Ever wonder whether a real estate broker and a Realtor are the same thing? Well, they're not. Not exactly, at least. Someone with a real estate license is a licensed real estate professional, or an agent. This person may also be a Realtor but isn't necessarily one.
We often think of any real estate agent as a Realtor, but to be one, he or she must be a member of The National Association of Realtors, which has trademarked the word "Realtor."
A real estate broker, meanwhile, has had additional training and holds a different license. Don't think that you need a broker and not an agent, though. Either can serve you very well. Although many people casually refer to those who show and sell homes as brokers, they're often actually agents. Most people use the terms interchangeably.
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