(openPR) - CHICAGO – (1/18/11) – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) has joined forces with Distressed Property Institute (DPI) to provide timely instruction and certifications to the 150,000 sales associates affiliated with the network.
DPI confers two major designations, available at a discount to LeadingRE members: the Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) Designation and the Certified Investor Agent Specialist™ (CIAS) Designation. The CDPE Designation provides agents with the tools and knowledge to handle distressed properties, particularly through short sales. The CIAS Designation offers agents a strong understanding of real estate investment and how to properly address the needs of investors to help build long-term wealth through real estate.
DPI will also provide an exclusive corporate content package to LeadingRE, supplying critical information for the network’s interactive learning community, Institute 2.0, via discussions, webinars and courses on short sales and real estate investing.
“In markets across the country, distressed properties continue to play an increasingly significant role in real estate,” notes LeadingRE Chief Learning Officer Mike Staver. “Through our relationship with DPI, we are able to bring our members highly effective education to help them bring value to the table – whether working with homeowners to help them avoid foreclosure or with investors who want to capitalize on the deals out there to build long-term wealth.”

“With a shared emphasis on quality professional development, our partnership with LeadingRE is a natural fit,” Alex Charfen, CEO of DPI, said. “By becoming an integral feature of Institute 2.0, our training will help the network’s agents become skilled in working short sales and other foreclosure-avoidance options, as well as finding, creating and closing with real estate investors. The skills learned through the CDPE and CIAS Designations will prepare these agents to adapt to market changes throughout 2011.”

To learn more about the Distressed Property Institute and its designations, visit www.cdpe.com or www.cias.com.

To learn more about Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, visit www.LeadingRE.com.

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About the Distressed Property Institute, LLC
The Distressed Property Institute is the premier training events company in the real estate industry, producing an average of 300 events each year. The Institute confers two major designations: the Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) Designation and the Certified Investor Agent Specialist (CIAS) Designation. The CDPE Designation provides agents with the tools and knowledge to handle distressed properties, including short sales and an understanding of deeds-in-lieu, mortgage modifications, forbearance, refinances, reinstatements, government programs and other options. The CIAS Designation offers agents a strong understanding of real estate investment, and how to properly address the needs of the investors to help build long-term wealth through real estate.

About Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (www.LeadingRE.com) is the largest network of top independent local and regional brand-name brokerage firms in the residential sector of real estate. The 600 firms affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) are represented by 5,000 offices and 150,000 associates in more than 30 countries worldwide. The organization's leadership is demonstrated by the fact that its affiliates comprise six of the top 10 real estate companies in the country. Collectively, LeadingRE affiliates produced nearly 1 million home sales valued at $250 billion in the U.S. in 2009. In addition, LeadingRE affiliates hold the Number One position in terms of sales or volume in more of the top markets than any other organization.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
161 N. Clark St., Suite 1250
Chicago, IL 60601

Contact: Kimberly Ecker / Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® / 312.424.0400 x158 / kecker@LeadingRE.com