Seniors Real Estate Specialist

What Seniors Real Estate Specialist does

Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) is a professional designation program that certifies licensed real estate agents to serve homebuyers and sellers aged 50 and older. Presented by the Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD) — a division of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) — SRES® delivers a roughly 12-hour curriculum covering senior housing options (active adult, assisted living, aging in place), retirement finance (reverse mortgages, pensions, 401(k), IRAs), life transitions, and home adaptation for safety and accessibility. The course is offered both as a self-paced online program via learning.realtor and as a two-day classroom (in-person or live virtual) course delivered through CRD-licensed providers. To earn the designation, candidates must complete the course and pass an 80%-threshold exam; to maintain it, they must hold active membership in both NAR and CRD. International REALTORS® access the program via a $180 application fee and $75/year international NAR membership. The program is headquartered at 430 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, and operates with an 11–50 employee footprint.

SRES® generates revenue through three streams: one-time designation course fees ($310 for NAR members, $620 for non-members; classroom pricing varies by provider), recurring annual membership dues of $99, and international application/membership fees. Distribution is structurally embedded in NAR's ecosystem — designees are listed in the Find an SRES® directory on sres.realtor and gain differentiation on nar.realtor and realtor.com®. Marketing relies on the SRES® website, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), newsletters, AARP co-branded webinars, and recognition at NAR NXT, with an annual SRES® Outstanding Service Award reinforcing community prestige. The course is also an approved elective for the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) and Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designations, embedding SRES® within NAR's broader credentialing stack.

There is no proprietary software product; SRES® is an education, credentialing, and member-services program, not a technology company. The platform layer (learning.realtor, the consumer directory, the Find an SRES® search) is operated by NAR/CRD rather than built or owned by SRES® as a standalone system. The program is private (no public ticker, no venture funding, no M&A history disclosed) and operates as a membership-based credentialing service under the NAR umbrella rather than as an independent venture-backed business.

Name

Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Legal name

Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) Designation

Website

https://sres.realtor

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SRES® is a professional designation program presented by NAR's Center for REALTOR® Development that trains licensed real estate agents to serve homebuyers and sellers aged 50 and older, generating revenue through course fees and annual membership dues within NAR's broader credentialing ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Real Estate Designation

NAICS

Real Estate Property Managers (53131)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Senior Living & 55+ Community Brokerage (BPAJAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Senior Move Management (HSAFAFAD)

Keywords

• Real estate designation
• Professional certification
• Senior real estate services
• REALTOR education
• 50 plus housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. SRES® Designation Course Fees: Online course costs $310 for NAR members and $620 for non-members. Classroom course costs vary by provider. These fees represent the primary entry point for the designation program.
2. Annual Membership Dues: SRES® designees pay $99 annual dues to maintain their designation and membership with CRD. First year of membership is included with the designation course completion.
3. International Application Fee: International REALTORS® pay a one-time application fee of USD $180. International NAR membership costs $75 per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) program is a professional designation awarded to real estate practitioners who complete specialized training in serving the needs of clients aged 50 and older. It is administered by the Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD), a division of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), and combines a multi-module coursework curriculum, the SRES® credential, ongoing membership benefits, and a consumer-facing directory of designees.

Product overview

The Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) program is a professional designation and certification system for real estate agents, not a software product. The core offering consists of the SRES® Designation Course—a two-day training program available online and in-person—along with the SRES® Designation credential itself. Designees gain access to member benefits including the Find an SRES® Directory (a consumer-facing search tool), personalizable marketing materials, newsletters, and a networking Facebook group. The program also includes the SRES® Outstanding Service Award, an annual recognition for outstanding designees. The program is presented by the Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD), a division of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SRES® Designation Course A multi-module professional certification course for real estate agents covering the 50+ client market. Delivered online via learning.realtor and through CRD-licensed classroom providers. Successful completion earns the SRES® designation and accompanying benefits.
• SRES® Designation (Credential) The SRES® designation itself, awarded to real estate practitioners upon course completion. The credential confers ongoing member benefits, directory listing, and recognition as a specialist in serving 50+ clients, with an annual membership dues requirement of $99 to maintain active status.
• Find an SRES® Directory A consumer-facing online directory listing 19,000+ SRES® designees across the United States. Allows senior homebuyers and sellers to search for credentialed real estate professionals in their local market.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AARPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRES® partnered with AARP on a series of webinars for members. This partnership provides educational content for SRES® designees and enhances the credibility of the senior-focused real estate training program through association with the prominent senior advocacy organization.
• National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAR is the parent organization of CRD which presents the SRES® designation. SRES® designees must maintain NAR membership to use the designation. The SRES® directory appears on nar.realtor and realtor.com®.
• Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRD presents the SRES® designation and manages the educational curriculum, membership, and certification. CRD offers over 10 designations and certifications with an award-winning podcast and educational events for real estate professionals.
• Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SRES® Designation Course is an approved elective for the ABR® designation, allowing designees to count coursework toward multiple certifications.
• Seller Representative Specialist (SRS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SRES® Designation Course is an approved elective for the SRS designation, providing cross-credential opportunities for real estate professionals.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Association of REALTORS® (NAR): NAR is the parent trade association of CRD and the implicit parent of SRES®. Provides the membership base, learning.realtor platform, directory placement, and brand legitimacy that SRES® depends on — making it the most important ecosystem participant.
• Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (REBAC): REBAC is the NAR affiliate that owns and administers the ABR® designation. It is a direct sister entity to SRES® within the NAR ecosystem and a comparable NAR-affiliated credentialing organization.

Broad incumbents

• Council of Residential Specialists: Council of Residential Specialists is a larger NAR affiliate that issues the CRS designation and serves experienced residential agents broadly. While broader than the senior niche, it competes for the same NAR member upskilling wallet.

Emerging players

• 55places.com: 55places.com is a digital marketplace and content platform focused on 55+ communities and senior real estate. It overlaps with SRES® in serving senior-real-estate demand and competes indirectly for senior-focused agent and consumer mindshare.

Direct peers

• e-PRO® Certification: e-PRO® is a NAR/CRD digital-marketing certification for REALTORS®. Like SRES®, it is presented by CRD, sold through learning.realtor, and uses the same course-plus-annual-dues structure, making it a near-clone peer in distribution and pricing.
• Seller Representative Specialist (SRS): SRS is another NAR/CRD-affiliated designation focused on seller-side representation, with SRES® coursework accepted as an elective. Operates the same course-plus-dues revenue model through the same NAR distribution channels.
• Certified Residential Specialist (CRS): CRS is the largest professional designation for residential REALTORS® in the U.S., operated by the Council of Residential Specialists. Comparable credential-based model targeting experienced residential agents and serving as a direct competitor for agent upskilling spend.
• At Home With Diversity (AHWD): AHWD is another CRD-presented NAR designation focused on fair housing and diversity in real estate. Operates within the same CRD portfolio, sharing curriculum, marketing, and renewal infrastructure with SRES®.
• Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI): GRI is a NAR-endorsed residential-real-estate credential covering broad real estate practice fundamentals. Competes with SRES® for the same NAR member's professional-development budget through similar course-and-membership mechanics.
• Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®): Also presented by the Center for REALTOR® Development, ABR® is the leading buyer-representation designation for REALTORS®. SRES® coursework is an approved ABR® elective, making ABR® the closest structural peer in business model and channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzTftyFcSu_4X7bQCgz3hsA
• Facebookfacebook.com/centerforrealtordev
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-realtor-development
• Instagraminstagram.com/narcrd
• Xx.com/SREScouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seniors Real Estate Specialist