Best Commercial Real Estate Certifications and Designations

Written by CFI Team

Read Time 10 minutes

The real estate industry, in particular, the commercial real estate industry, is incredibly competitive. In fact, according to The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), there are approximately 3 million active real estate licensees in the United States.

With all the competition in the real estate industry, commercial real estate professionals should obtain commercial real estate certifications and designations to make themselves stand out from the pack and be more appealing hires.

What is Commercial Real Estate?

Commercial real estate is the use of any property for business rather than for living spaces. Therefore, commercial real estate professionals are real estate agents, brokers, etc., who use the selling and use of property for business to make money.

What are Commercial Real Estate Certifications?

Commercial real estate certifications are official documents and forms of recognition that professional real estate organizations give to people after completing some courses to show that they have the knowledge and skills that are necessary to be successful in the field.

Common real estate organizations that offer commercial real estate certifications include the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), the National Association of Real Estate Advisors (NAREA), the National Association of Realtors (NAR), and the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI) International.

What are Commercial Real Estate Designations?

Commercial real estate designations are specialized credentials awarded to real estate professionals who complete the necessary education and have the required professional work experience.

Commercial Real Estate Certifications vs. Commercial Real Estate Designations

While similar, there is a difference between commercial real estate certifications and commercial real estate designations. One difference between the two is that designations require real estate professionals to complete much more rigorous and time-consuming coursework than certifications do.

Another difference between the two is that to obtain designations, real estate professionals must pay annual fees. This is as opposed to certifications that typically require real estate professionals to pay one-time application fees. Both commercial real estate certifications and designations are great tools for real estate professionals to use to increase their commercial real estate knowledge and skills.

Best Commercial Real Estate Certifications and Designations

There are numerous different commercial real estate certifications and designations. Some of the most valuable ones in the real estate industry include the following:

1. Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Designation

The Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation is one of the most prestigious designations in the real estate industry. To receive the CCIM designation, real estate professionals must complete 200 classroom hours of coursework in financial and market analysis. They must also have extensive commercial real estate work experience.

Various types of real estate professionals can pursue CCIM designations. In fact, the international, 13,000 CCIM member network includes everyone from real estate agents to real estate brokers, appraisals, attorneys, leasing professionals, asset managers, real estate executives, and bankers. Because of the extensive amount of commercial real estate education and work experience one must have to obtain a CCIM designation, most CCIM members work at the executive level.

2. Certified Real Estate Brokerage (CRB) Manager Designation

The Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB) designation is also very prestigious. This specific commercial real estate designation helps real estate professionals with brokerage management.

Real estate professionals don’t need to have brokerage licenses to pursue CRB designations. Still, a CRB designation is more for experienced real estate brokers than it is for any other type of real estate professional.

Real estate brokers that do receive CRB designations are better able to streamline operations, integrate new technology into their operations, and apply new trends and business strategies to their operations. Individuals who want to obtain CRB designations must complete three CRB courses and two “experienced electives.”

3. Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) Designation

The Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) designation is the only land-specific designation that the National Association of Realtors recognizes. Accredited land consultants have an extensive amount of experience selling agricultural land, timberland, and ranches along with recreational properties and vacant land for development.

Commercial real estate professionals who sell such properties and have ALC designations earn, on average, $100,000 more a year than those who don’t have ALC designations.

4. CFI Commercial Real Estate Finance Specialist Program

The CFI Commercial Real Estate Finance Specialist Program is a series of courses that teach commercial real estate professionals about everything from appraisals to financial models, to mortgages. Individuals who complete the CFI Commercial Real Estate Finance Specialist Program earn a commercial real estate certificate.

CFI Commercial Real Estate Finance Specialist Program

5. Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) Designation

Real estate professionals who want to specialize in helping men and women over the age of 50 purchase property should look into getting the Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation. Through the SRES designation, people in commercial real estate will learn about reverse mortgages and the differences between housing options for seniors.

Commercial real estate professionals who are pursuing SRES designations will also learn how to use pensions, 401ks, and IRAs in real estate transactions. The SRES designation even teaches real estate professionals how to protect senior citizens from mortgage finance and loan schemes that target people over the age of 50.

Once part of the SRES community, commercial real estate professionals with SRES designations receive access to valuable member benefits and resources. They also receive networking opportunities across the U.S. and Canada.

6. Certified International Property Specialist (CPIS) Designation

The Certified International Property Specialist (CPIS) designation teaches U.S. real estate professionals how to help Americans purchase property abroad. This designation also teaches real estate professionals how to help non-Americans purchase property in the U.S.

Right now is a good time for real estate agents who are interested in foreign property investment to pursue CPIS designations. This is because the current foreign property investment industry is booming. In fact, according to Statista, in 2023 alone, foreign Chinese buyers purchased 13% of residential properties in the U.S. Real estate professionals who are interested in foreign property investment can also benefit from the CPIS network, which is made up of over 3500 people in 45 different countries.

To complete the CPIS designation, individuals must submit a CPIS application, complete two courses in local markets and transaction tools, and complete three elective courses. People enrolled in CPIS designations must also pass an exam, be in good standing with the National Association of Realtors, and pay course fees, an application fee, and annual dues.

7. Certified Property Manager (CPM) Designation

The Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation teaches commercial real estate professionals how to manage properties. The CPM designation also teaches real estate professionals how to handle money, work with people, and understand laws and maintenance. That way, CPMs can take care of different properties.

Obtaining a CPM designation proves to individuals and businesses that a person is an expert in real estate management. Thus, it should be no surprise that individuals who receive a CPM designation typically receive a raise and boost in their career.

In fact, base property managers with CPM designations earn nearly triple more in salary than base property managers without CPM designations. Furthermore, according to the National Association of Realtors, 70% of people with a CPM designation hold the highest management position available in their offices.

8. Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) Designation

The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designation is for real estate agents who represent sellers and their financial interests in real estate transactions. This designation provides real estate professionals with thorough sales training, extensive resources, networking opportunities, and ongoing support.

To receive an SRS designation, one must submit an application to the program and complete the SRS course, whether it is online or in a classroom. One must then complete one SRS “elective course.”

To prove that individuals in pursuit of SRS designations have enough sales-based work experience prior to completing the designation program, they must have documentation of three completed transactions as seller representatives. To receive an SRS designation, one must also pay annual dues and be in good standing with the National Association of Realtors and the SRS.

9. Learning Commercial Real Estate Finance with CFI

In the series of courses in the Learning Commercial Real Estate Finance with CFI program, individuals learn how to use data to make commercial real estate analysis reports for stakeholders. These reports inform business decisions and formulate methods that minimize risk and increase stability.

earning Commercial Real Estate Finance with CFI

10. Certified Commercial Advisor Designation (CCA) Designation

Sponsored by the National Association of Real Estate Advisors (NAREA), the Certified Commercial Advisor (CCA) designation teaches real estate professionals about all things commercial real estate. With the education that they can get from the CCA designation, brokers can deliver top-notch services.

To complete a CCA designation, one must complete 36 hours of video content and 500 pages of written content. Once real estate professionals complete this designation, they get access to investment calculation tools, the library of deal-tested commercial real estate form templates, and an upgraded profile of the NAREA member directory of certified commercial advisors.

11. Certified Manager of Commercial Properties (CMCP) Certification

BOMI International provides the Certified Manager of Commercial Properties (CMCP) certification. CMCP commercial real estate certifications are designed for early-career property professionals who want to take their careers to the next level by becoming certified commercial property managers.

Anyone who completes the CMCP Prep Course and obtains a CMCP certification receives competency credit as an elective to be applied to the BOMI International Real Property Administrator (RPA) designation program.

12. ICBR’s Commercial Real Estate Certificate Program

Individuals should pursue the ICBR Commercial Real Estate Certificate Program after receiving standard pre-licensing education and before receiving commercial designations. This is because this certification program provides an entry-level look into the commercial real estate industry.

The ICBR commercial real estate certificate program courses are open to anyone. To complete this program, real estate professionals must take six mandatory classes and pass a comprehensive 60-question exam.

13. Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) Designation

This commercial real estate designation program provides the training, skills, and resources that every real estate professional needs to become successful as a buyer’s representative.

14. Cornell University Certificate Programs

Cornell University provides professional commercial real estate certifications for industry specialists. These certifications provide individuals with a solid overview of property valuation, property management and the cycle of tenancy, commercial real estate asset management, and investment and financial decisions. They also provide individuals with the guidance and analytical tools that they need to become successful in the commercial real estate industry.

Benefits of Obtaining Commercial Real Estate Certifications or Designations

There are many benefits to obtaining either commercial real estate certifications or designations. Some of these benefits include the following:

Increased Expertise

There are various commercial real estate certifications and designations that can help real estate professionals become more specialized. For example, there are commercial real estate certifications and designations for real estate professionals who want to focus solely on helping senior citizens purchase property.

There are also commercial real estate certifications and designations for real estate professionals who want to focus solely on becoming expert brokers or salespeople of international properties. With the variety of specialized commercial real estate certifications and designations available today, every real estate professional can become an expert in the real estate niche that he or she chooses.

Increased Pay

Another major benefit of commercial real estate certifications and designations is that the extra training can provide real estate professionals with the additional skills that they need to prove their value and increase their pay. This is evident in the salary increases that many real estate professionals are recorded to have experienced after obtaining many of the commercial real estate certifications and designations that were just discussed.

For example, commercial real estate professionals who sell land-specific properties and have ALC designations earn, on average, $100,000 more a year than commercial real estate professionals who sell land-specific properties and don’t have ALC designations. Another example of how commercial real estate certifications and designations can help increase a person’s salary is the fact that sales agents with CRS designations make approximately $127,000 a year, while sales agents with no CRS designations only make approximately $49,700 a year.

Credibility

Not only can a commercial real estate certification or designation cause a real estate professional to receive an increase in pay, but it can also cause that real estate professional to be more respected in their field due to gaining an increase in credibility. This increase in credibility comes from the fact that commercial real estate certifications and designations provide evidence of certain working knowledge and skills.

Career Advancement

One other benefit of obtaining a commercial real estate certificate or designation is that doing so can help you advance in your career. For example, because of the extensive amount of commercial real estate education and work experience, one must have to obtain a CCIM designation, most CCIM members work at the executive level.

Further evidence of career advancement due to commercial real estate certifications or designations is in the fact that, according to the National Association of Realtors, 70% of people with CPM designations hold the highest management position available in their offices.

Choosing the Right Commercial Real Estate Certification or Designation for You

With all the different niches of real estate that you can get a commercial real estate certificate or designation, it’s important that you make sure to choose the right certification or designation program for you. To do this, ask yourself, does the focus of this certification or designation align with my specific career goals as a real estate professional? Do I have the time and money to dedicate to a commercial real estate certification or designation program?

For example, if you want your niche within the real estate industry to be sales and dealing with sellers and their financial interests in real estate transactions, then you may choose to obtain a Seller Representative Specialist designation.

On the other hand, if you know that you don’t currently have the time and money to dedicate towards a more costly and rigorous designation but still want to further your career in the finance niche of real estate, you may instead consider enrolling in the CFI Commercial Real Estate Finance Specialist Program.

Enrolling in the CFI Real Estate Finance Specialist Program would be a good choice in this scenario for a number of reasons. One is that the program is a certification rather than a designation.

This means that the workload of the CFI program will be much less than that of the Sellers Representative Specialist designation. This also means that you won’t need to dedicate as much of your time or money to completing the CFI Real Estate Finance Specialist Program as you would the Seller Representative Specialist designation.

Further Your Career by Pursuing a Commercial Real Estate Certification or Designation Today

With all the different commercial real estate certifications and designations available today, you are more than likely to find one that can meet your individual needs. So, what are you waiting for? Further your career and enroll in a commercial real estate certification or designation program today!