Finding a Short Sale Expert

I hold SFR certification. Read below to see why it is important and what you need to know about Short Sales training.

Finding a Short Sale Expert:

This week, we have spoken about the importance of using an agent trained in the short sale process when selling or buying a home as a short sale. Today, we want to address how to identify those agents who are truly qualified. There are many local instructors who have done excellent work in this field. We appreciate their dedication and commitment. However, there are three designations recognized on a national basis. Here they are:

Certified Distress Property Expert (CDPE)

One of the first designations available in the field, CDPE has reached the milestone of 40,000 real estate professionals trained in foreclosure avoidance tools and strategies through the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) Designation course. CDPE is the fastest-growing independent designation in real estate industry history.

The CDPE designation is administered by the Charfen Institute which educates and trains real estate professionals and small business owners to find opportunities in chaos – either by providing solutions to the foreclosure crisis or empowering entrepreneurs with strategies to embrace their companies’ full potential.

The growth of the CDPE designation has been assisted by the support of top brokerages, including RE/MAX, LLC, Keller Williams Realty Inc, and Century 21 Real Estate LLC, as well as industry icons such as Chairman and Co-Founder of RE/MAX Dave Liniger, RealtyTrac, Realogy, Fannie Mae and Founder of Buffini & Company, Brian Buffini.

Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource Certification (SFR)

This is the designation offered by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The SFR Certification is NAR’s short sale training program developed and continuously updated by industry leaders. The training covers both the seller and buyer side of the short sale transaction. Designed to prepare the agents for the short sale process from the first meeting with the seller through the marketing, contract writing and submission of the short sale package it has prepared over 50,000 REALTORS® across the country to successfully navigate the distressed property waters.

Short Sale Certified (SSC)

A newer entry into the field, the Short Sale Certified designation (SSC) focuses on local laws and trends in the agent’s footprint. The course was developed by Brandon Brittingham, a top producing agent who has personally completed several hundred short sales, and Gee Dunsten, a former national CRS president who has instructed and written short sale courses all over the country and is considered an industry expert.

SSC has just announced an alliance with the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World to offer short sale training to the 100,000+ agents in the network. This will include live training as well as distance learning.