The Value of CCIM
Commercial Corner
April 20, 2015
By David S. Miller
CCIM Chapter President
What is CCIM and what is its value in the commercial world? This is a question often asked by those new to commercial real estate and even some that have earned a few gray hairs. Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) is a designation earned after hundreds of hours of rigorous study, completion of a comprehensive resume of qualifying experience and a 6 hour exam. Professionals who qualify for a CCIM have an average of 19.5 years of experience and over 80% of these professionals also hold a graduate or undergraduate degree. When a professional earns a CCIM designation, he/she is viewed as attaining a higher level of education in the commercial world- lending further credibility and stature within the industry as well as with current and prospective clients.
CCIM Designees are an elite group of Brokers, Developers, Attorneys, CPAs, Appraisers, Principals, Lenders, Corporate Real Estate Executives, Asset Managers and others. CCIM bridges the entire spectrum of real estate professionals.
The CCIM Institute and the local Central Arizona Chapter provides a platform for on-going knowledge, ethics and technology applications. The Sight-to-Do-Business is the leading demographic and site-selection tool for commercial real estate professionals and is one of the many advantages a CCIM has compared to the real estate community at large.
The Central Arizona CCIM Chapter is one of nearly 60 local Chapters of the CCIM Institute. The mission of the Chapter is to provide quality programs, local networking opportunities and technology products to its members, as well as to promote the merits of the CCIM designation to prospective members and the business community at large. As of March 2015, the Arizona Chapter has 188 CCIMs.
Since 1969, the Chicago-based CCIM Institute has conferred the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation to commercial real estate and allied professionals through an extensive curriculum of 200 classroom hours and professional experiential requirements. Currently, there are more than 9,000 CCIMs in 1,000 markets throughout the United States, Canada, and 30 additional countries. Another 7,000 practitioners are pursuing the designation, making the Institute the governing body of one of the largest commercial real estate networks in the world.
CCIMs take pride in their abilities to help clients minimize risk, make informed decisions and close more transactions. CCIMs are not only proficient in theory but in practice. The program provides real-world information in financial analysis, market analysis, investment analysis and negotiation.