Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) Designation

More than 33% of Los Angeles County residents are foreign-born, and California accounts for 19% of U.S. foreign-buyer home purchases.

In one of the most internationally connected markets in the country, global real estate knowledge isn’t a specialty. It’s a competitive advantage.

Clients move across borders, international buyers invest in Southern California, and local clients pursue opportunities abroad. The Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS™) designation gives REALTORS® the specialized knowledge, tools and global network to navigate these opportunities and better serve clients whose real estate needs cross borders.

What You’ll Learn

Across five full days of study, CIPS coursework explores key aspects of international real estate, including:

  • Global markets and international capital flow
  • Currency and exchange-rate considerations
  • Cross-cultural business practices
  • Regional markets and investment considerations
  • International transaction tools and research
  • Marketing and business strategies for global clients

NAR’s CIPS curriculum consists of two core courses and three elective courses. GLAR is offering all five courses needed to satisfy the CIPS education requirement.

Grow Your Global Referral Network

CIPS extends beyond the classroom. Designees become part of an international network of real estate professionals who can connect, collaborate and refer business across markets.

Earning the designation can help you stand out in the Greater Los Angeles market while building relationships with CIPS professionals around the world.

These four (4) requirements must be met to attain and use the CIPS designation:
1. Successful completion of two core and three elective courses.
2. Submit CIPS designation application.
3. Pay the CIPS application fee and annual designation dues (U.S. and Canada only) or a one-time fee for international REALTORS®.
4. Membership in good standing in the National Association of REALTORS®

40 Hours of Specialized Global Real Estate Education| Member $xxxx, Special Price Non-Member $xxxx

Individual Class (per day fee) | Member/Non-Member $149
Audit Class (per day/CIPS in good standing)| Member/Non-Member $XXXX

CIPS Designee Member Benefits
• Access to the CIPS Network comprised of nearly 4,000 designees from 48 countries—and growing!
• A customized profile in the online CIPS Directory
• Subscription to the CIPS bi-monthly print publication, Global Perspectives
• Access to the CIPS designees-only Facebook group
• Discounted tickets for select events at the NAR meetings
• Use of the prestigious and internationally-recognized CIPS logo and brand
• Customizable print and web-based marketing materials
• Advertising discounts in various global publications
• Listhub Global discount (brokers only)

  • If you reside in a country where NAR has a Cooperating Association, you must be a member of that Association in order to join the CIPS Network/NAR and earn the designation.
  • If you reside in a country where NAR does not have a Cooperating Association, you must agree to abide by NAR’s code of ethics and join the Cooperating Association if developed in the future.

The CIPS designation gives you five full days of study focusing on the critical aspects of global real estate transactions,
including:

• Globalization of economies and international capital flow.
• Marketing and business planning strategies.
• Roles, expectations, and cultural business practices of global transactions.

Designation Requirements
These four (4) requirements must be met to attain and use the CIPS designation:

1. Successful completion of two core and three elective courses.
2. Submit designation application.
3. Pay application fee and annual designation dues (U.S. and Canada only) or a one-time fee for international REALTORS®.
4. Membership in good standing in the National Association of REALTORS®.

2026 CIPS Course Schedule

CIPS Core Course

As the first CIPS course, Global Real Estate for Local Markets introduces participants to the unique dimensions of international practice. The goal of this course is to make students aware of how the global economy impacts their local real estate markets and prepare them to serve foreign clients and customers.

Bonus Credential Credit
Global Real Estate: Local Markets is the required prerequisite for the remaining CIPS courses and also provides elective credit toward the ABR® and CRS designations for U.S. members

CIPS Core Course

This course provides the tools and concepts real estate professionals need to serve clients and customers in the global real estate market. Students learn how to research markets, convert metric measures, monitor currency trends, alert clients to tax and visa matters, and follow a process for compiling transaction information.

CIPS Regional Elective

This course was developed by the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) program specifically for those real estate practitioners that are interested in focusing on ownership and transaction principles of international real estate. Provides information on working with clients in Western and Central Europe. Covers the European Union and its impact on international real estate, along with economic and real estate trends, networking and relationships, and marketing and selling practices.

CIPS Regional Elective

Explore real estate throughout Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, with a focus on regional markets, cultural and economic influences, investment considerations and opportunities for international business.

CIPS Regional Elective

This course explores real estate practices throughout Asia and the Pacific, with a focus on cultural considerations, economic trends, investment opportunities and regional business practices. Participants will also examine the Japanese real estate market and the cultural and professional considerations that can influence transactions and client relationships in Japan.

Common Questions

NAR allows the At Home With Diversity® (AHWD) course to substitute for ONE of the three CIPS elective courses. If you recently completed AHWD and it is eligible for CIPS credit, you may only need to complete two of the three regional elective courses offered by GLAR, in addition to both required CIPS core courses.

AHWD can replace only one elective. It cannot replace either of the two required CIPS core courses.

Participants planning to use previous coursework toward the designation should confirm that it remains eligible under NAR’s CIPS requirements.

Completing the coursework is an important step toward earning CIPS, but course completion alone does not automatically confer the designation.

For U.S. REALTORS®, NAR currently requires applicants to:

  1. Successfully complete two CIPS core courses and three eligible elective courses.
  2. Submit the CIPS designation application demonstrating 100 points of international experience.
  3. Pay the applicable NAR designation application fee and annual CIPS designation dues.
  4. Maintain membership in good standing with the National Association of REALTORS®.

CIPS coursework is valid for three years, and the designation application must be submitted within the applicable NAR timeframe. NAR designation application fees and dues are separate from GLAR course registration fees.

The value of CIPS extends beyond the classroom.

CIPS designees gain access to specialized NAR resources designed to support international business, including professional networking opportunities, CIPS member communities, marketing resources, international real estate information and tools for building referral relationships.

The designation also gives qualified members the ability to use the CIPS name and branding to distinguish their international real estate training and experience.

In Greater Los Angeles, that distinction matters.