Agent? Broker? Realtor? What’s the Difference?

[photopress:409_0991_IMG_1.jpg,thumb,alignright]The Motley Fool has a nice article explaining the different between a real estate agent, real estate broker and a realtor:

Ever wonder whether a real estate broker and a Realtor are the same thing? Well, they’re not. Not exactly, at least. Someone with a real estate license is a licensed real estate professional, or an agent. This person may also be a Realtor but isn’t necessarily one.

We often think of any real estate agent as a Realtor, but to be one, he or she must be a member of The National Association of Realtors, which has trademarked the word “Realtor.”

A real estate broker, meanwhile, has had additional training and holds a different license. Don’t think that you need a broker and not an agent, though. Either can serve you very well. Although many people casually refer to those who show and sell homes as brokers, they’re often actually agents. Most people use the terms interchangeably.

If you’re curious, I’m a real estate agent (not a broker) and a Realtor.

4 thoughts on “Agent? Broker? Realtor? What’s the Difference?

  1. Why not go one step further, and do it yourself?

    It is about time! There are numerous sites that are popping up for private seller to buyer markets around Australia at the moment.

    http://www.Epropertysales.com.au is one of the newest & the most comprehensive.

    What’s more, it is free to list your business, house, unit, townhouse, land, whatever. They do have paid packages which include signs etc…. but basically a free site that I think will take the Australian market by storm!

    Check it out – http://www.Epropertysales.com.au

  2. Why not go one step further, and do it yourself?

    It is about time! There are numerous sites that are popping up for private seller to buyer markets around Australia at the moment.

    http://www.Epropertysales.com.au is one of the newest & the most comprehensive.

    What’s more, it is free to list your business, house, unit, townhouse, land, whatever. They do have paid packages which include signs etc…. but basically a free site that I think will take the Australian market by storm!

    Check it out – http://www.Epropertysales.com.au

  3. Ross,

    That’s interesting stuff… Probably the most successful free marketplace in the US is Craigslist.

    Craigslist is very active in the major cities but they aren’t very flashy and they don’t offer any extra services… The discount paid package market is still pretty small with a lot of options but none that stick out as particularly successful (not yet anyway).

  4. Ross,

    That’s interesting stuff… Probably the most successful free marketplace in the US is Craigslist.

    Craigslist is very active in the major cities but they aren’t very flashy and they don’t offer any extra services… The discount paid package market is still pretty small with a lot of options but none that stick out as particularly successful (not yet anyway).

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