How to Choose the Right REALTOR®?
Not All Agents or Brokers are REALTORS® - There is a Difference
As a prerequisite to selling real estate, a person must be licensed by the state in which they work, either as an agent/salesperson or as a broker. Before a license is issued, minimum standards for education, examinations and experience, which are determined on a state by state basis, must be met. After receiving a real estate license, most agents go on to join their local board or association of REALTORS® and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, the world's largest professional trade association. They can then call themselves REALTORS®.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics (which in many cases goes beyond state law). In most areas, it is the REALTOR® who shares information on the homes they are marketing, through a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Working with a REALTOR® who belongs to an MLS will give you access to the greatest number of homes.
Why Use A REALTOR®?
All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR "®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again. Our members abide by a strict code of ethics and have access to a wide variety of business services that are not available to non-REALTORS. This gives them a competitive edge in the marketplace, enabling them to provide superior services to buyers and sellers of real property.
CDAR & PSRAR Merger Meeting Monthly Update
The California Desert Association of REALTORS® (CDAR) and the Palm Springs Regional Association of REALTORS® (PSRAR), at the direction of their respective Boards of Directors, have together formed two task forces - Association Merger Task Force and Joint MLS Task Force.
Although each task force has a specific area of focus, the objective of both is to best serve the brokers, agents, consumers and our desert communities. Both task forces have been working hard to bring new options and opportunities for member consideration.
Once the Association Merger Task Force finalizes its work, and the CDAR and PSRAR Boards of Directors approves all details of the merger, the membership of the respective Associations will vote on the merger and the merger details. Each Association will be sending out monthly updates to the membership on the progress made that month.
