So you’re looking for a REALTOR® to help you buy or sell a home. Great! REALTORS® are all professionals who hold licenses in Iowa and are members in good standing with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and their local professional organization. REALTORS® also all agree to abide by the NAR’s Code of Ethics.

But some REALTORS® have lots of other letters behind their names. What’s up with all of those? Great question!
In order to obtain and maintain their license to sell real estate in Iowa, all real estate agents are required to take a variety of mandatory and elective continuing education classes every three years. Some of those classes may also make them eligible for special “designations” that signify they’ve undertaken more specialized training. This training may be of interest to you.

Here are some of the common designations you may encounter:

ABR – Accredited Buyer Representative
CCIM – Certified Commercial Investmentment Member
CRS – Certified Residential Specialist
e-PRO – technology certification
GREEN – Green Designation
GRI – Graduate, Realtor Institute
MRP – Military Relocation Professional
SRS – Seller Representative Specialist
SIOR – Society of Industrial and Office Realtors
SRES – Seniors Real Estate Specialist

There are many others, however. Each of these designations means that the agent has chosen to put time and effort into learning more about particular topics. You can learn more about the variety of designations and more about what they mean at this link: Designations and Certifications. While these letters and what they represent are wonderful additions to your agent’s experience and training, the most important consideration for anyone working with a REALTOR® is feeling comfortable with the agent and her or his dedication to you as a client.