Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Real Estate Associations Provide Power and Knowledge, Say Commercial Real Estate Show Panelists


Michael Bull
ATLANTA, GA (Sept. 3, 2013) – Joining and being active in a commercial real estate association is a highly effective way for those in the industry to learn best practices, network and gain insider knowledge.

That was the consensus of a panel of experts on the most recent episode of the “Commercial Real Estate Show” radio program, hosted by Michael Bull of Bull Realty. Bull and his guests discussed three different organizations: the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Institute and the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Jay Starr
ICSC offers education, advocacy, research and networking to more than 62,000 members worldwide, said Jay Starr, senior staff vice president and chief global marketing officer for the organization. The core membership includes shopping center owners, developers, retailers and lending institutions, but ICSC also includes companies that supply products and services to its core member base.

A willingness among ICSC members to share best practices is one of the strengths of the organization, Starr said. “Rarely is there an association where members actually teach each other best practices, considering that they might be competing the next day,” he said. The giant national RECon convention, which attracted more than 35,000 attendees in 2013, is another thing that sets ICSC apart, Starr said.

Wayne D'Amico
The CCIM Institute provides educational and networking opportunities for brokers, appraisers, property managers, asset managers and employees of major corporations such as Walmart and General Electric, said Wayne D’Amico, president of the organization.

To earn the CCIM designation, real estate practitioners must complete a curriculum of four courses and several electives, and also complete a certain number of transactions to prove they’re putting their knowledge to use in the real world. Finally, they must take a comprehensive exam.

 “The rights, privilege and honor of being a CCIM and having a whole network of people around the country who achieved that designation is a very powerful benefit,” D'Amico said. CCIMs also have access to a variety of innovative demographic and geospatial technology products that the Institute has developed.

Jim Helsel
NAR is one of the largest real estate organizations, with more than 1 million members, and approximately 230,000 of those members are involved in the commercial real estate industry. Members include brokers, realtors, property managers, appraisers and counselors.

NAR offers advanced educational opportunities and training in real estate specialties. Recently, NAR was given university status, which allows the association to confirm master’s degrees in several areas in real estate, said Jim Helsel, commercial liaison for NAR.

It’s a common misconception that every real estate licensee is a REALTOR, but Helsel said that is not the case. “You have to be a member of NAR to be a REALTOR,” he said. “We subscribe to a strict code of ethics that spells out the professional responsibility we have to our clients and customers as well as other professionals and  the general public.”

The entire show on associations is available for download at www.CREshow.com. The next “Commercial Real Estate Show” will be available on Sept. 5 and will feature an update on The Federal Reserve Bank's view of commercial real estate.

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Stephen Ursery
The Wilbert Group
404.405.2354

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