The word Realtor® has been used to mean real estate agent for so long now that it can’t be taken back but the National Association of Realtors® spends a lot of money each year defending the brand.
I am a Realtor® because I belong to the National Association of Realtors not because I sell houses.
There are a lot of folks out there even some who answer phones for real estate companies that do not know how to pronounce Realtor®. It is often pronounced “real-it-ter” and no one really knows why.
The big brokerages in town all require agents to be members of the Realtors® associations because only members can not belong to the MLS. (Multiple Listing Service).
Most home buyers and sellers do not know what a Realtor® is and use the term like they would use a job title.
