The most important certification (edit/delete)
I have a different opinion about the volumonous number of agent certifications on the market today, but there is one certification that I think every agent should pursue. It's the CPR certification. I've had a CPR certification for the past thirteen years, and thank God, I have never had to use it. When I first considered a CPR certification I was hesitant out of fear that I might actually have to use it. Then, I started teaching an indoor cycling class (Spinning), and I realized that I better have one in the event one of students had an accident or a medical emergency while on the bike.
I bring this up for a very specific reason. A very dear friend of mine was driving home one day and saw a man mowing his yard. Suddenly, he grabbed his chest and fell to his knees. As she drove by, she saw the man's wife running to his aid. Assuming that he would be taken care of, she continued on her journey. She found out the next day that he died in the yard. She was CPR certified, and she had the skills to keep him alive until the EMTs got there. That may be true or not, but the reality is that her skills could potentially have saved his life.
Now, put yourself in this scenerio. You're out showing property, miles from the nearest hospital, and your client has a heart attack. What do you do? The most obvious thing to do is call 911, but what about those long critical moments in between? Life and death often hangs in the balance during that time. With the new hands only CPR you could easily give the victim "hands only" CPR until help arrives. It may save his/her life. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association can give you all the information you need. If you learn the techniques and run into this scenerio you will not only give life to your client, but you will have a client for life.
Comments
Absolutely the best certification you can get....I totally agree.
The 2nd best certification / license a Realtor should get is their Carry Permit.