Differences between Realtors and Real Estate Agents – not every real estate agent is a Realtor and not every Realtor is a real estate agent. Both must be licensed to sell estate.
A Realtor must be a member of the National Association of Realtors and usually includes the State Association of Realtors as well as a local association such as Tacoma-Pierce County Association of Realtors. We Realtors, must subscribe to the Realtor Code of Ethics – the standards are much more confining and restrictive than those of state guidelines governing agents who simply hold a real estate license.
Realtors also have access to their Realtor Attorney such as Washington State. They can assist with legal questions that might be a concern to the transaction but does not substitute for the consumer to seek legal advice on their own.
As you probably are saying to yourself, what is the guarantee that the Realtor is ethically better than the unaffiliated real estate agents? It is only an attempt to regulate and deserves recognition.
Realtor members pay to be part of the Realtor Associations – to make them better with education to have more knowledge to help you, the consumer, with your transactions.
You have seen the ads on TV – offering discounts. Like my mama always said, ” You get what you pay for!” It never hurts to ask, are you a Realtor or a real estate agent?