Bob Schultz, Realtor. Expert marketing of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Suffolk homes. Call him for all of your real estate needs!

To anyone not familiar with Real Estate designations and what they mean, they can look like confusing and hold no meaning. But the fact is, they do mean something very important when selecting a Realtor to work with during your home buying or home selling process.

These designations indicate that a Realtor has the dedication and has taken the time to further their education in today's complicated real estate market.

In other words, although they may look like just a series of letters, CBR and GRI actually add up to spell one very simple idea: COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE!

And after all, isn't that what you want in a person who is going to work with you while you make one of the most important financial decisions in your life?

(GRI) Graduate, Real Estate Institute
Members primarily involved in residential real estate wanting to increase their knowledge and skills in a broad array of technical subjects and the fundamentals of real estate participate in the REALTORŽ Institute, graduate program to earn the GRI designation. The program also provides opportunities to develop important business contacts. The GRI is a nationally recognized designation of the National Association of RealtorsŽ.

(CBR) Certified Buyer Representative
The First Nationally Recognized Buyer Agency Designation, Sponsored by REALTORŽ Boards and Associations Nationwide

Purchasing a home is one of the largest financial investments most Americans ever make. Though traditionally the REALTORŽ was hired by the seller and acted in the seller's interest, a Certified Buyer Representative (CBRŽ) is specially trained to represent the buyers, helping them get the best possible price for the home they desire.

How Can a Buyer Agent Help Me Buy a Home?

A buyer agent works to protect your best interests by providing complete and professional guidance to you.

To buy property, you need to

locate and evaluate properties in your price range,

exercise a level of diligence on the proposed purchase,

determine an offering price,

document the contingencies you will need,

and develop a negotiating strategy based on the competition.

You will then prepare an offer to purchase contract

and enter into negotiations .

Going through this process with the help of a buyer agent will enable you to purchase the property at the lowest possible price and on terms that meet your specific needs.

Once you have the home under contract, you'll need an agent to

recommend inspectors,

to walk through the property with the eye of a professional,

and to provide options and guidance through the problems that often arise.

What Are Some Benefits of Using a Buyer Agent?

When a relationship is created between the purchaser and the real estate agent, the agent must work in the buyer client's best interest at all times, thereby providing purchasers with the same level of representation traditionally given only to the seller. Here are just a few of the benefits you will receive from having your own personal representative when seeking to purchase property:

Confidentiality. The agent you hire to represent you will not disclose confidential information regarding motivation, price and terms, or anything else of a personal nature to the seller or seller's agent without your permission to do so.
Loyalty. The buyer's agent must work in the buyer's best interest at all times, even if it is not in the agent's personal best interest to do so. This means that the agent will virtually do for you what they would do for themselves in the transaction.
Full disclosure. The agent you hire to represent you will fully disclose any information gained from the seller or the seller's agent that could be used by you in the transaction. In addition, the buyer's agent will undertake a level of diligence and discovery that will give you the necessary information to make an informed decision as to the property you wish to purchase.
The buyer's agent will search for all available properties for sale by owner, unlisted properties, new construction, foreclosures, and others and will not limit their showings to properties they have listed. A listing agent's job is to move the inventory of their seller clients. A buyer's agent's job is to locate satisfactory properties for their client. Any limitations on this search will be documented in the buyer agency agreement.
As the buyer's agent goes through the properties with you, they will assist you with analyzing the properties and determining their strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to make informed comparisons. A lifestyle analysis will be performed to determine whether or not the property would suit your particular needs.
The agent you hire to represent you in the transaction will do a market analysis on the chosen property and will provide you with an offering range for that particular property. They will then set a negotiating strategy for you to assist you in acquiring the property at the lowest price and best terms possible for your situation.
The buyer's agent will complete an offer to purchase that is "buyer friendly" and contains the contingencies and protective clauses you need

These are just a few of the benefits received from having your own personal buyer agent when purchasing. Considering that the majority of buyer agents are paid through the transaction or by the seller's agent, doesn't it just make good sense that you have the representation you deserve?

Why Should I Be Sure My Buyer Agent Is A Certified Buyer Representative?

A recent survey completed by the National Association of Realtors shows that over 40% of the buyers are now represented in the real estate transaction. In some states, the figure is over 80%. Considering the rapid growth of buyer agency, it is imperative that a buyer find an agent who has been trained to professionally represent them in the transaction.

That, specifically, is the reason the certification mark CBRŽ Certified Buyer Representative was created. Issued in 1993 by the US Patent and Trademark Office, this mark allows consumers to identify a buyer agent who has been trained and who possesses the skills necessary to represent purchasers in a legal, ethical, and non-adversTimes fashion.

Those agents who have acquired this designation have demonstrated their commitment to full client level service to the buyer. They are armed with forms, checklists, and disclosure documents to perform a level of diligence in the real estate transaction that is unparalleled in the industry.

When deciding on an agent to represent you, ask about their credentials and training. Many real estate agents attempt to practice buyer agency without acquiring the skills necessary to perform professional representation. The CBR designation assures you that the agent you hire has been trained and will perform to the level of the competent professional, working in your best interest to meet your personal needs in your next real estate transaction.

Using a Buyers Representative offers the consumer many benefits.

Evaluate the specific needs and wants of the buyer and locate properties that fit those specifications.
Assist the buyer in determining the amount that they can afford (pre-qualify) and show properties in that price range and locale the consumer has determined.
Assist in viewing properties and either accompany the client on the showings or preview the properties on behalf of the client to insure that the identified specifications are met.
Research the selected properties to identify any problems or issues to help the consumer in making an informed decision prior to making an appropriate offer on the property.
Advise the client on structuring an appropriate offer to purchase the selected property.
Present the offer to the sellers agent and seller on the clients behalf.
Negotiate on behalf of the buyer client to help obtain the identified property. Keep in mind that the buyer agent will be doing so with their clients best interests in mind.
Review and explain all legal documents to their buyer client.
Recommendations and assistance in securing appropriate financing for the selected property.
Provide a list of potential qualified vendors e.g. movers, attorneys, carpenters if these services are needed by the consumer.

Most importantly, the buyer would know that they are fully represented throughout the real estate transaction