ABR® Designation
Why should I earn the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation?
What are the ABR® designation requirements?
Which courses meet the ABR® designation elective course requirement?
When can I begin using the ABR® designation/logo in my advertisements and in my representations to the public?
Membership
Do I have to belong to REBAC to earn my ABR® designation?
What are some of the benefits of belonging to REBAC?
How do I join REBAC?
Do I have to be a member of the NAR to be a member of REBAC?
Dues
What is the cost of annual REBAC membership?
Why is my dues invoice less than the cost of one year's dues?
How do I print my dues receipt?
ABR® Designation
Why should I earn the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation?
The Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), an affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS®, to real estate practitioners who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria.
In addition, REBAC provides many membership benefits to help your business grow and keep you up-to-date and networked, with new enhancements added each year.
What are the ABR® designation requirements?
Four (4) requirements must be met to attain and use the ABR® designation:
- Successful completion of the two-day Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course, including an 80 percent passing grade on the exam for online course takers. After you complete this course you will have three (3) years in which to complete the other ABR® designation requirements.
- Successful completion of one of the ABR® elective courses, including an 80 percent passing grade on the exam for online course takers. This course may be taken prior to completing the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course.
- Five (5) completed transactions in which the ABR® candidate acted as a buyer’s representative (up to two leases). Any transactions closed prior to taking the ABR® Designation Course or closed within three years after completing the course are eligible for credit.
- Membership in good standing in the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) and the National Association of REALTORS®.
Important Note: All requirements must be completed within three years of passing the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course.
Which courses meet the ABR® designation elective course requirement?
More than a dozen different courses qualify as elective options, many of which are offered by REBAC, but the list also includes courses offered by the NAR and other NAR affiliates. View all elective options, many of which also count towards other designation requirements.
When can I begin using the ABR® designation/logo in my advertisements and my representations to the public?
Only REALTORS® who have met all the ABR® designation requirements and have been awarded the ABR® designation are permitted to call themselves an ABR® designee and use the ABR® logo.
Although you cannot use the ABR® designation until it has been awarded to you, membership in REBAC begins when you successfully complete the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course. Other member benefits can be reviewed here.
Membership
Do I have to belong to REBAC to earn my ABR® designation?
To earn and maintain the ABR® designation, you must continue your membership with both the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) and the National Association of REALTORS®. (Exception: See International membership requirements.)
Failure to maintain membership with REBAC for five (5) consecutive years or longer will result in having to repeat all the ABR® requirements. Exceptions for certain situations will be considered if we are notified prior to your absence and it is noted in your record.
If your REBAC membership should lapse for two (2) months, a $50 reactivation fee will be assessed, in addition to the current year’s membership. If you let your membership lapse for five or more years, you’ll need to retake the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course before reinstating your ABR® designation.
What are some of the benefits of belonging to REBAC?
With new enhancements made each year, REBAC benefits are designed to keep members well informed, and to help their businesses prosper. We keep you abreast of management and marketing trends in the real estate industry, and on top of current legal and legislative issues. You also profit by being part of a larger network of experienced buyer’s representatives who willingly share practical advice with one another.
Membership allows you to attain and maintain the ABR® designation, the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation, and the only buyer representative designations recognized by the NAR.
How do I join REBAC?
The only way to join REBAC is by successfully completing the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course, for which you will receive one year free membership in REBAC.
Do I have to be a member of the NAR to be a member of REBAC?
Yes, all members of REBAC must also be active members of the National Association of REALTORS®, with the exception of international REBAC members. See International REALTOR® requirements.
Dues
What is the cost of annual REBAC membership?
For U.S. REALTORS®, REBAC membership dues are $110/year. Your first year's membership in REBAC is included free with successful completion of the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course. Dues are billed annually, with your first dues invoice prorated to bring your membership to a calendar billing cycle.
See International membership information.
Why is my dues invoice less than the cost of one year's dues?
REBAC membership dues are billed in November and are due on January 1st. If your dues invoice is for less than $110, that means you took the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course some time after January in the preceding year and the free one-year membership you received after completing the course began at that time. The amount you were billed covers the months remaining in the calendar year after your free membership expires, bringing your billing into a calendar year billing cycle.
How do I print my dues receipt?
Log into the Payment Portal and click on the tab called 'My Orders'. Navigate to the 'Paid Orders' section, and click the link for the dues order you'd like to print.
