NASSAU, Bahamas -- Young real estate superstar Ryan Knowles has been awarded the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation, catapulting the 24-year-old into the top tier of real estate agents. The international certification places Knowles, an agent with Mario Carey Realty, among fewer than 1% of all licensed agents in the U.S. and the Caribbean.

The designation awarded December 1 by the Dallas-based Institute for Luxury Home Marketing is also held by Carey who founded Mario Carey Realty in 2008.

According to the president of the Institute, the award was presented to Knowles "in recognition of his experience, knowledge and expertise in the luxury home market."

Knowles closed more than $11 million in transactions in his first year as an agent, placing him in the top tier of real estate agents in the region. Despite a challenging market over the next three years, he continued to succeed with luxury listings and sales, the Institute said, qualifying for a designation earned by only a handful of agents and brokers, many of whom have worked a lifetime.

 

“Ryan Knowles is an example of a real estate professional who has worked to develop market knowledge and the special skills and competencies necessary to provide exceptional service in the fine homes and estates marketplace,” said Institute President Laurie Moore-Moore upon announcing Knowles’ designation. “Affluent buyers and sellers turn to sales professionals who have this designation." According to Moore-Moore, agents trained by the Institute handle the 1000 most expensive homes on the U.S. market.

Broker Mario Carey, who also set and broke his own records year after year, called Knowles "a young professional who is both soft-spoken and hard-working. People who meet Ryan trust him instantly, but he continues to work to earn that trust, studying the market, providing honest information, guiding them through the closing every step of the way."

For Knowles, it's about being there whenever someone needs him.

“I am honoured to have been chosen for this designation and appreciate that The Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation symbolizes an ability to meet the needs of affluent buyers and sellers. It's also important that membership in The Institute provides me with marketing tools and networking capabilities that benefit my clients,” said Knowles.

To earn the certification, Knowles underwent training to meet performance standards in the upper tier market as well as fulfilling sales performance requirements. In 2007, Knowles was the youngest in Bahamian history to earn the Certified Residential Specialist certification.