How to Earn the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute Designation

By now you’ve figured out that earning your Realtor license is just the first step in your real estate career. In order to be the most successful realtor you can be, you’ll need to continue learning and developing your skill set over the course of your career. One way to do this is to earn the Graduate, REALTOR Institute designation. Earning this designation requires extensive education and signals to your potential clients that you possess an advanced knowledge of the market and have finely honed your business skills. Requirements to earn the Graduate, REALTOR Institute designation vary by state. Here are the steps to earn the designation in Texas:

Become a Realtor

All professionals seeking to become GRI designated must first be members in good standingNational How To Become A Realtor Career Center of the National Association of REALTORS.

Take 3 Required Courses

In Texas, earning the GRI designation requires taking three specific courses of study:

• Contracts to Closing
• Marketing and Business Skills
• Real Estate Brokerage

Each of these courses takes place over several days and counts as 30 hours of Salesperson Annual Education (SAE). These courses are often offered as seminars by local chapters of the National Association of REALTORS, so they also provide excellent opportunities to network with peers. Each course ends with a test. Prices vary but courses cost around $300 each. Courses can be taken in any order. Realtors can count hours from GRI courses as continuing education if they do not complete all three.

What are the benefits of a GRI designation?

Once you’ve earned your GRI, that’s it! The designation does not require yearly renewal as long as you maintain membership in the NAtional Association of REALTORS. And while the requirements vary by state, the designation is national, so once you have earned it in one state it is transferable to any other state.

GRI designated Realtors on the whole have a much higher median income than those without the GRI designation. In 2012, their median income was $61,000 compared with non-designees’ $33,500. Your increased knowledge of business, technology, and industry will help you to land more sophisticated clients.

You’ll also gain access to the GRI logo and GRI marketing materials, setting yourself apart from the crowd.

Your Message

By earning your GRI designation, you are sending a message to potential clients that you have a strong foundational knowledge of the real estate industry and process. Completing GRI coursework is a great first step for someone who has just earned their Realtor license. It provides the building blocks for a career as well as the opportunity to network with other up and coming professionals and local NAR chapter leadership.

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