Designations Earn REALTORS® Higher Income
By Kim Shindle
A few letters can help REALTORS® gain an edge over the competition and earn a greater income.
NAR research consistently shows that REALTORS® with any designation earn more annually than non-designees, sometimes as much as $33,000.
The Graduate, REALTORS® Institute (GRI) designation provides REALTORS® with the extra knowledge to be a resource for their clients.
“Over the years, my experience has been that those who have professional designations are a cut above the others in the real estate business,” says GRI instructor Bill Schaaf of Erie. “These people are willing to spend the extra money on their education and are committed to their businesses. They want to provide their customers with the best information and service they can.”
Rick Zalek, a GRI instructor from Harrisburg, agrees. “The GRI courses provide a great networking tool for REALTORS®. They meet other agents inside and outside of their marketplace and learn other ways of conducting business and real life situations,” he says. The GRI is also a great investment because most courses can be used toward required Continuing Education credits and broker credits in addition to earning the GRI designation, he notes.
To earn the GRI, a REALTOR® must complete five required two-day courses and two one-day electives. “It’s a smorgasbord of topics and it’s slightly more technical,” Schaaf says. “Students learn how to deal with both buyers and sellers, taxation, pricing residential properties, how to identify different types of construction of a house.
“These courses benefit everyone,” he continues. “You might not always run into a question about taxation but when you do, you’re aware of what your client needs. That’s very important in this business and marks you as a professional.”
Cheryl Fuss of Lancaster recently earned her GRI designation. “The GRI courses were excellent and definitely worth the time and money. The instructors were experienced and willing to share a lot of great information. I think the designation will allow me to better serve my clients. I only wish I had taken the courses sooner,” she says.
Discussions during the class enrich the learning experience. “There’s an opportunity to learn from fellow students. Students often learn as much from their fellow classmates as they do from the structured course material,” Schaaf adds.
Zalek concurs, “Discussions show some real world situations. REALTORS® may be doing something differently and it can spark ideas for others. Those experiences help you do a better job for your buyer and seller, have a smoother closing and ultimately make more money.”
REALTOR® Larry Yorlets, who’s been in the business about two years, recently added GRI to his designations. He agrees that networking is key to the classes. “I wanted to gain more knowledge upfront. When you take classes out of your area, people are willing to share what they’re doing in their businesses. This knowledge increases your own confidence and expertise in the industry.”
“Some of my students tell me that every REALTOR® should be required to take the GRI courses,” Zalek adds. “The GRI courses cover a range of topics that REALTORS® need to know. Those who want to gain more information should take advantage of the program. It’s a tremendous opportunity and at a tremendous price.”
Arthur Hildreth Jr. of Lititz received his GRI designation this fall after completing the course work in just eight months. “I found the instructors to be ‘leading edge’ and ahead of the industry,” Hildreth notes. “The information they were teaching was pertinent and relevant to the current market. I thought the classes were fabulous and I couldn’t get enough.”
GRI courses offered by PA REALTORS® Institute (PRI) are listed on the PAR web site at www.parealtor.org under Education and PRI Course Calendar.