The Austin InstituteEcoBroker Designation

You do NOT need to be a Broker to attend this course it is for agents as well as Brokers.

The Austin Institute of Real Estate has become the provider for the courses to obtain your EcoBroker designation.

If there is one designation you want to achieve, it’s the EcoBroker designation because it is a designation that builds value for your clients, your business, and the planet!

EcoBroker is the first and largest provider of green designation training for real estate professionals and is taught by experts in the green industry and real estate industry.

To obtain the designation, you must complete 18 hours of coursework. These courses are TREC approved for 18 hours of MCE elective credit or can be used toward obtaining your broker’s license. The three six-hour courses are: EcoBroker Environmental Advantage™, EcoBroker Energy Advantage™ and EcoBroker Green Market Advantage™

This designation not only will separate you from other agents but you will be prepared to answer questions about the newest topics in real estate, such as "green" home certification programs like Energy Star® Qualified Homes, energy‐efficiency, and environmentally‐sensitive design. The EcoBroker designation assists real estate agents in working through issues that may arise in any real estate transaction, such as mold, radon, and poor indoor air quality, providing real solutions.

The price is $395 which includes all of your materials.

The courses are offered two ways.

We offer the courses LIVE at our permanent facility at 8828 Research Blvd. in Austin, Texas. Visit our course catalog for the upcoming schedule. The live course takes place for 18 hours over three days with an hour for lunch each day.

You can register for the course online or call us at 512-453-0900. The course(s) must be prepaid to reserve your seat.

You can take the courses online. Register here.

A unique feature of the online course is that you will have a live instructor who will mentor you through the program.

What's included:

EcoBroker's award-winning curriculum - 18 hours of cutting edge training on green topics in real estate. Continuing education credit available in many states.
EcoBroker certification & licensing - use of recognized and meaningful EcoBroker® trademark
Profile page and listings on EcoBroker.com - dedicated marketing page on EcoBroker.com for prospective clients, national exposure with search engine optimization, branding, and press
Hyperlink - available on your profile page directing clients to your web site
Custom marketing templates, press release, Power Point presentation, and more
Monthly business building newsletter
Featured EcoBroker eligibility - exposure on the EcoBroker.com home page
Complimentary AEEREP Membership (Assoc. of Energy and Environmental Real Estate Professionals)
Unequaled Customer Service Support
Entry into the Eco-Retreat Getaway
$395 pays for the complete curriculum and first year of membership, including all membership benefits listed above.

FAQ

What is EcoBroker?
EcoBroker is a designation program for licensed real estate professionals providing education on energy and environmental issues and strategies for capitalizing on the growing green market. Certified EcoBrokers® meet buyer and seller demand for real estate professionals with a real understanding of the issues that drive current market decisions.

Who is eligible to complete the designation?
All licensed real estate professionals.

Do I have to be a Broker to earn this designation?
No. If you are a licensed real estate professional, you are eligible for EcoBroker designation.

Why would I want to do this?
Differentiate yourself: The EcoBroker designation differentiates you from the other 2.6 million real estate professionals in the U.S.

Use unique and relevant continuing education to your competitive advantage: Keep current on the topics that are changing the way your next buyers and sellers view homes. Learn how to reduce your liabilities and those of your clients. EcoBroker provides three 6-hour state-approved continuing education courses to licensed real estate professionals in states throughout the U.S.

Create more deals: Identify new buyers and sellers. Help sellers market and illustrate the increased value of homes with energy efficiency and environmental features. EcoBroker gives you the tools that help buyers create more purchasing power through energy-efficient mortgages and other programs.

Enhance customer satisfaction: Enhance each transaction with EcoBroker training, tools, and resources. Help your buyers and sellers work through environmental issues and improve upon efficiency, comfort, durability, and cost of their home.

Build green market resources and referrals: Expand your professional referral network and consistently generate new business.

How do I earn the EcoBroker Designation?
The designation consists of three 6-hour online classes that earn a total of 18 hours of continuing education in selected states. The first two classes, EcoBroker Environmental Advantage™ and EcoBroker Energy Advantage™ can be taken in any order; however, you must complete both courses prior to starting the third course, EcoBroker Green Market Advantage™. EcoBrokers® maintain their designation by successfully completing the EcoBroker Annual Advantage course each year.

What is involved in keeping my EcoBroker designation current?
Simply maintain annual membership ($129) and complete the 4-hour update course each year.

If I sign-up for Membership, how long do I have to complete the classes?
You have 1 year to complete coursework. However, the sooner you complete your coursework, the sooner you can market your EcoBroker designation!

What is the renewal cost?
The cost for continuing years of designation is $129/yr. This includes all of the benefits of membership that you enjoy in year one, plus the 4-hour EcoBroker Annual Advantage course. This required course is designed to keep you informed of progress in the energy and environmental fields, and to keep you abreast of innovative EcoBroker marketing ideas and success stories.

How long has EcoBroker been around?
EcoBroker was founded in 2002. The company has been actively providing training and designation since 2003. Our founders have been active in energy and environmental industries for several decades.

Is anyone else providing this type of education/designation?
There are no other national designations providing a similar curriculum and training. When you earn the EcoBroker designation, you join top real estate professionals who know more about energy-efficiency, green building programs, indoor air quality, sustainable development, and environmental issues.

If it takes me six months (for example) to complete the curriculum and sign the license agreement, do I only have six months left of my first year membership?
No, your first year membership begins once you have completed all three classes and signed the license agreement with EcoBroker. You will have one full year from that date to use your EcoBroker designation.

What are you going to tell me about environmental issues that I don't already know?
Real estate professionals frequently come face-to-face with environmental issues, like radon, asbestos, water quality, mold, and other environmental challenges. The EcoBroker training provides a level of deeper understanding of the liabilities these issues create, how to reduce these liabilities for yourself and your clients, and how to keep the deal together whenever possible. EcoBroker training helps you provide solutions to environmental issues that may occur in real estate transactions.

Why do my clients need to know about energy issues that affect real estate?
Energy benefits may take the form of improved financing, utility bill savings, occupant comfort, and/or appliance reliability. EcoBrokers understand energy benefits and costs and how they will affect their buyers and sellers.