In order to represent someone else in the purchase/sale/lease/etc of real estate, the State of California Department of Real Estate (DRE) requires the person (aka “Agent”) to hold a license. Once a person meets all the CA DRE requirements, a license is issued. It could be a salesperson license or a broker license depending on the criteria the person met.
At this point the new licensee may or may not choose to join a real estate association of like minded individuals. The most common association is the Association of Realtors, but there are others. I believe a member of one such lesser-known group would be called a “Realtist”. A licensee who elects NOT to join the voluntary organization of Realtors may NOT call himself a ‘Realtor’, but he may still legally perform as an agent representing others in real estate transactions. He would be called just an “agent” or a “broker”.
Furthermore, in California and 4 other states, the licensee may elect to join the powerful Multiple Listing Service (MLS) without joining the Assc of Realtors. The other 46 states require one join the Assc of Realtors for access to the MLS.
So if you want to sell real estate, do not call your local Realtor office. They cannot help you. Call the DRE.
An individual can join the National Association of Realtors and become a “Realtor” without even holding a license to sell real estate. For instance, there are a few Realtors who are appraisers, not agents or brokers. NAR even offers professional designations for appraisers (RAA for residential appraisers and GAA for commercial appraisers).
One of the most politically active groups in the affairs of The Appraisal Foundation is NAR and its Appraiser section.
Not all agents or brokers are Realtors and not all Realtors are agents or brokers.
Milton Friedman said “I am a libertarian with a small l and a Republican with a capital R. And I am a Republican with a capital R on grounds of expediency, not on principle.”
Most agents become Realtors for two reasons:
1) The salesperson has to carry the same designations as their employing broker. If the broker is a Realtor, all the salespeople affiliated with that broker must be Realtors. And vice versa.
2) In SD County, only Realtors have access to the extremely handy computerized forms. Non-Realtors have to drive to a service center, pay big money for the forms, and fill them out by hand. Hand written forms aren’t as professional looking.
That’s why I became a Realtor today. I can’t believe it myself.
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