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The first step in buying or selling property is to select the right REALTOR to act as your buyer's agent or to market your Lake Norman properties. It should not be just about which real estate agent you currently know, it should be the best qualified to assist you in reaching your specific real estate goals:
 How knowledgeable are they about the Lake Norman real estate market?
Do they live in Cornelius, Davidson, Denver, Huntersville or Mooresville?
Is their office located in the city or towns listed above?
Especially in the Lake Norman real estate market it is important that they not only live in, but their office is also in the area. The Lake Norman real estate agent you decide to respresent you should also understand the restrictions and permitting that is so important in owning waterfront property. For example, I live on Lake Norman, specifically Cornelius, where I specialize. I do not assist clients buying and selling in the Charlotte market. I will however assist them in finding a qualified REALTOR to meet their real estate goals:
A REALTOR that is committed to high standards,
A REALTOR that places the same value on additional education,
A REALTOR that has the same designations that I have earned,
In the real estate industry, we call that "Referral Business" and we practice this nationwide as well as internationally. The designations listed below should mean as much to you in your search as it does to those who have earned them!
 The difference between a real estate agent and a REALTOR...
It is important to understand the difference between REALTORS and other real estate agents. There are over four million licensed real estate agents in the United States. Real estate agents have past a licensing test are just simply licensed by their state to do business.
As a member of the National Association of REALTORS, you are committed to a Code of Ethics - just as doctors, lawyers, engineers - all are professionals. REALTORS can be subject to disciplinary action if they violate any duties of the NAR Code of Ethics.
In addition to being a member of the National Association of REALTORS there are more than 1,600 local MLS boards and associations of REALTORS nationwide that each REALTOR must subscribe to their membership as well. The National Association of REALTORS represents members involved in all aspects of the real estate industry.
 What the "GRI" after a REALTORS name mean...
A REALTOR earns the "Graduate REALTOR Institute" (GRI) designation by attending a specific, intensive series of a minimum of 90 hours of classroom instruction, covering a variety of subjects including: contract law, professional standards, sales and marketing, finance, and risk reduction. Of the licensed REALTORS, fewer than 20 percent have earned the Graduate REALTOR Institute (GRI) designation.
The REALTORS who have invested a considerable amount of time and money into earning the GRI designation are nationally recognized as top performers in the real estate industry.
 What the ABR after a REALTORS name mean...
REALTORS that have earned the designation of ABR have qualified by attending a 2-day seminar focused solely on buyer representation and achieved sales goals required by REBAC (Real Estate BUYER'S AGENT Council).
The Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council, founded in 1988, was established to elevate the skills and services offered in buyer representation. An affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS, the membership of REBAC, has become the world's largest real estate organization on buyer representation. | 
Difference in Agents
