I have asked about this before in a comment on a blog about designations (please see http://activerain.com/blogsview/NAR-designations-what-they-mean-and-where-to-get-some?3139 for a rather thorough list of designations and http://activerain.com/action/search/search_results?searchfields=blogs&search=designations for a list of all the AR blogs on designations). I have searched blog keywords for designation points and not found anything.
Should we earn points for our earned designations? I understand the AR community is not just about the points and I appreciate tremendously the huge amount of work involved in maintaining this network by Matt, Caleb, and all the others moderating and working behind the scenes. I understand our designations are worth much more than AR points in the quality of service we provide to our clients by applying what we have learned through our coursework.
But when we can earn 25 points for writing a comment that says "Thanks for your blog" or "Great tips" and yet receive nothing for our designations, I felt this question should be asked for feedback. My broker discounts our fees for each designation we receive and also lowers our cap on the number of transaction sides we are required to pay commission fees on (very nice broker!!). We receive recognition by others with designations through referrals. Why shouldn't we be rewarded within the AR community? There was a great blog on promoting designations at http://activerain.com/blogsview/Promote-your-Designations-?13621.
So I ask, do you feel we should be rewarded with points for each post-licensing designation we earn? Thanks again to our AR hosts and moderators for all they do for this network!! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks!
Rob Lang, ePro, GRI Realtor® (membership application for REBAC submitted and should have my ABR within a week)
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS 66049
785-393-2274 (cell) 785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com (same website name if you want to visit)
NOTE: This blog was written in the past about properties on the market at the time of the blog being written and should not be considered as active listings beyond the date of this blog.
Are you asking Active Rain to give points to those who have designations? Which designations? NAR? What designations for non NAR real estate licensees? Which designations should they count for mortgage people? Should the JIM designation earn you points? How about the e-JIM?
I've got a lot out of the classes I took, I don't need points for them from AR or anyone else.
i am tempted to write "great blog" ha ha
i do agree with both of you though and really don't care if we're given points or not.
Althoughi am looking forward to the AR Ultimate Payoff of leads I have already received such an education from AR just from reading all of the great blogs. I have purchased at least 15 books on Real Estate, taken numerous classes which were expensive and most likely will continue to do so but here I can find a wealth of information for free.
This is such a great place to find answers for our profession, and I consider myself very fortunate for this to be a free education in itself. It I can't find something some one else has asked before, I create a blog and get answers. It's unbelievable.
Thank you
Obviously the "e-JIM" and concurrent "JIM" designations are so clearly worthy of extra points it hardly seems worth mentioning. ;-)
For the more mundane, CRS, GRI, ETC, designations I think points would not be appropriate for this forum.
Points here should be awarded for accomplishments and things done here.
Hmmm....Perhaps Active Rain should award its own designations!
I don't think that points would be appropriate for the designations. If you are going to award someone for taking a minor CE class (no matter how good), what would you give someone for "bigger designations" such as: AS, BS, MS, MD, JD, PhD?
Interesting comments so far. While I have a masters degree, I hadn't considered the value of it for points in the sense that it doesn't directly apply to real estate as do the NAR designations. As far as mortgage people are concerned, if they have real estate designations they should be rewarded as well.
I also hadn't considered the fact that there may be a Realtor out there who has his/PhD. Any hands going up on that one? On the rare occasion that there is a hand, was the PhD in Real Estate?
Folks, as you know, this is a real estate network and NAR designations involve real estate coursework. Consumers benefit from designations and the AR community benefit from members who have applied the knowledge from their NAR designations as well.
As far as non-NAR designations (or lack thereof), I will need to defer to a non-NAR Realtor to request/defend the need for their points much like mortgage people would be the experts in their request.
Am I the only fish in the ocean that sees value in requesting AR points for NAR designations or am I the only one willing to ask?
Great discussion so far! Keep the ideas rolling in!
Rob - Who would decide which designations/certifications would be eligible? I enjoy my CRS, ABR, e-PRO, ASP and soon to be ACRE initials but as Mr Lee pointed out above... What about the highly coveted National Association of JIMs & e-JIMs... I think that there are less than 200 of us at this point in time...
I like the points thing... I could clean up! :)_
Can I get something for being a Cyberstar and CyberProfessional (not that I'm not already enjoying the benefits...)
I think you should get some extra points for stirring up Roberta and her Awards Post
Angus wrote: Can I get something for being a Cyberstar and CyberProfessional (not that I'm not already enjoying the benefits...)
I say NO!!!! but what do I know?
Roberta's Award's post is good... I think whomever invited Roberta to Active Rain deserves extra points... ;-) but does not want extra points anyway.... can we give points to an AR charity?
Maureen - :) Brag, Brag, Brag! At the risk of hijacking this "provocative blog" Aren't you raking in beau-coup points for all of your excellent invitees? Very nice that you are willing to donate those points... I have a good place to send them to: the Bovine Reclamation Association c/o Angus in Naperville
Not that points matter or anything..
However, I just can't help myself and have to hand out a groaner..... here it is..
If everyone had at least the GRI, CRS and ABR (or at lease a combination) designations we would all be giving better service to our clients and writing and negotiating better offers with our fellow Realtors. We can never be too educated in our professions. Also, we owe it to our clients to give them the best service attainable.. and that means we need to be constantly re-educating ourselves regarding our business. That is why I have taken the time and spent the $ to be the best that I can for my clients with the education I have received from these designations and continuing education.
So, IMHO, something that improves the quality of our service to our clients and each other, i.e. quality NAR recognized designations, is worth much more than a comment on a blog post.
Ok.... I can hear some of ya groaning! I'll shut up now.