Although both Real Estate agents and Realtors may seemingly share many similarities within the scope of their duties in the field of Real Estate, they are undoubtedly different in many ways, chief among them is the difference in standards of practice and the Realtors’® Code of Ethics.
The Real Estate Agent
A Real Estate agent is a professional who assists in the buying, selling, and renting of real property on behalf of the client while adhering to local laws and regulations and has obtained the proper licensing to do so. For an agent to be licensed, states generally require education and pre-licensing training, the required number of training hours can vary based on jurisdiction.
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The Realtor® Difference
In terms of skill, Realtors and Real Estate agents are the same, and in many cases the titles are interchangeable. A Realtor can be a Real Estate agent, but an agent is not a Realtor until they have joined the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and comply with the Realtors Code of Ethics which offers a higher standard of obligatory practices and accountability for such members.
A Realtor must pledge to put the interests of their clients above their own.
“The term REALTOR® has come to connote competency, fairness, and high integrity resulting from adherence to a lofty ideal of moral conduct in business relations. No inducement of profit and no instruction from clients ever can justify departure from this ideal.” 2022 NAR Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice.
If you want to learn more about the differences between real estate agents, brokers, and Realtor’s there’s a great article you can find here.
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