Most Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does it take to complete the short sale course?

The CSP course is a one-day course, but depending on your skill level, can be completed online between 7 to 9 hours depending upon the time that the student spends on the Work Sessions, the Knowledge Checks and in taking the final exam. Everyone moves at their own pace and may elect to review any number of sections more than one time, which has a direct affect on the total time. The live short sale class version of the course will either be a half day or a full day, depending upon the instructor delivering the course and the time spent on the Work Sessions.

2. Can I use the CSP designation immediately after completing the course?

Yes, the CSP short sale designation is awarded upon completing the course and passing the final examination.

3. Is the term "short sale" federally trademarked?

No. The term short sale has been around for a long time and although there are those who indicated that it is trademarked it is not. Anytime there is a question like this you can do your own research by checking with the Trademark office click here.

4. What will I be able to do after taking short sale training?

You will have a very solid foundation on how to navigate the process of a short sale. The information you will have gained will provide you with the tools to be very comfortable in explaining the process to your clients and assisting them in working with the lender(s) and selling their home. You will be able to offer a true value added service that will provide your clients with a faster sale.

5. Does this course count for CE?

The online version of the Certified Short-Sale Professional course (CSP) does not at this stage provide any CE credits in any state. The classroom version may, depending upon the real estate school that is delivering the course. To determine if the RealtyU Affiliate you plan on attending has obtained CE credit for the course you will need to contact the RealtyU Affiliate directly. To find a RealtyU School near you just click here and select your state … click here.

6. Is this short sale training a NAR approved designation?

NAR does not currently own a short sale designation course and per the NAR Code of Ethics section 12:13 Realtors may display any designation, certification or other credential to which they are legitimately entitled. RealtyU®, Inc. has been in the real estate education industry since 1994 and has offered, created, presented or certified numerous courses and designations including Buyer Agency (ABR), Seller Agency (ASR), Luxury Homes (ALHS), Seniors (SRES), etc. Courses are delivered through its network of over 200 locations consisting of proprietary schools and Realtor® Associations.

7. What additional fees or expenses can I expect?

One year after you have completed the course there is a membership fee to the Short Sale Council of $99 per year.  The council provides a variety of services from on-going training, to press releases and marketing information and hosts the Certified Short-Sale Professional website that is lists all CSP designees by state and is optimized to reach top rankings on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MNS and AOL. 

8. Do I need any previous experience with short sales?

No. The CSP Course has been designed with the real estate agent in mind. It has been developed to provide agents that have no background in short selling homes with a solid foundation.

9. Do you have to be a licensed real estate agent to earn the designation?

No. The Certified Short-Sale Professional (CSP) course focuses on giving anyone a foundation and solid overview of all the key aspects of short selling. The knowledge you gain will last a lifetime and your skills will become second nature as you put it to work.