Commercial Property News - October 2008 - (Page 30)

INDUSTRY PULSE BROKERAGE Letters of Recommendation As Ranks Grow, Certified Brokers Retain Cachet By Paul Rosta P rofessional designation among brokers is blooming. The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors has granted its SIOR designation to more than 2,500 brokers, and more are earning the distinction every year. The Certified Commercial Investment Members Institute estimates that 10,000 people are pursing its certificate in real estate finance. If all complete the program, those brokers will more than double the ranks of professionals who can add “CCIM” after their names. Despite the growing numbers, executives insist that these and other certifications have lost none of their cachet as educational, recruiting and marketing tools. On the contrary, executives believe that the designa- tions amount to shorthand for a combination of intensive, sophisticated classroom training and extensive experience. This high regard stems in part from the perception that though more brokers are earning certificates, the programs are still limited to a relatively small group of selfselecting, high achievers.As Sperry Van Ness COO Kevin Maggiacomo put it,“They’re not handed out lightly.” The perceived value of designations appears to be rising as the brokerage business is squeezed by industry consolidation, as well as lagging leasing and investment sales. In tough times, finding a competitive edge is more urgent than ever.“What I think the accreditations and certifications do is instill confidence in the client,” explained Rick Davidson, who oversees the ONCOR International network and serves as president & COO of Coldwell Banker Commercial. “The way you differentiate yourself in this business is through knowledge.” Some executives even find a direct link between designations and performance. At Sperry Van Ness, SIOR and CCIM professionals make up a much higher proportion of the firm’s top performers today than was the case a year or two ago.That tells Maggiacomo that the training and experience signified by designations helps professionals stand out in tough times. Executives also cite designations as a recruitment tool. When Sperry Van Ness started to expand nationally a few years ago, part of the firm’s strategy was to target brokers who had completed the SIOR or CCIM programs. TCN Worldwide has also signed on plenty of brokers with designations: SIOR or Visit www.cpnonline.com/search and enter key words “More Mileage” in quotation marks to read about maximizing designations. In Print Buzzworthy: Featuring monthly economic updates by renowned economists Peter Linneman, Kenneth Rosen and Asieh Mansour. Market Intelligence: Investment, leasing and development data and trends relating to property types and geographic areas. Industry Pulse: A focus on industry trends, growth areas, business specialties and related sectors. and sustainability. Digital ith CPN - the Blog for Trends, News and Views Tune in for economic, industry and sector updates Now featuring: - Mark Heisterkamp, Director Commercial Real Estate, USGBC – Green In Person Upcoming CPN Conferences New York Investment November 14, 2008 Executive of the Year Awards 2008 November 14, 2008 Washington, D.C. Property Opportunities Conference November 17, 2008 Call 1-877-9ASK-CPN for conference sponsorship and registration information. - Peter Boritz, Principal Real Data Management – Technology updates, every third Thursday of the month CPN E-Newletters: - Daily News REport / Morning and Afternoon editions - Net Lease REport - Tech Talk - Sector Update For advertising opportunities please contact: Dan Burke John Pellettieri 732-229-2771 818-368-5620 burkemediagroup@msn.com jbp7@earthlink.net 30 Jim Führer 503-227-1381 jim@masthighmedia.com www.cpnonline.com COMMERCIAL PROPERTY NEWS • October 2008 • www.cpnonline.com http://www.cpnonline.com/search http://www.cpnonline.com http://www.cpnonline.com

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CPN - October 2008 Contents Starting Line Industrial Data/Analysis Conferences Chicago Market Profile Finance International Title Insurance Brokerage Corporate Report

Commercial Property News - October 2008

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