing Support
ABR® designees can also leverage a wide variety of marketing resources designed to attract business from buyers, including social media tools and printed postcards, brochures, flyers, and more.
These materials are designed to support and complement your brokerage’s branding efforts, including options to add logos and other customization details.
- Referral Network
Almost 8,000 ABR® designees have joined the ABR® Referrals & Networking Community on Facebook, a closed group that actively exchanges out-of-state referrals on a daily basis. It’s also a great sounding board for helpful insights and suggestions from other buyer’s agents.
These are just a few of the most important ways your brokerage benefits when agents earn the ABR® designation. Of course, agents who pursue additional training also typically enjoy more successful careers than agents who haven’t benefited from the guidance offered by real estate designations and certifications.
Get Started
Are your agents ready to earn the ABR® designation? The first step is simple: Enroll in an Accredited Buyer’s Representative Designation course. Agents can visit training4RE.com for current classroom offerings and online options.
Upon completing this course, agents automatically become members of REBAC, free for the first year. New members also gain access to many exclusive benefits while completing the remaining designation requirements. To learn more, visit REBAC.net/abr.
Marc D. Gould is senior vice president of Member Development for NAR, overseeing a wide range of professional development programs for REALTORS®, including the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC). REBAC 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 have completed the specialized education and documented experience in working with consumers purchasing a home. To learn more, visit REBAC.net.
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