Thirty Texas agents have completed a new training program at Houston Association of Realtors® (HAR) that raises the bar for professional representation in real estate. During May of 2011, 29 HAR members (and one commuting Dallas agent) became the first agents in the country to complete the Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE®) designation program.
The MCNE training program is a negotiation training program unlike any other in the real estate industry. The six classes train real estate professionals in negotiation skills similar to those used in corporate America and taught at the finest schools in the country. Importantly, the training includes application of proven negotiation techniques in real estate negotiation situations that help improve client results. “Our goal is to raise the bar in professional representation of buyers and sellers in the real estate industry,” says Tom Hayman, CEO, and Co-Founder (along with John Wenner) of the Real Estate Negotiation Institute.
Agents who earn the MCNE designation definitely have a marketing advantage. One MCNE graduate completed her best year ever by closing 18 transactions during the 3+ months of her MCNE courses (including two transactions done completely by email!).
Clients hire real estate agents to help achieve the best results possible in the sale or purchase of property. While no agent can guarantee specific results for a buyer or seller, MCNE agents can prove they are the best trained real estate professionals in the one skill that influences the final outcome the most – negotiation! “Negotiation skills are fundamental to success in real estate and the MCNE designation shows clients that you have invested significant time and effort to acquire higher level skills for their benefit,” says Hayman.
Initial comments from MCNE graduates show the success and excitement of having achieved this milestone:
“The negotiation classes have helped me tremendously with my business. The referrals I am receiving from clients are proof they were very satisfied and impressed with my negotiation skills. I recommend your classes to many of my fellow agents and friends.” Joan Collins
“The … MCNE training [also applies to my] duties as a Mediation officer to Harris County small claims courts through the Dispute Resolution Center! I have already pulled from this information so many times that I have lost count!” Mary Lou Green
“Sellers recognize that they need a good negotiator to get things done. Once I explain the ‘plan’ that we have for helping to achieve their goals, they realize the benefit of having an MCNE representing them.” Vicki Looney.
“A woman called me from Seattle as they will be moving here next summer. She was especially impressed with my MCNE because she is a negotiator with Microsoft and was glad she could work with someone who understood negotiations! I took great pride in being able to tell her that I was one of the first in the Houston area to get the CNE® designation and in the first 30 in the nation to achieve the MCNE.” Vickey Wachtel
The six courses required for the MCNE designation are:
- Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE®) designation course (2-days)
- Advanced Negotiation Techniques for Listing Agents (1-day)
- Advanced Negotiation Techniques for Buyer’s Agents (1-day)
- Mastering Email Negotiations in Real Estate (1-day)
- Cultural Factors in Real Estate Negotiations (3 hours)
- Negotiating Across Generations in Real Estate (3 hours)
