Scholarships available for Special Needs Specialist Certification

Special needs can mean many things. Special needs is a term that applies to any individual who requires specific accommodation, individualized care or specialized services due to physical, mental, psychological or learning disabilities. It may be a child who lacks muscle control and is wheelchair bound or an adult who lives with deafness or blindness. It may be someone with a developmental disability that impacts daily functioning or behaviors.

Preparing a home for market on top of caregiving or opening one’s home for tours can be especially complex for families with a loved one who has special needs.

Recently, Realtor® Tony Farah presented to SPAAR’s Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion about his personal experience as parent of a child with special needs. This experience led Tony to understand some of the challenges faced by families in similar circumstances when they are selling and buying real estate. Tony developed Special Needs Specialist (SNS) Certification to share insights and educate other Realtors® who, in turn, can educate others.

In fact, Realtors® have opportunities to provide individualized attention to prepare families for their house hunt and educate individuals with special needs about what to expect when they market their home for sale.

SPAAR is offering reimbursement scholarships for members who complete SNS Certification. The scholarships are sponsored by SPAAR’s Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. A limited number of scholarships are available, and members will be asked to provide proof of course completion to receive reimbursement for the course registration fee.

SNS Certification is not currently an endorsement of the National Association of REALTORS® nor is it approved for continuing education credits; however, it will provide insight into serving families and individuals with special needs. SNS Certification includes practice suggestions to build connections with clients.

For more information about the SNS Certification, visit About specialneedsspecialist.com.

For information about the scholarship opportunity, email spaar@spaar.com and include “SNS Certification” in the subject line.