Local realtor Tommy Shelton is now nationally recognized with the Graduate Realtor Institute designation due to three one-week courses he took through the Mississippi Association of Realtors.  

“It makes me more confident and more aware of the rules and regulations and the laws,” Shelton said. “I think I can now better serve my clients in buying and selling real estate.”

He spent three separate weeks in Flowood at the Mississippi Realtor Institute.

Each week they took all-day courses on license law requirements in Mississippi, how to represent buyers and sellers professionally, financing, management and other topics. Once the courses were over he had to pass an exam to receive the designation.

He said it’s worthwhile to become more knowledgeable about your profession.

“It’s always good to have all the education you can get,” Shelton said. “Real estate is getting more and more complicated with more and more laws and rules that apply. I just think that the more education you can have the better, to better help your clients.”

A press release from Mississippi Realtors said less then 15 percent of members of their organization attain GRI designation. Shelton said he doesn’t know why more people don’t receive the designation, but it may have to do with the commitment to the institute’s weeklong courses.

Shelton was once a civil engineer, but took on a second career in 2010 when he became a realtor. Since then, he has started working full-time at Leech Real Estate of Vicksburg.

“I’ve always been interested in buying and selling houses,” Shelton said.

He is part of JOY ministries and sings in the choir at Crawford Street United Methodist Church.