Are Real Estate Brokers Different From Agents?
Although used interchangeably, the different terms used for real estate professionals actually have distinctions. The main difference they imply is a person’s level of education and certification. Of course, this varies from state to state, which is one reason the dictionary definitions have gotten so muddled.
The term “realtor” is actually the most official title. It’s associated with the National Association of Realtors, which is a group dedicated to quality and consistency in the field.
Members need to have their real estate license, but not everyone with a license chooses to join the NAR. It does offer some benefits, like nationwide databases and reliable networking opportunities, but it isn’t a priority for every agent. In fact, this accessibility tends to be more useful for people working in industrial or commercial real estate, rather than those working in the residential sector.
This term is also often confused with real estate brokers, which can also be realtors, but have another level of certification over real estate agents. It requires more experience and a slightly different set of education in order to be considered a broker, but it is considered on a higher tier than other sorts of qualifications.
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