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Deborah Garson calls herself a “walking billboard” in her enthusiasm for RE/MAX, its entrepreneurial culture and its emphasis on lifelong learning. It was a good fit for this energetic agent with a thirst for knowledge.
“I see education as architecture: Every course or every certification is another facet in building my business.”
In the decade she’s been with RE/MAX Properties SW in Orlando, Fla., Garson has completed many courses and added a string of designations and certifications to her list of credentials, including Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS), Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), Five Star REO Certification, REO Trans Certification and RES.NET REO Certification, among others.
Garson is currently pursuing the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation through RE/MAX University. She says this extensive education has enabled her to work on a wide array of transactions, from short sale properties as low as $30,000 to multimillion dollar deals with sports stars and tycoons.
Before choosing a career in real estate, this RE/MAX Hall of Fame member spent years as an executive at luxury hotels. Once she joined RE/MAX, she knew she wanted to continue serving the international community she often worked with in the hotel industry.
The Certified International Real Estate Specialist (CIRES) and the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designations gave her a start, and soon revved up her career. Today, international clients make up almost one-third of her business.
“The CIPS course was a game changer for me,” Garson says. “It gave me the confidence and the credentials to attract international leads.”
She says the course’s focus on international business protocol, foreign conversion and global-level communication were particularly helpful. Adding CLHMS training in luxury properties positioned her to work with international clients pursuing second homes, often luxury residences. Garson says most of these buyers are aware of the CIPS designation, and they respect it.
“International buyers often face financing and contractual complexities that other buyers don’t,” she says. “My training tells them that I can anticipate and overcome their specific challenges.”
In the architecture of her business, international clients may form the foundation, but she built the next level by mastering a completely different market: distressed properties.
Earning the CDPE designation opened doors to working with banks during the downturn, when REOs and short sales became a significant portion of her business, Garson says. She enjoyed the challenge and found working with struggling families especially satisfying; many of the underwater homeowners she counseled eventually became her clients.
“It takes a long time to really develop short sales leads,” Garson says. “But in the meantime, you can really help people out by explaining the different financial avenues they can pursue.”
Today Garson describes her market as “somewhat stable.” She’s using this time as an opportunity to focus on yet another facet of her business: first-time buyers.
Garson plans to offer a series of how-to seminars for employees of local theme parks and hotels.
“I want them to understand how today’s low interest rates represent a real opportunity for homeownership,” she says.
It’s somehow fitting that Garson, a firm believer in education, is expanding her professional horizons by teaching others. This lifelong learner wouldn’t have it any other way.
Lifelong Learning Through RU
Many of the courses Deborah Garson mentioned are available on RE/MAX University, your 24/7 source for education, best practices and insights from the best agents and coaches. With RU, the more you learn, the more you earn – and it’s only a click away.
• Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) • Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) • Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) • NAR’s Green Designation • International Real Estate Specialist (I.R.E.S.)
Written by Dorota Wright-O'Neill
