There are numerous opportunities for Realtors to expand their expertise through a variety of designations that all require additional course work. According to Jeff Barnett, vice president at Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Gatos, many of his agents have designations such as the Seniors Real Estate Specialist, and more are getting them.

"I think designations are very good for the type of client you are trying to help. As an example, having the SRES designation helps in working with seniors," Barnett said.

Realtor Patti Mauseth and her husband, Realtor Ken Roberts, recently earned their SRES designation to help senior citizens through the selling process.

"I am appalled that the senior population is prey to unscrupulous people. I found great value in learning about the options available to senior citizens. The only aspect that was disturbing in regards to the two-day educational program was to learn the definition of a senior is anyone over 50!" Mauseth said.

Dennis Byron of Byron and Associates in Los Gatos said the first designation a Realtor should get is a GRI, which means he or she is a Graduate of the Realtors Institute.

"This is a broad overview of the profession we have chosen. This is equivalent of a college degree in real estate, which I also hold. From there you can get an alphabet soup of designations. This means that someone has taken the time to better serve the one person who matters--the client. We are the guardians of the knowledge, but the client is the recipient," Byron said.

Mary Prochnow, broker/owner of Mary Prochnow Realtors in Los Altos, holds both a GRI and a Certified Real Estate Brokerage manager, while her Realtor daughter, Baidra, holds a Certified Residential Specialist.

"I like the level of education offered behind these designations and think that they demonstrate to the client that we are dedicated to professionalism in the industry. They also provide a great referral tool, since we can send clients to people in other areas that share that dedication to professionalism," Prochnow said.

With several designations earned over the years, Dan Turkus of Turkus Real Estate in Los Gatos said the benefit of the course work is being up to date on all aspects of real estate and possibly picking up one thing he didn't know in the past. While designations do give the client confidence that they are dealing with a professional, he also believes that knowledge, not designations, is what best serves clients.

"I feel that a well educated Realtor is one who knows the contract, knows the inventory and comps and how to use them. They know how to write a contract, abide by that contract and know how to negotiate the best possible deal for the client. That's the best thing for a buyer or seller. Knowledge is king," Turkus said.

Myrt Bauer, Broker/owner of Windermere Silicon Valley Properties in Mountain View, carries the CRS, CRB and GRI designations. As president of the Northern California chapter of Certified Residential Specialists, she is definitely a proponent of the CRS designation and said it is the highest designation awarded to sales associates in the residential sales field.

The CRS designation recognizes professional accomplishments in both experience and education. Since 1977, the designation has been awarded to agents who meet the stringent requirements and are among the top 4 percent of agents in the country. Currently, there are nearly 36,000 active CRS designees.

"CRS agents have both a high volume of sales and high number of transactions, as well as advanced training in areas such as real estate investing, marketing and technology. They must also maintain membership in the National Association of Realtors and abide by its Code of Ethics," Bauer said.

She meets with fellow CRS designees on a quarterly basis, where speakers talk about the latest techniques, topics and issues. A recent topic focused on hiring a professional rather than a discount real estate agent.

"Hiring the best means making more money on the sale of your home," Bauer said.

Realtor Susan Tilling of Coldwell Banker in Menlo Park holds both the GRI and CRS designations.

"The CRS really means something. It is a designation that requires considerable experience and advanced real estate education. It is not easy to acquire, and only a very small percentage of Realtors have obtained it," Tilling said.