The National Association of Real Estate Support Professionals (NARESP) is proud to announce our plan to launch the Certified Real Estate Support Professionals (CRESP) Certification Program.

Transforming the Real Estate Support Profession

NARESP is here to transform the real estate support profession and establish members as respected specialists who provide exceptional value to clients. In 2020, NARESP is embarking on a project to become the standard setting body for real estate support excellence. This will be achieved by offering a certification, the Certified Real Estate Support Professional (CRESP) credential. Credential holders will demonstrate that they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform any job related to the real estate support field, particularly in the areas of transaction coordination, operations, and administration.

What Is the Purpose of Certification?

The purpose of certification is to recognize professionals who meet established knowledge, skills, and abilities in their career. Earning a certification requires a minimum combination of education and professional experience. You will need to pass an exam, demonstrating your proficiency in those skills, concepts, and theories. And, unlike traditional educational programs and certificate courses, a certification must be maintained through regular recertification so that current or future employers know you are fresh, up-to-date, and relevant, wherever you are in your professional journey.

Building Our Program

As certification is different from what you may find in the industry, we will be taking several steps to ensure we are offering a credential that will eventually be accredited by the NCCA, or National Commission of Certifying Agencies. This organization is the accrediting arm of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, or ICE, and will verify that the CRESP meets national and international credentialing industry standards for certification programs.  

The Certification Program Process

NARESP will establish the first Certification Administration Committee (CAC), which will be an independent standing committee of the National Association of Real Estate Support Professionals. The CAC awards the Certified Real Estate Support Professional credential and is responsible the standards related to the CRESP Program.

Among other things, the CAC will be determining and overseeing. Qualifications of candidates to sit for the exam, including:

• Continuing education requirements
• Pricing
• Policies and procedures for application approval, test taking, and other program activities
• The Job task analysis project

NARESP will then begin its work by completing an extensive job task analysis of the profession, critical for developing a psychometrically sound certification examination. The foundation of this standard-based credentialing program is a direct link between the examination content and job responsibilities of real estate support professionals. This research will be conducted through several mediums, including online questionnaires, research on the profession, as well as interviews. We will be looking to our industry audience and partners to find these answers. So, please join in on the fun! 

Upon our completion of the job task analysis, the CAC will determine the core competencies that will make up the content foundations of the program and what will be included in the exam.

When these core competencies are developed, NARESP will then get to work on developing or collaborating with industry partners to establish educational content that will satisfy the programs exam and recertification requirements. 

Finally, the program will be launched and the first class to successfully pass the exam will proudly be able to put those CRESP letters after their name.

 If It Were Easy, Everyone Would Do It

While we are more than excited to offer this certification, we want to make sure that we are transparent in the process and everyone understands the time and effort it takes to offer a program like this. Hopefully, as we’ve communicated in this document, this is different from attending a session or completing a certificate course. You should always confirm that anything that says “certification” will truly demonstrate your overall professional value, and commitment to continuing education through recertification. Looking for programs that have oversight by an independent group of volunteers (who are ensuring the validity of the program) or that is accredited is a good place to start.

Here is the draft our timeline to launch the certification program:

• December 2019 - Establish Certification Administration Committee
• February – Launch job task analysis project
• March – Establish Program Policies and Procedures
• March-June – Determine Program domains and sub-content for Each
• July-September – Write exam questions
• August-November - Launch application process
  
• January 2021 – Hold first exams

 Of course, as with any new program, these time frames are dependent on resources and volunteer involvement. For example, things like receiving adequate responses on the Job Task Analysis or conducting the exams properly could play a huge role in how quickly we can get to next steps.

We will keep everyone regularly updated on our progress. As we move through the process, please note that this program may change, as it should, if we are to ensure that we are using the best testing methods, providing current and relevant content, and more. Your involvement is key, and we welcome any and all feedback, with the knowledge that CAC, who help maintain the program will be the keeps of the integrity of the certification, will address this feedback and align it with the purpose of the program.

Finally, We’re Changing the World

With this credential, NARESP is making a statement. That we are the organization who sets these standards for real estate support excellence, and that the professionals who are the credential holders, deserve and command respect for what they do.  Get ready!