Designation Descriptions
Open the Door to Success and Unlock Your Potential
In a competitive marketplace, differentiation is the key to success. Professional designations offer excellent opportunities to improve your skills, advance your career, and be recognized for your commitment to professional growth. The Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago (HBAGC) is committed to providing its members with these opportunities by offering courses provided at the national and local levels. Descriptions of several designations and courses you can use to further your career follow.
Certified New Home Sales Professional (CSP)
The CSP, a comprehensive new home sales training course, helps participants master the critical path to successful selling, from greeting to closing. Candidates learn the advanced techniques and consumer psychology used by seasoned real estate experts, and gain a broad understanding of how the home building business works, including the financial and legal aspects of new home sales.
Master Certified New Home Sales Professional (MCSP)
The MCSP is a new designation, acknowledging the continuing educational achievements of graduates of the CSP program.
PREP: The First Step to CGR
The PREP is the required first step in the process of becoming a Certified Graduate Remodelor (CGR). It is a 3-hour, 130 multiple-choice question assessment that measures a candidate's knowledge in five core areas of remodeling business management: Marketing and Sales, Business Administration, Design, Estimating and Job Costing, Contracts, Liability and Risk Management, and Project Management. Candidates do not pass or fail the PREP. Results determine the course of study for CGR candidates and will count as one CGR course.
BAR: The First Step to CGB
The BAR is the required first step in obtaining your Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) designation. This 120 question multiplechoice assessment measures your knowledge in the four core areas of building business management: Building Technology, Business and Finance, Project Management, and Sales and Marketing. Candidates do not pass or fail the BAR. The results determine your course of study.
Certified Graduate Remodelor® (CGR)
Certified Graduate Remodelor® (CGR) is an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation. The CGR designation requires that graduates meet prescribed standards of business practice, possess a minimum of five years remodeling industry experience, have a proven track record of successful project management, complete a comprehensive education curriculum, and pledge to uphold the program's code of ethics.
Certified Graduate Builder (CGB)
Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) is an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business and project management skills as the key to a professional building operation. The CGB designation requires that graduates meet prescribed standards of practice, possess a minimum of two years building industry experience, have a proven track record of successful project management, complete comprehensive education curriculum, and pledge to uphold the program'?s code of ethics.
Member, Institute of Residential Marketing (MIRM)
The Member, Institute of Residential Marketing (MIRM) designation is the fourth and most prestigious designation given by the Institute. The MIRM is the top-level achievement for professionals in new home marketing. The IRM courses I through IV must be completed, and a case study must be written and approved in order to achieve the MIRM designation.
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS)
The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation program teaches the technical, business management, and customer service skills essential to competing in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry: home modifications for the aging-in-place. The NAHB RemodelorsTM Council, in collaboration with the AARP, NAHB Research Center, and NAHB Seniors Housing Council, developed this program to provide comprehensive, practical, market-specific information about working with older and maturing adults to remodel their homes for aging-in-place.
Graduate Master Builder (GMB)
The Graduate Master Builder (GMB) designation is for experienced veterans only. Before beginning the GMB designation process, you must have the CGB designation, the CGR designation, or the CGA designation with five years of building experience, or ten years of building experience and have completed three CGB/CGR/CGA courses. GMB courses are more advanced with in-depth instruction geared for experienced building professionals.
Certified Graduate Associate (CGA)
The Certified Graduate Associate (CGA) certification program offers associate members an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the fundamentals of the home building industry. The CGA is modeled after the Certified Graduate Builder's comprehensive curriculum of 21, six-hour courses.