As more and more consumers turn to the Internet to buy or sell homes, a new course, e-PRO, trains real estate professionals to use the latest Web tools. Maggie Odle a REALTOR® with The Lipman Group Sotheby's International Realty, recently earned the e-PRO certification, and now uses the Internet to work with clients.

e-PRO is the official technology certification program of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Conducted by San Diego-based technology company InternetCrusade, the course instructs participants in the professional use of e-mail, the development of an interactive Web site, and the use of on-line research tools. Graduates use the skills they've acquired to provide clients information on properties for sale, local communities, and the real estate market.

Odle finds that the technological expertise she's gained through e-PRO saves her clients time and money.