CIPS Institute Returns to Costa Rica - Plan Your February 2013 "Designation Vacation"

2nd Annual CIPS Institute Set for Week of Valentine's Day, 2013!

The Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR) is pleased to announce sponsorship of a second annual Costa Rica CIPS Institute during the week of February 11-15, 2013. The "Certified International Property Specialist" (CIPS) Designation is one of the most prestigious credentials a REALTORS® can earn, especially with globalization of real estate sales increasing each month. (And, bring your "Valentine" for that special beach vacation during Costa Rica's sunniest season.)

Request our full brochure from becky@bwpcr.com, including rates.

The 2013 Costa Rica CIPS Institute will offer a full set of 5 courses from Monday to Friday for anyone wanting to taking them all at once, or just finish off the last ones needed for the designation. Our brochure provides a complete overview, as well as the dates set aside for each course. The instructor will be the renowned David Wyant, teaching in English. You will also find contact information for travel advice and attendee coordination through our CRGAR Board Member and CIPS Institute Chairman, Becky Clower.

The past 2012 Costa Rica CIPS Institute (January) was a great success, drawing attendees from Canada, Costa Rica, and many states in the US. Photos of the events are available on www.crgar.com. The week also included sunset receptions hosted by supporting developments and organizations, organized dinners, and a closing party to congratulate the graduates. A 2013 event schedule will be published for attendees.

We also appreciate anything you can do to help us spread the word about the 2013 Costa Rica CIPS Institute among, colleagues, friends, and families. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Costa Rica!

CRGAR is the only real estate association in Latin America requiring all of its members to belong to the National Association of REALTORS® while apply its Standards for Professional Practice. Visit www.crgar.com for an overview.

CRGAR also offers The Costa Rica MLS, displaying agent members and their property listings. (Powered by Proxio)

Best Regards,

The Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® 

Coldwell Banker Costa Rica in National Participation Agreement with Costa Rica Realtors

Precedent-Setting Accord Between Coldwell Banker Costa Rica and Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® Unites Both Organizations for Professionalism and Global Marketing

January 10, 2012 - Playas del Coco, Costa Rica: An agreement between the Coldwell Banker Costa Rica Master Franchisor (CBCR), Coldwell Banker Costa Rica Master Franchise, and the Costa Rica GlobalAssociation of REALTORS® (CRGAR) will offer all Coldwell Banker professionals and offices in Costa Rica special incentives for participation as CRGAR members and Costa Rica MLS (CRMLS) users. In addition, all Costa Rica 

listings from the CBCR property listing database will soon be syndicated to the Costa Rica MLS. Currently, there are dozens of professionals working in the CBCR network of 10 offices across Costa Rica. This far-reaching agreement was the result of the efforts of Linda Gray, CBCR Master Franchise President,  Jose Daniel Rodriguez, CBCR Manager, Alberto Triquell, 

CRGAR Vice-President, and Allen                   Lungo, CRGAR President.

Linda Gray, CBCR Master Franchisor and Playas del Coco Coldwell Banker Broker, commented, “we are pleased to align our network’s business goals with those of CRGAR. Both organizations are emphasizing professionalism in the practice of real estate in Costa Rica, and global networking to offer Costa Rica’s properties to investors around the world.” CRGAR members automatically get membership in the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the United States, and a user account on the Costa Rica MLS.

“Our agreement includes the automatic syndication of CBCR listings to the Costa Rica MLS”, added Jose Daniel Rodriguez, CBCR Manager, “which will connect CBCR listings and professionals to the CRMLS network of over 400,000 worldwide realtors and websites such as World Properties”.

  

              

Linda Gray, Jose Daniel Rodriguez 

               and Allen Lungo (R-L)

The dream of Costa Rica property ownership is shared around the world

                       

The Costa Rica MLS is built on the Proxio Global Platform. Janet Case, Proxio CEO, offered, “We are pleased to see the continued evolution of the Costa Rica MLS into the most professional national system in the country. Partnerships, like this one with Coldwell Banker Costa Rica, are exactly what our platform is designed to support with ease and convenience.”

Costa Rica’s real estate professionals and franchise networks, interested in CRGAR’s programs and incentive plans, can get more information by contacting info@crgar.com.

About CBCR

Coldwell Banker Costa Rica has 10 offices covering Costa Rica from the beautiful north Pacific beaches of Guanacaste, through the Nicoya Peninsula, the Central Pacific Coast, San Jose, and down to the intriguing Osa Peninsula.

For a detailed online look at the CBCXR network:

• Coldwell Banker Costa Rica - www.coldwellbankercostarica.com

• Coldwell Banker Coast To Coast Properties, Playas del Coco - www.coldwellbankercr.com

• Coldwell Banker Beach Properties, Brasilito - www.coldwellbankerbeachproperties.com

• Coldwell Banker Tamarindo Realty - www.coldwellbankertamarindo.com

• Coldwell Banker Del Mar Realty, Nosara - www.coldwellbankernosara.com

• Coldwell Banker Samara Dreamland Properties - www.coldwellbankersamara.com

• Coldwell Banker Vesta Group Manuel Antonio (Quepos) & Coldwell Banker Vesta Group Manuel Antonio (Manuel Antonio) - www.cb-manuelantonio.com

• Coldwell Banker Vesta Group Dominical - www.dominicalrealty.com

• Coldwell Banker Curridabat Realty - www.curridabatrealty.com

• Coldwell Banker Occidental - www.coldwellbankeroccidental.com

About CRGAR

The Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR), is affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) in the United States, and is the only such association in Central America to require its members to become individual members of NAR, as well. CRGAR offers REALTOR® training classes, ethical enforcement, peer-licensing, international affiliations, special events, and access to the Costa Rica MLS.

Costa Rica CIPS Institute Continues with Studies, Sunsets, Beach Club

Intense training with excursions and guest speakers....


January 12, 2012, Tamarindo, Costa Rica - Days 2 and 3 of the 5-day training program leading to the NAR designation of "Certified International Property Specialist" continued in Costa Rica, highlighted by an oceanfront sunset reception and dinner at an exclusive beach club.


Attendee, Nancy from Arcadia, California, enthusiastically commented, "I am so glad this CIPS Institute is being offered here, and at this time. The content exceeds my expectations, the instructor (David Wyant) is terrific, and a January break in Costa Rica......is beautiful!"


Enjoy the photo gallery...

         Full moon setting over the ocean each morning...                 
        

          Class presentations are part of the courses.....

Sunset reception at Tamarindo Preserve Model Home

Dinner at Tamarindo Preserve Langosta Beach Club


The daily exam........

See you here next year?

2012 Costa Rica CIPS Institute "Designation Vacation" Kicks Off Today!

Attendees Gather from Canada, the USA, and Costa Rica to Earn Prestigious NAR Designation...

January 9, 2012, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: The first CIPS Institute to be held on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica kicked off today at the Diria Hotel Conference Center in Tamarindo. This beach community is a global vacation destination which has emerged over the last 15 years around its world-class surfing beach.

















Over 20 total participants are gathering in Costa Rica this week with instructor, David Wyant, to complete the class requirements to earn the NAR Designation, "Certified international Property Specialist" (CIPS).

The courses are being sponsored by the Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR), Costa Rica's only real estate association in which every member is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the United States. CRGAR also offers the Costa Rica MLS, Costa Rica's only property database built on the Proxio Global platform, offering the widest global syndication available to its local realtors.

CIPS attendees enjoyed lunch on the banyon-shaded terrace of the restaurant in the Diria Hotel.

The restaurant terrace faces the Main Surfing Beach in Tamarindo with ocean breezes adding to the dining experience

The luncheon guest and speaker was Donovan Garcia, a representative of CATURGUA - the tourism bureau of the Guancaste Province.

A Moment of Peace from Costa Rica to Start 2012!

Dear Blog Followers:


We don't need many words when the world is as beautiful and peaceful as this. It was 7:00 AM this morning, on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the Guanacaste province. I will be glad to help you explore it for yourself, whenever you are ready.


Best Wishes in 2012!

Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® Supports Guanacaste Tourism Board, CATURGUA

Recognition of Importance of Visitors and Investors to Costa Rica’s Growth

Guanacaste, Costa Rica, November 4, 2011 – The Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR) has decided to support CATURGUA,  Cámara de Turismo Guanacasteca,  and its efforts to attract international visitors and investors to Costa Rica, particularly the Guanacaste Province. Both organizations understand the importance of tourism and real estate investment to Costa Rica’s economic success.

The first evidence of CRGAR’s support is the placement of a full page advertisement by CRGAR  in the latest edition of “Guanacaste – The Sunny Side of Costa Rica”, the free, seasonal CATURGUA magazine directed at visitors arriving during 2012. “CRGAR members have a solid base of professional ethics, training, credentials, and the Costa Rica MLS, to offer clients considering investments in Costa Rica”, shared Priscilla Solano, Board Fiscal of CRGAR. “We also recognize that every international investor was a visitor first, and we are proud to work with CATURGUA’s media resources to get our professional message to as many of them as possible, as they arrive.”



Tourism levels in Costa Rica have set successive yearly records, since a decline in 2009 at the depths of the global financial crisis, and advance bookings for 2012 suggest the trend of new records will continue. “CATURGUA has focused on the needs of both visitors to Costa Rica and its domestic travel industry, while seeking support from other business groups that share its interests”, according to Nadene Tipper, CRGAR Board Secretary. “CRGAR is proud to help CATURGUA with its important mission.”

Two new and important projects, both opening soon with significant implications for visitors and investors, will also receive the attention of CRGAR:

1)  The new, state-of-the-art terminal at Liberia International Airport (LIR) will soon receive its first passengers  – along with new airlines, like JetBlue, already arriving in Costa Rica.  This facility represents the biggest investment, by far, in the airport’s ability to handle surging passenger volumes since it opened to scheduled international service in December, 2002.

2) In January, a satellite hospital of the private CIMA Medical Center in San Jose will open its doors near the Liberia Airport, giving Guanacaste its very first 21st century inpatient and outpatient facility.

CRGAR will continue to support public understanding of these and other new projects in Guanacaste, as well as the work of CATURGUA.

About CRGAR:

The Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR) is the only professional real estate organization in Costa Rica that requires its members to become individual members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the United States and of the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations (ICREA), and offers The Costa Rica MLS – the only property database in Central America built on the global Proxio platform. For contact:info@crgar.com.

Costa Rica Realtors Will Syndicate Listings from the Costa Rica MLS to New REALTOR.com/International

CRGAR’s Participation Means Costa Rica Will Be One of the First Central American Markets to Be Featured!

NAR Convention, Anaheim, California – November 12, 2011 – The Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR) has signed an agreement with Realtor.com to provide International property listings from Costa Rica. Listings from users of the Costa Rica MLS are planned to begin to appear on the Realtor.com International website by early next year.  Realtor.com is one of the world’s most recognized consumer property websites with over 17,000,000 unique visitors each month.

“Realtor.com is happy to welcome CRGAR’s REALTORS® and their listings from the Costa Rica MLS. Adding the global dimension to Realtor.com has been under preparation for the past year, and we are proud to be associated with CRGAR’s, NAR-Member REALTORS®”, stated Bob Greenspan, Realtor.com Vice President for Industry Relations.

       

Anaheim Convention Center 
                                               

Signing Agreement - L-R – Standing: Jeff Hornberger and Carlos Fuentes (NAR),
Bob Greenspan (Realtor.com), Alberto Triquell (CRGAR),

Seated: Jennifer Wiziarde (NAR), Allen Lungo and Laura Murray (CRGAR)

“CRGAR has worked hard to implement the Costa Rica MLS, and to assure users that the data for each listing is accurate, timely, and reliable”, added Alberto Triquell, CRGAR Vice President and Costa Rica MLS instructor. “We are pleased that Realtor.com will help offer our listings to global investors and real estate professionals.”

CRGAR received recognition for its participation from NAR and Realtor.com during the opening sessions of the Global Alliance at the NAR Annual Convention in Anaheim, California, concluding Monday, November 14, 2011.

       

International Expo –Central America Session   L-R Alberto Triquell and Laura Murray (CRGAR)              

Award Ceremony for Realtor.com Partners L-R Allen Lungo (CRGAR),

Janet Branton (NAR Senior VP), Errol Samuelson (Realtor.com)

CRGAR has maintained a bi-lateral agreement with the National Association of Realtor (NAR) in the United States, and requires all of its REALTOR® members to become individual members of NAR, as well. By doing so, all CRGAR REALTORS® are subject to NAR’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Practice.

For more information, info@crgar.com

About CRGAR

The Costa Rica Global Association of REALTORS® (CRGAR), is affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) in the United States, and is the only such association in Central America to require its members to become individual members of NAR, as well. CRGAR offers REALTOR® training classes, ethical enforcement, peer-licensing, international affiliations, special events, and access to the Costa Rica MLS. CRGAR will offer a full CIPS Institute in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, January 9-14, 2011. For information, email to info@crgar.com.