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REBAC News
- NAR's Green Designation Course Full Story
- Hot Off the Press! Current Today's Buyer's Rep View Publication
Instructor FAQs
REBAC instructors must frequently field questions from their students about the REBAC organization, related member benefits, what it takes to earn their ABR® designation and more. To help you provide good answers for these questions, please consult this handy compilation of FAQs.
Membership Dues and Use of ABR® Designation
What are REBAC’s annual dues?
When can students begin using the ABR® designation in their marketing materials?
Why are students required to pay dues after their free year of membership expires?
Member Benefits
When do REBAC member benefits begin?
When can an ABR® candidate begin using the ABR® designation?
What are the benefits of REBAC membership?
What can be downloaded from the REBAC web site?
What products (if any) does REBAC sell to members?
Will a member of REBAC who is not an ABR® designee be listed on the Web site?
REBAC Courses
What are the elective courses for earning the ABR® designation?
Where can I find a schedule of ALL courses offered through the REBAC license agreement?
What is the ABRM℠ designation and how is it earned?
What documentation is required to earn the ABRM℠ designation?
Documentation/Submission
What is a NRDS number and why is it important?
When can ABR® candidates submit their documentation for the designation?
Do leases or personal transactions count towards meeting the transaction requirements for earning the ABR® designation?
Are dual agency transactions allowed for ABR® designation requirements?
Are there timing considerations regarding the five transactions?
Where does REBAC send the ABR® and/or ABRM℠ certificate kits when a member is designated?
Miscellaneous Information (General)
What is a passing grade on the exam?
How many ABR® designees are there?
How is someone nominated to the REBAC Hall of Fame?
Miscellaneous Information (Instructors and Course Providers)
How are REBAC instructors informed of changes to courses and procedures?
How often do REBAC instructors need to be recertified?
How does a course provider find an instructor to teach a course?
How do instructors become certified to teach other REBAC courses?
How do course providers hire new instructors?
Who is responsible for submitting the courses to the state for continuing education (CE) credit?
What needs to be sent to REBAC after a course is complete?
What standards of conduct must course providers expect of instructors?
What obligations are course providers under, regarding delivering current course materials?
What other legal obligations exist for instructors and course providers?
Membership Dues and Use of ABR® Designation
What are REBAC’s annual dues?
Students who successfully complete the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course receive one free year of membership in REBAC. Renewal dues (currently $110.00) shall be billed at the beginning of each calendar year and shall be prorated for the first year following course completion to reflect any remaining balance of the free twelve (12) months’ credit received.
When can students begin using the ABR® designation in their marketing materials?
Students may begin using the designation ONLY after REBAC has conferred the designation to them. They must also maintain active memberships in REBAC and NAR to continue using the ABR® designation.
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Why are students required to pay dues after their free year of membership expires?
In order to have ongoing use of the ABR® designation, students must maintain membership with REBAC. REBAC provide its members with a robust portfolio of member benefits, which REBAC staff continuously updates to ensure that Accredited Buyer’s Representatives have the best education, marketing tools, and networking opportunities for their professional development and success. Updating member benefits require commitment from our members, which is why we must ask ABR® designees each year to invest in their success and pay dues.
If students do not maintain membership with REBAC, or if they use the designation before it’s been officially awarded, enforcement measures may be taken.
In addition, students should note that also it is a violation of the NAR Code of Ethics as well as many state license laws to use any designation or insignia for which they are not authorized to use. (Please also note that all members of REBAC must also be members in good standing with NAR.)
Member Benefits
When do REBAC member benefits begin?
Member benefits begin after you complete the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course and REBAC receives students’ designation applications and verification that they’ve passed the exam. You must also be a current member of both REBAC and NAR.
Note to Providers: Please transmit all exams and applications to REBAC as soon as possible after completing a course.
When can an ABR® candidate begin using the ABR® designation?
Candidates must be current members of REBAC and NAR, and can use the ABR® Designation after ALL of the following requirements have been met:
- Successful completion of the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course
- Successful completion of one elective course
- Details have been submitted confirming five buyer-representation transactions
- Notification has been received from REBAC that all requirements have been met. (This will arrive as a faxed message from REBAC.)
What are the benefits of REBAC membership?
Members receive a wide range of complimentary benefits, all designed to keep them informed on issues and topics related to buyer representation, and to provide an array of business-development opportunities. These include:
- Today’s Buyer’s Rep—a monthly newsletter filled with informative articles, marketing tips, and other insights from successful buyer’s reps and other industry experts.
- The Real Estate Professional—a bi-monthly journal offering a wide range of articles focused on real estate sales and management.
- Webinars—featuring timely and relevant buyer-representation topics, exclusively for our members.
- TBR HotSheet—quick, concise summaries of current articles of interest to buyer’s rep, delivered each week to your e-mail Inbox.
- Home Buyer Seminar Guide—a special online tool designed to assist members in planning and conducting their own seminars for home buyers.
- Online Membership Directory—all members receive a listing on our Web site, an important tool for connecting home-buying consumers with trained buyer’s reps.
- REBAC Day—special sessions and networking opportunities held each year at the national REALTORS® Conference & Expo.
- Referral Network—One of the best member benefits! REBAC advertising encourages consumers to request a free Home Buyer’s Toolkit and a list of contact information for REBAC members in their area. REBAC receives about 50 such requests each day. It’s a great source of referrals for our members.
- Additional Benefits—ABR® members can also access numerous marketing tools and client-support products at a discounted price (see question 8 for details).
What can be downloaded from the REBAC web site?
Members can conveniently access these informative resources and marketing tools online:
- Logo files for ABR®, ABRM℠, and REBAC
- Ad slicks from current and previous advertising campaigns
- REBAC’s Marketing Plan
- Past issues of Today’s Buyer’s Rep
- Past REBAC Connection webinar presentations
- Order forms for other products--see below.
What products (if any) does REBAC sell to members?
Certain member benefits have been subsidized by REBAC, but must be purchased at a nominal price, including:
- REBAC Print Shop—a fully-automated online print shop where you can customize your own marketing materials, including flyers, postcards, and brochures, choosing from an array of professionally-designed themes and formats.
- Homebuyer’s Toolkit—a booklet that walks buyers through each step of the home-buying process.
- Gold ABR® Stickers—adds as distinctive look to business cards.
- Customized Logo Apparel—including ABR®, ABRM℠ and REBAC logos.
Will a member of REBAC who is not an ABR® designee be listed on the web site?
Yes, all members—ABR® designees and candidates—are included in REBAC’s online directory. However, members who have earned the ABR® are always listed ahead of other members in directory searches. Directory search results are displayed in the following order:
1. First, ABR® designees with enhanced profiles
2. Other ABR® designees
3. REBAC members with enhanced profiles
4. Other REBAC members
Note: The order of names for all completed searches changes every time a search is conducted, using the above criteria.
REBAC Courses
What are the elective courses for earning the ABR® designation?
REBAC offers five (5) elective courses, including:
- Successful Buyer Representation in New-Home Sales
- Successful Buyer Representation in Relocation
- e-Buyer
- Innovative Marketing Techniques for Buyer’s Representatives
- Short Sales and Foreclosures: What Buyer’s Representatives Need to Know
Additional courses that count towards the REBAC elective requirement are:
- Creating Wealth through Residential Real Estate Investments (CRS course)
- International Real Estate for Local Markets (CIPS course)
- Land 101: Fundamentals of Land Brokerage (RLI course)
- NAR’s Green Designation Core Course
- Introduction to Real Estate Auction (NAR course)
- Resort and Second-Home Markets (NAR course)
- e-PRO® (NAR course)
- Effective Negotiating for Real Estate Professionals (WCR course)
- Harnessing the Power: Skills-Based Performance Management (WCR course)
- Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) Designation Course
Courses can be completed in any order. Elective courses can be taken any time prior to the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course and up to 36 months after completing the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course.
Where can I find a schedule of ALL courses offered through the REBAC license agreement?
CourseCalendar.com
Please note that it is essential that course providers notify REBAC of all newly scheduled courses so we can assist them in their marketing efforts by posting their offerings on this web site.
What is the ABRM℠ designation and how is it earned?
ABRM℠ stands for Accredited Buyer’s Representative Manager and is a designation for brokers, owners or managers.
Candidates must have already taken the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course either by attending a class or “challenging the exam”—in other words, simply taking the exam through REBAC for a fee of $295. Candidates can then take the Accredited Buyer's Representative Manager (ABRM℠) Designation Course and earn the ABRM℠ designation. They must also maintain current membership status in both REBAC and NAR.
What documentation is required to earn the ABRM℠ designation?
Candidates must submit either: 1) a list of 25 transactions in which they oversaw buyer’s representatives; or, 2) the name of one or more buyer’s representatives whom they have managed for a period of two years or more.
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Documentation/Submission
What is a NRDS number and why is it important?
NRDS stands for National REALTORS® Database System. Each member of NAR is assigned a unique NRDS number. REBAC pulls all its membership information from the NRDS system in order to maintain consistency among the Local, State and National Boards. If a student is not yet a member of NAR, they can still take a course. However, they will be notified that their free year of REBAC membership will not begin until they submit their 9-digit NRDS number to REBAC.
When can ABR® candidates submit their documentation for the designation?
Candidates can submit their documentation ONLY when they have completed the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course AND one elective course. Please remind candidates not to submit their request prior to receiving their welcome letter and ABR® designation application, which includes their new REBAC identification number.
The complete documentation process typically takes 3–4 weeks, depending on when the course provider mails the information to REBAC. Once we receive the application and required paperwork, REBAC’s Member Service Team processes it within 24–48 hours.
Do leases or personal transactions count towards meeting the transaction requirements for earning the ABR® designation?
Yes, ABR® candidates can use both leases and ONE personal transaction (meaning the purchase of their own property) as part of the five transactions needed to receive the ABR® designation.
Are dual agency transactions allowed for ABR® designation requirements?
To count towards their ABR® designation, candidates cannot represent both parties at the same time. However, someone from their office can represent the other party; the application form includes a space for providing this other person’s name.
Are there timing considerations regarding the five transactions?
You can include any transactions that occur ANY TIME prior to taking the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation Course, and up until 36 months (3 years) after completing the course. However, there is a 3-year limit for completing all requirements. If you haven’t completed your transaction and elective requirements by the 3-year deadline, you will need to take the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) Designation course again.
Where does REBAC send the ABR® and/or ABRM℠ certificate kits when a member is designated?
The certificate kits are sent to local Boards for presentation (unless a Board has asked that we send it directly to the member). The kits are prepared by an outside vendor and usually arrive 4–5 weeks after designation. REBAC will notify you by fax once your paperwork is finalized so you can start using your ABR® Designation.
Miscellaneous Information (General)
What is a passing grade on the exam?80 percent, or 40 correct answers out of 50 questions.
How many ABR® designees are there?
Over 39,000.
How is someone nominated to the REBAC Hall of Fame?
Members can nominate themselves or any other member by downloading the REBAC Hall of Fame nomination form and submitting it to REBAC. It will then be reviewed by a selection committee.
Miscellaneous Information (Instructors and Course Providers)
How are REBAC instructors informed of changes to courses and procedures?
E-mail messages are sent from our Business Development Manager, Dawn Headtke, informing instructors of any changes to the courses or procedures.
If an instructor is not receiving these messages, please ask them to check their e-mail address on their NRDS record; if this information has not been updated, it will not be current with REBAC, because all information is pulled from the NRDS system.
Please also note that course providers are responsible for providing current materials to their instructors. Additionally, complete details on instructor training sessions are available here.
How often do REBAC instructors need to be recertified?
Once every two years.
How does a course provider find an instructor to teach a course?
Lists of approved instructors for all current courses can be found here. If a provider has an instructor whom they’d like to certify for a particular course, please see below.
How do instructors become certified to teach other REBAC courses?
Other REBAC courses are typically offered in conjunction with Instructor Recertification Workshops held at NAR’s REALTORS® Conference & Expo and Midyear Legislative Meetings, and at the Real Estate Educators Association (REEA) Annual Conference. If instructors cannot attend one of these meetings, they will need to audit the live presentation of a course from an instructor who has taught it at least twice before and has received excellent reviews.
Course providers may receive an e-mail message or phone call from Dawn Headtke, REBAC’s Business Development Manager, asking permission for an instructor to audit a course they are providing. After permission has been granted, Dawn will notify the instructor that they can proceed with plans to attend.
If an instructor is auditing a course with you, they should be marked on your roster as Instructor Audit, and they should take the course exam. No royalty fee is assessed for instructor audits.
How do course providers hire new instructors?
Providers review instructors’ resumes and decide if they would like to hire them. If the new hire is also a new REBAC instructor, you will need to contact Dawn Headtke so that their information can be properly entered in our database. The new instructor will then be informed of upcoming instructor training workshops.
Who is responsible for submitting the courses to the state for continuing education (CE) credit?
Course providers must submit REBAC courses to their state licensing authority in order to receive CE credit. REBAC posts materials at the Course Providers’ Resource Web site to assist course providers in this regard.
What needs to be sent to REBAC after a course is complete?
Upon the conclusion of each REBAC course, you will need to send the following:
- Royalty check—royalty fees are detailed on pages 5 and 7 of your REBAC license agreement
- Roster of students—the number of students on the roster should match the number of students who are physically present in the classroom
- ABR® designation application or Student Data Form
- Graded Exam Answer Sheet
- Instructor Evaluation
All of the above must be sent to:
REBAC
Attention: Dawn Headtke
430 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Please note that if an instructor is auditing a course, they will need to take the exam and you will need to indicate “Instructor Audit” on a complete data form. No royalty should be paid for instructor audits; please note this on the roster, so that all records are marked correctly.
What standards of conduct must course providers expect of instructors?
Licensed course providers must require all instructors to agree to the following:
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