Real Estate designations and their importance in hiring a broker

I hope every mother had an enjoyable, fun, and relaxing Mother’s Day and was pampered as they should be every day; for without them, the world wouldn’t exist.

Many consumers and homeowners have always asked me what my designations mean and what the benefits are for them when considering hiring me. My first designation was a G.R.I. which I earned almost 20 years ago, which is the Graduate of the Realtor Institute (a version of a Real Estate MBA), online link: GRIdesignation (go to the online column to be able to click on the link and learn about the classes). It encompasses 90 hours of continuing education (8 modules) beyond a Brokers or salesperson’s license and the course allows you up to 5 years to complete. It encompasses advanced financing, negotiating, statistics, technology, legal and regulatory issues, current laws, procedures, professional standards, market knowledge, handling sellers and buyers, the sales process, Business skills, prospecting, MLS, systems and tools, and much more. This designation provides you with what is needed and necessary to be miles ahead of those who do not seek the required education to scale their businesses. Median income was $61,000 compared to $31,000 of a non-designee in a study in 2012, the last time a study was done by The National Association of Realtors; and is most likely higher in 2022, but there are no stats to go by. The knowledge, expertise, and professionalism that is learned go far beyond what the typical Broker, Associate Broker, or salesperson currently knows and understands.

The C.I.P.S. (Certified International Property Specialist) online link: CIPSdesignation (go to the online column to be able to click on the link and learn about the classes) is the next extremely important and crucial designation that a Realtor should consid-

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

er undertaking to gain a wide spectrum of knowledge about various cultures and their specific and varied customs. Having comprehensive knowledge about major cultures, e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Moslem, Spanish, and others provides the groundwork to enable one to easily assimilate and handle those families and individuals that have specific customs and mannerisms. Some cultures kiss each cheek; others will hug or shake hands. Women are handled much differently and not knowing the custom when meeting, could cause an embarrassment and a loss of a very valuable client and potential sale. Many years ago, I recorded our instructor, David Lauster, (who was the head person at the Dept of State, who constructed, upgraded, bought, and sold our U.S. Embassies around the Globe), who conveyed a story about a Chinese couple, who were relocating to Florida to manage a Marriot Hotel. The story is 7 minutes long and you can watch and listen here, by typing the link into your browser and get ready to laugh hysterically as I did: https://www.facebook.com/ philipraices/posts/10209707280620143 .

To earn your C.I.P.S. designation, one must complete 2 core courses and 3 elective courses and submit your designation application demonstrating 100 points of international experience. All courses are available online or in person and are valid for 3 years. Courses completed more than 3 years prior to the submission of your application must be retaken to receive credit towards the education requirement for the designation, online link: CIPSdesignation (go to the online column to be able to click on the link and learn about the classes).

Everyday Cheapskate

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PHOTO THANKS

When my children have a birthday party, I take a picture of my child with a gift and the child who gave the gift. Instead of writing out thank you cards, I have the child write his or her thanks on the back of the picture. Memories for all! --

Tracy L., West Virginia LEFTOVER

Inventory

A great way to avoid cleaning out the dreaded leftovers in the refrigerator is to keep a leftover inventory. Attach a dry erase board on the front of your fridge, and each time you put a leftover in the fridge write it down. Include the date it went in. Then, when you use that leftover, mark it off your list. You’ll save time and money.

-- Sheila Bowker, Alabama

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “DebtProof Living.”

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The “Green” designation, link: Greendesignation (go to the online column to be able to click on the link and learn about the classes) is offered by the National Association of Realtors. This prepares you to gain a vast knowledge of energy efficiency and sustainability about low carbon footprint construction, solar heating and electricity savings, geothermal heating and air conditioning, the new cutting-edge 3D-printed foundations, and much more. My son, Matt is a Lead Certified Project Mgr in NYC and practices all these types of construction with buildings that are labeled Platinum, Gold, or Silver by adhering to very strict and comprehensive building codes and regulations. The economic savings are substantial and the reduced impact on our environment now and in the future. All states and cities will adopt these stricter codes for all building construction in the future. Our environment dictates what needs to be considered and makes it a necessity to have the least effect and stress on our globe. Earning the GRI, CIPS, and GREEN designations will go a very long way in enabling Realtors to acquire and achieve greater knowledge and be on top of their game for the future of construction and our fragile environment so we will leave the next generation as prepared as possible in dealing with the ever-changing weather, increasing temperatures and the serious effect on humans, animals, and vegetation. Lastly, earning your C.I.P.S. designation and learning how to properly address and deal with the various cultures and their habits, when selling, investing, purchasing, renting, and leasing residential and commercial properties will be a valuable asset in your toolbox.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S.) and in 2022 has earned his National Association of Realtors “Green Industry designation for eco-friendly construction. He will provide you with “free” regular updates of sold and new homes in your town via the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI) or go to https://WWW. Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search on your own. For a “FREE” `15 minute consultation, as well as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s market without any obligation or “strings” attached. He can also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and our Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.

You can email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your request or ideas, suggestions or interview you for a specific topic and a Q & A for a future column with your name, email and cell number. He will email or call you back and respond to your request ASAP as long as he has your complete name, cell, email and/or full home or business address. Again, for a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, he can also be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions and concerns in selling, investing, purchasing, or leasing residential or commercial property.

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of May 28 -- June 3, 2023

At the beginning of June, the planet Mars will make a beautiful pass in front of the Beehive star cluster, and if you’ve got a small, low-powered telescope, you’ll have a front-row seat.

You can see this cluster fairly well on a clear, dark night, far from city lights -especially when it reaches its highest in the early evening sky in April. This week after dark, however, the Beehive appears low in the west, among the faint stars of the zodiacal constellation Cancer.

Because its light must pass through a relatively thick column of atmosphere to reach our eyes this week, it might not be visible to the unaided eye, even from areas without light pollution.

There is another way to find it right now, however. That’s by looking for the planet Mars, which now appears rather faintly just above and to the left of the brilliant planet Venus. In fact, on the evening of May 31, Mars will appear just to the west of the Beehive, and this should be a good night to view both with a small telescope. Even with bright moonlight this week, a telescope will show the stars of the cluster.

The show’s not over on that night, though. As Mars orbits the sun, we can see its movement against the more distant stars if we’re patient. On the eve-