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The Difference Between Real Estate Agents and Realtors^®

In you daily life, you may hear the words "agent" and "Realtor^®" used in the same context.  You might also assume that they're one and the same, but they're not.  Anyone who is licensed to sell real estate is a licensed "agent."  You must be licensed by the state to transact business and to fulfill specific functions related to working with people who are purchasing or selling real estate.

Although every licensee is a real estate agent, not every licensee is a Realtor^®.  Realtors^® are agents who have taken their careers one step beyond, and decided to join the local board of Realtors, the state association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors.  In most areas, you must be a member of the local board of Realtors in order to advertise in the Multiple Listing Service, or MLS.

Realtors are bound by the Code of Ethics as outlined by the National Association of Realtors^®, which not only enforces what is legal or not legal, but also what is ethically correct or incorrect.  Realtors also perform many other functions, such as establishing your local MLS, establishing MLS enforcement procedures, and supporting local and state political action groups to monitor legal issues that concern real estate.  What types of issues might affect real estate?  Issues like higher property taxes, taxes on real estate transactions, and constitutional issues like the eminent domain rulings that were recently passed giving local jurisdictions the authority to forcibly take your property only to turn around and give it to other private concerns (developers).

In Texas, Realtors were responsible for passing legislation that counters the federal rulings concerning eminent domain.  That's just one example of how Realtors^® work to protect your interests.  The difference between an agent and a Realtor^® is significant, so make the right choice and hire the professionals -- those who have made a deliberate choice to be bound by a code of ethics.