Re/Max agent earns certification

Scott Smith with Re/Max Realty Affiliates in Gardnerville has earned the nationally recognized short sales and foreclosure resource certification.

The National Association of Realtors offers the certification to agents who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate these complicated transactions, as demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows.

Smith also holds the certified distressed property expert designation.

According to a recent National Association of Realtors survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures. For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new "traditional" transaction.

Realtors who have earned the short sales and foreclosure resource certification can help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

"As leading advocates for homeownership, Realtors believe that any family that loses its home to foreclosure is one family too many, but unfortunately, there are situations in which people just cannot afford to keep their homes, and a foreclosure or a short sale results," said 2009 National Association of Realtors President Charles McMillan.

The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negotiate with lenders, protect buyers, and limit risk, and provides resources to help agents stay current on national and state-specific information as the market for these distressed properties evolves.

Smith said, "I have been doing short sales for the last two years now and I have a 95 percent success rate. The process is ever-changing and it takes a lot of time and dedication to keep up with the industry."

Smith can be reached at 782-8777 or (775) 691-1777.