Today, just plain hard work and working long hours is not enough to be a professional in the real estate arena. You need to stand out from the others that are competing against you in order to advance your career and increase your earnings.
In addition, to enhancing your professional image and provide your clients with the most up to date marketing concepts and techniques, learning new ways of conducting business will play a big role for the real estate professional in the 21st century. That role will include the real estate professional re-educating themselves based on today's market conditions. One of the most important parts of any successful professional is to stay abreast of changing conditions and the opportunity that stems from change, both for the real estate professional and their clients. No longer will experience by itself suffice. The key element to the successful real estate professional is knowledge.
One of the most sought after designations today is the certified exchange advisor (CEA) which is administered through the American Institute of Real Estate Exchangors, (AIREE). In order to earn the CEA designation, individuals must complete intensive class-work on the specialty of real estate exchanging. Real estate exchanging pertains to section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. It allows individuals to exchange their equity in their income-producing or investment property, for equity in other income-producing or investment held property anywhere in the U.S. One of the primary benefits of this concept is to pay no tax when disposing of income-producing or investment held property.
As a designee, in addition to becoming a specialist in the business of real estate exchanges, all designees become members of the AIREE, in which they receive the right to use the CEA designation. There are many advantages to earning this designation. One reason is to put more dollars in the real estate professionals pocket and for their clients to pay no tax when disposing of income-producing or investment properties. Many people meaning the public perceive designations or letters after a real estate professionals name as evidence of commitment and expertise. Another important reason is that real estate agents pursuing the CEA designation are at the same time fulfilling their continuing education requirement.
Designees, as members of the AIREE, receive the required education to become a problem solver in their community regarding the exchange of real property. Today, most real estate exchanges are being performed on properties that are listed by residential agents. They include: parcels of land, doubles, duplexes, small multifamily, single-family rentals, rental condos/townhouses, etc. Real estate exchanges are not just for the large commercial transaction anymore. With new exchange laws, they are creating a boom in the use of this concept.
Professionals who achieve the CEA designation become part of a network of other top notch real estate professionals and nationwide reciprocity means your achievement is equally valued in any state to which you may operate. In addition, the designees are kept abreast of current events, changes, and new ways of marketing real property.
Other objectives of the AIREE, include not only to educate the designees, but to provide them with a national network of members in which they can conduct business with all over the U.S.
Today, more and more real estate professionals are acknowledging the value of earning designations. For information on this designation, call the AIREE.

Russell Gullo, CCIM, CEA, is president of R. J. Gullo & Co., Inc., Buffalo, N.Y. Tags: