CAHR Certification

The Columbus Board of REALTORS® Affordable Housing Committee has created a Certified Affordable Housing REALTOR® (CAHR) certification program to recognize those REALTORS®  who have committed their time and obtained experience in working the affordable housing market. Through this recognition program, the general public will be served by being able to more easily identify REALTORS®  who have acquired the ability to handle real estate transactions in the affordable housing market. The committee has identified affordable housing as properties priced $125,000 and below. To qualify for the certification program, criteria must be met in the areas of affordable housing transactions, association activities, and education and community involvement.

CAHR Recipients CAHR Application  Copyright© Columbus Board of REALTORS® Note:  The CAHR is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS®.  It is a certification offered by the Columbus Board of REALTORS® to recognize the efforts of local REALTORS®.

Affordable Housing Transaction

To qualify in this category, applicants must list at least 10 affordable housing transactions that the applicant has listed and/or sold through CBR in the past three years. Affordable housing is defined as any single family home, condominium, or 1- to 4-unit owner-occupied property priced at $125,000 or below). These listings may be co-ops and the applicant's primary residence if the residence is priced $125,000 or below.  NOTE: SOLD DATE, ADDRESS, LIST AND SOLD PRICE OF ALL TRANSACTIONS MUST BE PROVIDED IN DOCUMENTATION.

Exceptions of properties that are not listed or sold through CBR, but can count toward certification credit are FSBOs, Sheriff's Sale, new construction, or repos where the agent was paid a commission.All sales must include a settlement statement and may not be agent's own purchase. Additional documentation may be required.

Association Activities

To qualify in this category, applicants must accumulate 10 points in the following real estate related activities:

• Membership on the Affordable Housing Committee with at least 50% attendance at those meetings, 3 points.
• Membership on one or more subcommittee of the Affordable Housing Committee with at least 50% attendance at the meetings (2 points for each subcommittee).
• Attendance at CBR Affordable Housing Roundtable meetings (1 point for each meeting attended).
• Involvement in OAR/NAR affordable housing activities (1 point for each meeting)
• Donation to CORPAC of at least $25 and/or active promotion of affordable housing issues within CORPAC(1 point maximum).
• Other affordable housing involvement related to real estate issues or activity that may include meetings and/or board involvement related directly to affordable housing, such as the Board of Trustees of Columbus Housing Partnership (1 point for each issue or activity).
• Involvement with REALTOR® Area Association affordable housing project over the past two years (1 point for each project)

Affordable Housing Continuing Education

Attaining ten (10) CEU credits from among the following courses in the past five years. AT LEAST FIVE POINTS MUST COME FROM FINANCING COURSES (see *), 1 point for each CEU credit. PLEASE INCLUDE copies of course attendance certificate that must specify name and date of class.

• FHA/VA Financing Course* and/or any course that helps the buyer finance the property
• Any downpayment assistance financing course*
• Home Inspection/Environmental Issues  related to real estate
• Buyer Agency Laws & Practices
• Fair Housing Laws & Practices
• Writing Residential Purchase Contracts
• Train the Trainer: Presenting An Affordable Housing Homebuyers Seminar
• Selling affordable housing
• Any ABR, CRS or GRI courses
• Nuts and Bolts of Affordable Financing
• Any other classes that may apply to affordable housing

Any Ohio Division of Real Estate accredited course pertaining to affordable housing issues can count whether it is sponsored by the CBR, OAR, NAR or other training organization. Applicant does need to have attended the courses, but does not have to have paid for the CEU credits (attendance documentation required for all courses listed).

Community Involvement

Participation with any charitable, not for profit, civic or religious organizations with affordable housing programs or needs for which you have provided at least ten (10) hours of time in volunteer service in the last two years. Participation can include teaching homebuyers classes and/or involvement in an home buyers expo (1 point for each hour)

Approved list: Columbus Housing Partnership (CHP), Columbus Urban League, Greater Linden Community Development, Homes on the Hill and Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)