NAR in the News

I would have to say that I don't believe the results of the poll would have been different even if Realtors had been added to the list. I worked as a Realtor for several years and therefore I feel I understand the issues on both sides. My husband and I have lived in four different states and purchased homes with each move. Each time a "Realtor" was used to both buy and sell the homes. I am here to say I am saddened by the amount of unprofessional people in the business. If I feel totally frustrated with the lack of commitment and professional behavior of the Realtors we contracted, then you can only imagine how the general population must feel when they utilize this profession. We MUST do something more than inform the public that Realtors have a code of ethics. Realtors MUST take their profession seriously and treat ALL parties with respect. Opportunity, experience and privilege only work together if the professional utilizies them. I am not trying to bash this profession as I loved being a Realtor and took my responsibility seriously. I am saying there is a real educational opportunity for Realtors to understand both buyers and sellers plus make their profession better! My motto was and still is "Actions speak louder than words"

Last month Harris Polls provided me with one more reason to wonder what possessed me to open my own real estate agency. It was that delightful survey of how the public sees its work force in terms of respectability. Not surprisingly, firefighters are number one. Nurses were either number two or three, as I’m quite sure we were ahead of the doctors. But Realtors®, of which I am one, were absolutely dead last. Correct me if I’m wrong, but dead last is at the very end of the list, right? I mean, there is no one less respected than a Realtor? Could that be true? Could I be working in a profession where virtually every other job on the planet garnered more respect?

It would appear so.

But the sting is that I was a nurse for 22 years. Yes, an ICU nurse, working my proverbial fingers to the bone during 12-hour shifts keeping these very people who participated in this survey - well, maybe not the VERY same people, but people just like them - ALIVE! Do those surveyed not realize that Realtors are people too? Some of whom had jobs prior to this? Some of whom are firefighters and nurses and teachers cum Realtors?

This is what I think. I think we are a society of pigeonholers. I think there is a reason I am invariably asked, within minutes of meeting a new person, what I “do for a living.” I think this is the jumping-off point for many of us. “Am I going to like this person?” we think to ourselves. Is this person worthy of a few more minutes of my social life? What was that? She’s a Realtor! Eek! Time to move on. Find someone else to talk to. Good grief, did anyone see me speaking with her?

Chances are your Realtor found your last home for you. There is an even greater chance you are happy with the transaction, the house, and the outcome. Statistically speaking, respondents to our industry’s surveys indicate that we do a good job, provide an important service, our customers like us, and they would use us again. But here’s the rub. If just one Realtor in your friendship sphere has wronged someone, chances are you have heard about it, her, him, the deal, and all the bad stuff in between.

As a currently-licensed Registered Nurse, I have a request. It is not a big one, nor will it cost you anything but a moment of your time and a snippet of your heart. The next time you hear about a Realtor who wreaked havoc on someone’s life (hard to imagine, but that’s what I’ve heard), and you, yourself, had a good experience with your Realtor, please just mention it. Say something nice about your Realtor. Drop the name. Offer the card or the phone number. Someone, somewhere needs to push this swing in the other direction. It may as well be you. And as a Realtor, I thank you.

I think that NAR worries too much about building their brand, and not enough about the continuing comoditization of the Realtor and non Realtor agent.

Survey questions can skew results. The better question to be concerned about and ask is do you know the diference between a Realtor and real estate agent who is not a Realtor?

Better yet? Do you know the diference between someone qualified to sell your home and not qualified?

The public sees little diference.

Instead of worrying that the public should know the that a Realtor matters, and merely implying thru brand that it matters, NAR would better serve their constituency by forcing standards.

That can only happen when the public does know what makes for a qualifed professional. Realtor or not Realtor.

This would go miles further in building the NAR brand than telling the uncaring public that it matters.

Most real estate agents around these parts are REALTORS. The general public can not tell the difference. To most REALTOR is an occupation not a designation so they just don't make the distinction. I am a REALTOR by the way . . .

If we want to use the MLS in Connecticut we are required to become a Realtor. Real Estate Agent = Realtor in Connecticut.

I've been picked last for everything in my life. Doesn't mean I'm the worst at it. Far from it!

Honestly, this analogy is one of the reasons Realtors are such complaint-bait.

Couldn't you have tried a better analogy than that? How about "friend" ? or "priest" or "counselor"? or "teacher"?

Even Realtor is to "cocker spaniel" suggests loyalty.

I am almost embarrassed to be a REALTOR. Is this what I pay all this money for... sophomoric and petty blog posts? Most people don't care if there is a difference between a REALTOR and a Real Estate Agent. They simply want an ethical, intelligent, professional to help them buy or sell a home. The reason you can site these rising statistics about people being more likely to use a REALTOR is because the NAR has spent millions of dollars, including mine, to run advertisements defending the REALTOR trademark. I guess the NAR figures if they run enough ads, people won't figure out that the NAR has no functional purpose for existence.

To claim that your designation is better than another and limiting the avenue one can practice in the Real Estate business by imposing membership to use the MLS is anti competitive and restrictive in competitive alternative and infringes on the rights of individualism and free enterprise and will result in a major draw back in the Real Estate industry overall. Why shouldn't I be able to joy the MLS without been a Realtor with some trade mark on a name of a profession? This is one of the trade marks that should be revoked by the FTC and the patent offices. Realtor was and existed prior to it been patented. My paying the MLS shouldn't have restrictions on free market trade.

I am very surprised at the negative feedbacks of the realtors above. I am very honoured to be a part of the Realtor family. Although not perfect, in every profession there is the good, the bad and the ugly, NAR has done a phenomenal job of branding the coveted Trademark. I say coveted because everyone in the real estate business wants to be referred to as a realtor and those that are not resents it and those that do not appreciate what it means to be a realtor should simply not become a member of NAR! I have been a realtor since 1990 and have seen the results of the COE and the standards of practice and the education programs and designations. They do make a difference. I travel many countries as a Certified International Property Specialists and seen where they use of the trademark is used generically to the real estate industry to attract credibility to the transaction and has and continues to mislead the general public that does not know any better. When these customers do business with dishonest and unethical "realtors" they find out too late that they have no recourse as they are not under a COE or members of NAR. So, NAR has accomplished a lot in branding the trademark. I do think that they have been quite careless at times in not monitoring the misuse of this trademark. Because I know what is required for me in the USA to acquire my license and to be a member of NAR, I find it quite objectionable to have every tom, dick and harry so to speak, especially in other countries, especially since I work the international market, I find it objectionable to have untrained and unethical people capitalize on what I earned the right to use. I love being a Realtor and have met others who are also proud to be a realtor and we love making a difference. If NAR would change the campaign a bit an highlight more what NAR has accomplished for the nation and other countries through their realtors activities such as our volunteer service, funds, etc. to positively affect changes for the American people and (other countries) perhaps more appreciation would be forthcoming.

I could say a lot more but this will suffice for now. I sure hope this appears on the entry.

Professionally yours,
Yvonne

Unbelievable!

What a circle jerk.

Real estate agents, realtors, and related occupations are at the bottom of the list for several reasons,
1) The general public feels that realtors earn far more $ on a sale than they deserve, especially with escalating home prices

2) It takes very little education and testing to qualify and sell real estate. Sure realtors have a slightly higher bar, but frankly the bar is not very high

3) Perhaps the public is jealous that despite #2, agents can make a lot given #1

Overall, it's not prestigious occupation. That said, you can make a lot of money doing it if you have strong people and sales skills. That is, until the internet and government change the business model and deregulate the monopolistics industry practices.

Take comfort that at least mortgage brokers fall even below real estate agents...

I think somewhere down the road image branding took a wrong turn for Realtors. It's time to get back to BASICS!
Home Sellers and Buyers don't care about the brand of car you drive, the brand of clothing you wear, the professional associations you're affliated with, your professional designations, the awards that were given to you by your broker, the million$ sales you've attained, the amount of sales commisions you've earned, etc...
Home Sellers and Buyers really care about is for a Realtor to give them Honest Qualified Uniformed Profesional Service. Unfortunatly being a "Realtor" does'nt automatically give one the prestige and morals. Every individual is responsible as well as NAR and MLS need to evolve with the changes of the Real Estate industry sparked by the internet technology and how it affects clients, agents, and brokers. Your time has come for Restructuring your business...

Eventhough this thread is a couple of months old I'm still going to toss my 2 cents in. I agree with what David wrote. Agents are overpaid for the work involved.

Some have questioned why. Well, which would you bet on? The majority of people are out to make as much money as they can or the majority are out to help? Combine that with the purchase of a house being one of the largest investments a person/family will make. It's easy to make the calculation (i.e. used car salesman x 10).

To me, being certified doesn't make that much of an impact towards making things better in the big picture. Shady folks will do whatever is necessary to get the most clients/money. Sad but true. While that's true for nearly all sales professions, you still need to keep in mind a house being one of the largest investments.

I believe that the public in general remains ignorant of the many aspects of a home sale or purchase, and the value that a quality Realtor can bring to the table.

I sense part of the answer is to forsake mediation, and intensify the arbitration process for principals to a transaction.

Secondly, professional realtors should nuture their relationships with their past clients, thereby expanding their sphere of influence, and therefore raising the bar on quality.

Finally, let the marketplace rule.

i am an agent, and i think some real estate agent are overpaid for their QUALITY of work, i myself try to be as honest as possible with all my clients, which is extremely hard sometimes because when you do that they take advantage of you, but i still keep in mind that we still have to be professional and respectful to everyone. i will not be a jerk to all my clients just because a few of them may be jerks, and the same way clients shouldn't look down on agents just because they heard or encountered a few bad ones. There are still some good ones out there and i think, if you are honest and make sure that your clients get the best survice and satisfy with it, then you do deserve the pay.