Are you a Realtor

In this episode of “Russell Realty Minute Podcast,” Evan Russell, owner of the Russell Realty Group, defines what it means to be a realtor and how it differs from being a real estate agent.

“In my opinion, if you don’t join the National Association of Realtors, and you just operate with your license, real estate salesperson license, that you’ve earned from the state, doesn’t mean that you’re any less ethical or any less professional. It just means that you don’t choose to subscribe to that particular trade organization.” – Evan Russell [01:31]

What You Will Learn:
[00:00] Intro
[00:17] What makes you a realtor?
[02:41] Outro

Resources:
Visit our website: https://www.therussellteam.com/

ARE YOU A REALTOR

Welcome to another episode of Russell realty minute with your host Evan Russell. Where Evan shares his real-world real estate experience with you, if you like what you hear, please be sure to give them a quick review right here in iTunes. Thank you for listening.

Did you know that all real estate agents aren’t realtors? Did you know that to be a realtor, you have to join the national association of realtors? Which is a professional trade organization. When you get your license from the state, from whichever state you’re licensed to practice in, for myself, it’s Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

You obtain a license which is called a licensed real estate sales agent, or in my case, I’m a licensed real estate broker, which is the next level of real estate licenses. But you don’t license yourself, you’re not automatically a realtor. A realtor is a trade organization that you join.

There are many local boards; there are many local outfits, different kinds of organizations that you can join. Territory specific, some on the cape, some up north, some in Southern New Hampshire, but you join a professional organization or a board to become a realtor; now, not everybody knows that. Everybody thinks that you sell real estate, that you’re automatically a realtor.

Which is kind of like in hockey; if you’re a hockey fan, the ice resurfacer is called a Zamboni, that’s the brand name. So when the ice resurfacer comes onto the ice, he says, oh, there’s the Zamboni. Zamboni’s going to clean the ice, or hey, that’s my realtor; my realtor will call or let me check on my realtor. People don’t say, let me check my real estate agent; they just automatically tag you as a realtor.

So whether you choose to join the national association of realtors or not, in my opinion, if you don’t join the national association of realtors, and you just operate with your licensed real estate sales person’s license that you’ve earned from the state, doesn’t mean that you’re any less ethical or any less professional. It just means you don’t choose to subscribe to that particular trade organization.

It means you don’t want to pay the $700 a year to tag yourself as a realtor. Some people want to do that; some people don’t. Most states and most boards require you to be a realtor, require you to join the board to give access to the MLS. In Massachusetts, that is optional. You can be a realtor, or you cannot be a realtor.

So some of the agents on a roster join the board, some agents don’t. Doesn’t make them again any less ethical or any less professional or any less knowledgeable; they just choose to not join the board. So the next time you’re talking to your real estate agent, they may or may not be a realtor doesn’t mean that they’re any better or any worse than the next guy; it means did they join the professional trade organization called the national associate realtors? Or didn’t they?

But they’re all licensed as salespeople or licensed real estate brokers through the state in which they work. Hope this helps guys, another episode of Russell realty minute.