Seller Solutions · Buyer Opportunities · Real Estate Recovery

Short Sales and Foreclosures — The New “Traditional” Transaction

For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new "traditional" real estate transaction. Knowing how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities are not merely good skills to have in today’s market—they are critical. And while short sales and foreclosures are not for the faint of heart, agents with the proper tools and training can use these specialty areas to build their business for the long term.

Don’t Go It Alone — Choose SFR

Designed for real estate professionals at all experience levels, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Short Sales and Foreclosures Resource certification, or SFR for short, gives you a road map for understanding how to:

• Counsel sellers facing foreclosures
• Qualify sellers for short sales
• Develop a short-sale package
• Negotiate with lenders
• Tap into buyer demand
• Safeguard your commission
• Limit risk
• Protect buyers

As many agents can attest, your ability to close short sales and foreclosures depends in part on your confidence in seeing these transactions through. Begin building your confidence today with SFR!

How This Certification Benefits You

1. Education in classroom and online formats that fit your schedule and wallet
2. Electronic toolkit with practical forms and worksheets
3. Free Webinars that you can download anytime, anywhere
4. Access to SFR logo and marketing materials
5. Differentiation as an SFR at www.realtor.com
6. Online networking with your peers

Becoming SFR Certified

The path to pursuing the SFR certification is straightforward. Follow these four steps:

1. Be a member in good standing of the National Association of REALTORS®
2. Complete a qualifying core course. Choose ONE of the following courses:
1. REBAC’s Short Sales and Foreclosures Course: What Real Estate Professionals Need to Know (*Successful completion of this one-day course counts as credit toward earning the SFR certification and also meets the elective course requirement for REBAC's ABR® Designation.)
2. CRS 111: Short Sales and Foreclosures: Protecting Your Clients’ Interests
3. CRS 112: Guiding the Buyer in the Distressed Property Market
3. Complete the elective requirement. Choose ONE of the following
1. View three 1-hour Webinars available free of charge.
2. HAFA Short Sales - U.S. Treasury, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac Programs Course
4. Submit the official SFR application
   Prior to submission, first review the Application Instructions (PDF)
   To submit the application via email (strongly recommended) you must save the application to your desktop as a document and then email to SFR@realtors.org as an attachment.
   Download and save the application here (PDF)

Upcoming Course Information