Murphy NC 28906

Carol Harting of ERA Carolina Mountain Homes has successfully completed the e-PRO course to become one of the select few real estate professionals to earn the prestigious certification offered by the National Association of Realtors.

The e-PRO certification course is an educational program unlike any other professional certification or designation course available, and is comprehensive and interactive. It is specifically designed to provide real estate professionals with the technology tools needed to assist consumers in the purchase or sale of a home.

With more than 70 percent of consumers beginning their real estate research on the Internet, e-PRO certified agents have the experience and expertise to meet the demands of today’s buyer and seller.

“The real estate industry has undergone a fundamental change over the past several years,” Harting said. “A majority of consumers are taking the time to conduct their own research prior to contacting an agent. In turn, real estate professionals must be knowledgeable of how technology can assist them in serving the needs of the buying and selling public.”

The exclusive e-PRO certification course is presented entirely online and certifies real estate agents and brokers as Internet professionals. Because of its innovative design, students are able to complete the course at their own pace, when and where they want, via any Internet connection. The course is designed to help realtors stay at the leading edge of technology and to identify, valuate, and implement new Internet business models.

Once completed, the e-PRO certified real estate professional joins the ranks of a special community of highly skilled and continuously trained professionals who provide high quality and innovative online-based real estate services. Consumers can identify the e-PRO through the exclusive e-PRO Internet Professional logo.

Both the content and the delivery platform were created by San Diego based technology company InternetCrusade.

The course instructs participants in the professional use of email, the development of an interactive website, and the use of online research tools. Graduates use the skills they have acquired to provide clients information on properties for sale, local communities, and the local real estate market.

For more information, email Carol Harting at carolharting@hughes.net or call her at 828-644-5566.

Ann Carroll, an associate broker with Western Carolina Real Estate Co., Inc. who has been with the company since March 2006, was awarded the Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) professional designation by the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council of Murphys, California.

Seniors Real Estate Specialists help seniors make wise decisions about selling the family home, buying rental property, managing the capital gains and estate tax implications of owning real estate, obtaining a reverse mortgage, moving to a senior community, and other issues. By earning the designation, Carroll has demonstrated that she has the knowledge, experience, and expertise to be a Seniors Real Estate Specialist.

The Senior Advantage Real Estate Council tracks the special issues and needs of senior property owners and provides education to realtors who make seniors an important focus of their business. The designation was introduced in 1997 and is nationally recognized.